Parasite (dir. Bong Joon-Ho, 2019) - EveryFilmIWatch Review

screenplay PDF for personal, private use here.

Parasite is a classic piece of Korean cinema, the likes of which have been produced with reasonable consistency for the last two decades. It is not beyond compare. As fate (or rather: the Hollywood Foreign Press) would have it, however, this happens to be the first of the excellent crop of contemporary Korean films worth its space on American screens. How lucky we are to have spotted it! Still, in spite of the randomness of its elevation (a randomness that was imprinted on the faces of the film's stars and director with each further American award they received), this is genuinely a very good film.

The plot is intriguing, intelligent, precise and constantly cathartic, regardless of your moral stance on any of the characters. It also has that nefarious, mischievous side to it, most reminiscent of the sadistic capers attributed to the infamous figures of Greek mythology, a tradition from which Korean directors frequently borrow. The acting is superb, a real ensemble triumph. It'd be so easy for characters on either side of the socio-economic divide in the film to become cartoonish caricatures. But the poor are never truly pitiable and the rich are never truly despicable either, both ends of the spectrum portrayed with a balanced concession to humanity's capacity for good and evil at all levels of society.

The production design and attention to detail is extraordinary, creating a world that feels so complete. Bong Joon-ho's mastery of the set piece and the montage take advantage of this, as well as the excellent soundtrack and stylish cinematography to create cinema that can best be described as irresistible. His technical, directorial skill though is trumped by another of his abilities which is showcased here to the greatest extent of his colourful career: his screenwriting. Parasite’s writing eschews the tendency for relentlessly direct dialogue that can be found in Korean cinema.

Though there have been stronger flag bearers for Korean cinema in past years (before Western distributors were ready to hurdle the one-inch barrier, as Bong would put it himself), Parasite is still an excellent example of the explosive entertainment of Korean cinema and the peerless skill with which the great Korean directors operate. If you loved Parasite, there's a treasure trove out there waiting for you.

EveryFilmIWatch is multi-channel film review project run by Sebastian Cox, ScriptUp co-founder. Further reviews can be found on Instagram.