(2004/SOUTH KOREA)
REVIEWED BY-STEVE GENIER DIRECTED BY-KI-DUK KIM CAST-JI-MIN KWAK, MIN-JEONG SEO, EOL LEE, KWON HYUN-MIN, OH YOUNG, IM GYON-HO and LEE JONG-GIL SOURCE-TARTAN VIDEO USA(NTSC R1 DVD/2005)
Schoolgirl’s Yeo-jin and Jae-yeong dream of going to Europe, and they have devised a plan in making that become a reality. The plan is the run an small time escort service until they make enough money for two plane tickets. Yeo-jin would work the books and set up the appointments while Jae-yeong would provide the pleasure for the clients. All seems to work out smoothly until Jae-yeong gets caught in a police raid, forcing her to jump from a window to her eventual death. Yeo-jin’s world is an instant shamble. She feels that in order to rid the pain, guilt and to fully pay respect to Jae-yeong, she will sleep with each one of the clients that Jae-yeong did. In doing so, she would also return the money that the clients had given her. In the process of doing this, Yeo-jin’s father, a police detective who is at a murder scene, witnesses Yeo-jin in the act. Though he doesn’t tell her, he decides to take action. At first scaring the clients away, he gets deeper until the point of which he himself commits murder by killing one of the clients.
From the director who brought films like BAD GUY and THE ISLE, Ki-duk Kim’s THE SAMARITAN GIRL or SAMARIA takes into this stagnate journey of a friendship that brings a higher meaning once it’s links are broken. Those links though only broke physically deepen on a mental level. Laid out in a dramatic manner, SAMARIA turns a rough corner and brings us through a period of utter disbelief. The emotional roller coaster a parent goes through once their special bond with a child has been violated. One doesn’t necessary think clearly as to how to handle an unthinkable event upon occurrence. Ki-duk exploits this savage human trait to it’s fullest with the actions Yeo-jin’s father decides to take upon learning of her daughters secret, of course with never attempting to finding out as to why she is doing it. This exploitation comes on the tail end of a long draw out story set-up that would have most viewers attention wandering away. You really have to stick with the slow pace of this film as it does redeem itself in the form of a brilliant story structure. Ki-juk smoothly shifts focus from one character to another in the form of a titled sequence.
The story, the acting and the overall atmosphere seem to be right for a drama of this structure, still the only thing that seems to be lacking in my opinion the seemingly lacking depth of despair on the part of Yeo--jin's father. I must add that even though director Ki-duk does exploit many situations in this film, he falls short of the most important situation in the film, the father’s reaction and actions. Here is a police detective who witnesses this all the time and for the first time it’s a close family member. Rather Ki-duk wanted to acknowledge that he has been severally desensitized as a result of his work, or he simply just does know how to react or what to do. Personally, though he does commit a murder, I’m surprised it took till the near end for him to be pushed this far.
Back to the positives, the display of friendship between Yeo-jin and Jae-yeong is acted quite convincingly as when it is ended with the death if Jae-yeong there is a sense of true despair as the physical friendship is torn apart. Had it continued, you are given a sense that the friendship could've gone in two separate direction. One scenario being that the friendship would flourish into something stronger on a sexual level as they matured or due to the situation of Jae-yeong beginning to develop feelings for certain clients, something that is quite evidently bothers Yeo-jin. Viewing it as a possible threat to there friendship. This could ultimately destroy their bond if continued, of course this is all just speculation as we will never know. Along with the acting, some slick camera work topped with some complemental transitions also are worth the viewing. One can’t forget to mention the score either, very haunting yet almost dreamy like totally reflecting the films dramatic tones.
This new Tartan Video DVD release houses an exceptional print showcased in a anamorphic wide screen. Top with a sharp sounding Korean Dolby Digital surround and DTS audio with English subtitles. It’s really too bad that Tartan couldn’t follow up with the extras though, sadly there is only a photo gallery offered up. Still, this is worth a purchase or at least a viewing for fans of director Ki-duk Kim’s body of work.
STORY/FILM-3.5 BITCH SLAPS PICTURE-4 BITCH SLAPS AUDIO-4 BITCH SLAPS EXTRAS-2 BITCH SLAPS OVERALL DVD-3 BITCH SLAPS
