Review of Parasite (2019) by Wayne_Posh — 21 Jan 2020

Bong Joon Ho’s 2019 release opens with a sub-ground level view out of a semi-basement window outlooking the alleyway of a Korean slum that will play the setting for most of the first act of the film. As the camera settles on this view, Hangul characters discreetly faze into frame and are quickly translated to the American title: Parasite. This seemingly menacing title (for who has any good memories of a parasite?) is in stark contrast to the equally seemingly innocuous backdrop. This opening frame acts as the films first (of many) contradictions that keeps the viewer intrigued and constantly guessing what will happen next all the way up to its thrilling and touching finale.

The film centers around the Kim family: a hard-on-their luck family existing (just barely) amongst the previously mentioned alleyways of the slums that make up the bedrock of this unnamed Korean metropolitan. The family is shown as goofy, well-meaning, cheap, and ultimately entirely relatable. The interesting characters are brought to life by the apparently impeccable talents of the entire main cast. Kang-ho Song acts as patriarch to the Kim family but never acts as the boss. Each family member has a strength to balance any apparent weaknesses they may have. The performances are broad yet nuanced and the dialogue reaches every emotion on the spectrum while always maintaining a hint of comedy. Every character is given a chance to pine as well as get a laugh. If the trailers and posters scare or baffle you, know this: the acting in this movie is worth the cost of admission on its own. The cinematography and writing are all icing on this character-driven cake.

That’s not to say the look and writing of this film are not high points on their own. American viewers will automatically find the Korean setting to be a breath of fresh air with great shots of modern architecture contrasting the dreary shambles of the slums. In every frame of the film, the filmmaker attempts to make the background just as important a character as the people delivering lines. And as the viewers become more accustomed to the diverse settings, the plot constantly creates doubt in our securities and hints at something sinister behind every corner. At the moment you feel most safe, Bong introduces something new that shakes and upturns every notion you built up to that point. This all culminates in a showdown that both strips the viewer of all safety while at the same time establishes a new hope. Walking into the cinema as this film begins, the viewer has a pretty good idea of what kind of film they are in for. But as each scene shifts and every conversation is had in the film, the viewer is treated to something completely new and equally satisfying. The viewer will laugh and cry, cheer and gasp, all while cringing and gripping their seats and this is not an experience offered often to a modern audience. In an age of paint-by-numbers blockbusters, this gem offers a shining example of how great storytelling can be different and completely unsafe. Bong Joon Ho’s own concern about Western audiences reservations about subtitled films rang even more resonant after my viewing as Parasite offers one of the best reasons to hurdle that 1-inch barrier.