Review of Protagonist (2007) by Chris I — 16 Apr 2008

An extraordinarily refreshing and unique documentary.

Yu's parallel storytelling is fascinating and very well put together - never once does the film feel disjointed or have scenes that feel out of place. The talking heads all provided extraordinary stories... my favorite was the martial arts fanatic, who just exuded so much charisma and enthusiasm into retelling his life story that it was absolutely thrilling to watch everything he had to say.

Using puppets, Yu explores the connection between current life and the typical Euripidean dramatic structure and exposes stunning similarities. We see the same theme of self-mastery and obsession interwoven between the stories of puppets and talking heads, and it's an absolutely enthralling study of the human condition.

Although the method Yu went about to do this film may seem a bit gimmicky on the surface, everything works well together and the composition is seamless. This was such a bold film, and I think it certainly was quite an accomplishment.

This was a wonderfully fresh and unique idea for a documentary - and it certainly brings new life into the genre. Instead of sticking to one event, Protagonist shows that a documentary can be absolutely limitless in content with the right mind behind it.