[critical] The Murderer

Yanji, a chinese city of the Prefecture of Yanbian, wedged between North Korea and Russia, which are home to some 800 000 Chinese-koreans known as the “Joseon-Jok.” 50% of this population lives in illegal activity. Gu-nam, a taxi driver, leads a miserable life. Since six months he is without news from his wife, part in South Korea in search of work. Myun, a sponsor, a local, offered to help her to go to Korea to find his wife and even to pay off his gambling debts. In return he will just have to… murder a stranger. But nothing will happen as planned…

Author’s Note

[rating:7/10]

• Release Date : July 20, 2011

• Directed by Hong-jin Na

• Film south Korean

• With Kim Yun-seok, Jung-woo Ha, Jo Seong-Ha,

• Duration : 2h20min

• Original title : nord hwanghae

• Trailer :

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When it is written “forbidden to under 12 years of age with warning” is that there is usually a reason for that. One is looking yet a good hour. The Murderer starts on a plot, simple but intense. Gu-nam (Jung-woo Ha), a taxi driver chinese debt up to the neck, agrees to go to South Korea to commit murder. The film starts by taking his time, squeezing his camera on an ambiguous character evolving in a universe sticky, uncompromising, and brutal. The suspense holds, the music carries us, and the leading actors (Jung-woo Ha) touches us by his game sec.

Then the film switches. Without warning, or no action, the viewer is enveloped in a cascade of violence dizzying. Anything goes, and nothing seems to be quite explosive. The Murderer gives to see beautiful scenes where one-upmanship in South Korea has nothing to envy to the biggest productions Hollywood. We fight shamelessly, making her squirt the blood all goes. The cars are crushing cheerfully to each other, the blows of a knife or axe showered, and there’s never enough of chasing after a single man. The scenes of killings reached a grotesque, almost clownish.

Unfortunately, as the violence escalated again, the scenario is lost completely, dispersing among all the characters and their machinations delusional. It must be hang in front of this film (really really banned at least 12 years of age), for getting to follow the progress of the plot, and this generally without much success. It will be understood, the story is just a vague pretext for a mise en scene of raging and morbid. Yet, despite its lack of coherence, The Murderer, because without limits, approach the ecstasy of the kind. Violence at its worst makes us laugh more than it shocks us. Without really understanding what is going on, one is literally nailed to the seat. It must be said that this will be coupled with the interpretation flawless that we offer for the actors. It is especially necessary to note the presence of funny and squeaky from Kim Yun-seok in the role of Myun : it is indestructible, funny and surprising.

The reference to Kill Bill is obvious, but the virtuosity apocalyptic of this thriller makes it unique. The Murderer offers a ride bloody among the shots of the polar-trash of the most delicious.