Review of 3-Iron (2004) by Jennifer A — 07 Mar 2010

An unusual, original almost Zen-like romance.

3-Iron (2005) - 7.9/10.

Director - Kim-Ki Duk.

Cast - Lee Seung-yeon, Jae Hee Song, Gweon Hyeok-ho, Ju Jin-mo, Jeong Ho-choi.

Tae-suk (Jae Hee Song) is a young drifter who breaks into unoccupied homes for a comfortable night's stay. Despite his unlawful entries, he's respectful of the owners possessions, never stealing a thing. One day he breaks into a home unaware that someone else is present. That someone, a young woman named Sun-hwa (Lee Seung-yeon), has been a recent victim of domestic abuse. Tae-suk becomes violent when Sun-hwa's husband Min-kyo (Gweon Hyeok-ho) returns, and Sun-hwa flees with him. An unlikely romance develops as Tae-suk and Sun-hwa break into home after home. But with Min-kyo and the police closing in, this budding romance seems doomed.

Wow what an unusual film! While the plot may seem absurd, it's a strangely compelling and hypnotic picture. In fact it's Zen-like in it's approach. The two leads almost never speak, but their actions and expressions convey a thousand words. Tae-suk is an especially interesting character. He's obviously intelligent and his drifting lifestyle appears to be entirely by choice. To become a part of something, if only momentarily, has a profound impact on him. Sun-hwa never feels threatened by him because he's almost the polar opposite of her husband despite both men having violent streaks.

The direction is excellent. Kim-Ki Duk manages to create a Zen-like mood throughout his film. The fact he manages to do this with leads that don't speak is remarkable. It's definitely not the type of film that would be made in Hollywood. The story may be too slow or offbeat for many, but others may indeed find this fascinating.