07-05-2014, 04:35 PM
This is a bad movie, a good movie, and a great movie, all rolled into one. I'm still trying to come to terms with it.
What prompted me to see it was the star power of Kang-ho Song, my favorite South Korean actor, who I call Mr. Big Cheeks. Also, the director has done some nice stuff, including The Host, which also starred Mr. Big Cheeks.
But as the movie started, I was disappointed to discover that this is an English-speaking movie (though fortunately Mr. Big Cheeks doesn't make the attempt), and that the real star is some clean-cut Fernando Lamas lookalike. While most everyone else is filthy and scruffy, he manages to have this well-trimmed beard and perfect short-cropped hair. This had all the markings of one of those terrible post-holocaust Road Warrior copycat movies. And indeed, the premise is absurd. In science fiction, world-building is key. Things should make sense. Nothing in this really does. The viewer is constantly saying, "Wait a sec, where do they get their food? What about fuel? Don't they ever need repairs?" And the first third of the movie gives the impression that this whole movie will drag out in the dark claustrophobic confines of a few slummish passenger cars. Talk about low budget!
But then things start to get strange, even surreal, and in a good way (as opposed to the many dumb and lazy takes on surrealism). I won't spell out what this consists of. There's just too many nice little quirky surprises to be had. As for the dumbness, it turns out not to be as dumb as it seemed.
Then there comes a point when the movie takes on a disturbing symbolism, and yes, I tend to despise symbolism, because too often it feels like being hit in the face with a soccer ball; but this symbolism somehow worked for me, and is causing me a lot of reflection afterwards.
All in all, while this movie starts out slow, it grew on me the further I got into into it. It's really a unique vehicle, the more I think about it. I can't really say who will like it and who won't, because there's ample reason to perceive it in a number of ways. But right now my meter is flickering somewhere between good and great.
What prompted me to see it was the star power of Kang-ho Song, my favorite South Korean actor, who I call Mr. Big Cheeks. Also, the director has done some nice stuff, including The Host, which also starred Mr. Big Cheeks.
But as the movie started, I was disappointed to discover that this is an English-speaking movie (though fortunately Mr. Big Cheeks doesn't make the attempt), and that the real star is some clean-cut Fernando Lamas lookalike. While most everyone else is filthy and scruffy, he manages to have this well-trimmed beard and perfect short-cropped hair. This had all the markings of one of those terrible post-holocaust Road Warrior copycat movies. And indeed, the premise is absurd. In science fiction, world-building is key. Things should make sense. Nothing in this really does. The viewer is constantly saying, "Wait a sec, where do they get their food? What about fuel? Don't they ever need repairs?" And the first third of the movie gives the impression that this whole movie will drag out in the dark claustrophobic confines of a few slummish passenger cars. Talk about low budget!
But then things start to get strange, even surreal, and in a good way (as opposed to the many dumb and lazy takes on surrealism). I won't spell out what this consists of. There's just too many nice little quirky surprises to be had. As for the dumbness, it turns out not to be as dumb as it seemed.
Then there comes a point when the movie takes on a disturbing symbolism, and yes, I tend to despise symbolism, because too often it feels like being hit in the face with a soccer ball; but this symbolism somehow worked for me, and is causing me a lot of reflection afterwards.
All in all, while this movie starts out slow, it grew on me the further I got into into it. It's really a unique vehicle, the more I think about it. I can't really say who will like it and who won't, because there's ample reason to perceive it in a number of ways. But right now my meter is flickering somewhere between good and great.
I'm nobody's pony.
