Fantastic Fest 2011: The Yellow Sea Review
South Korea is full of superheroes. That’s the only conclusion one can come to after watching more than a handful of the amazing films the country has been pumping out over the last decade. The protagonists in South Korea films take more punishment than could be withstood by any mere human. They spill blood like the shit is on tap. They are badass.
The Yellow Sea, Hong-jin Na’s follow up to The Chaser, follows two such badasses. One a down on his luck gambling addict in desperate need of money, the other a charismatic criminal in desperate need of having motherfuckers killed. Inevitably, the two meet and a deal is made.
What follows is an epic tale of betrayal and revenge. The film is two and a half hours long and is split into distinct chapters. The second chapter follows our hero, if we can call him that, as he stalks his target and prepares for his kill. The meticulous way in which this is documented was fascinating and proved to be my favorite portion of the film. The segment ends with an incredible footchase around a multistory apartment building.
There are actual several amazing chases in the movie, as well as many, many knife battles. It actually borders on the ridiculous how many knives and hatchets are pulled out during the film, it’s like all the criminals in Korea have decided that guns are for pussies. It’s knives or GTFO. Dozens of bodies are left a bloody mess by the end and it is pretty glorious. And in true Korean tradition, our two leads are continually stabbed and treat it like a minor inconvenience.
It’s good that the action and performances of the two leads are so captivating, because the story becomes kind of a mess towards the end. There are many factions at play and many shifting allegiances. It became a challenge to remember who was who and who they were working for. Fortunately the main character arcs are clear and you can almost ignore the ancillary elements.
So don’t let the length put you off. The Yellow Sea continues the tradition of amazing South Korean filmmaking.
