1
kobeno1
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
This review may contain spoilers
A Masteful Psychological Thriller In the Hitchcock Tradition!
This is a fantastic psychological thriller reminiscent of some of the best films of Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense. In fact, I’m sure he would have been delighted by a plot that has so many twists and unexpected layers that I seriously doubt that most viewers will be able to figure everything out until the final reveal. When a writer can keep the viewers on their toes, you know you’ve done your job well. This film is simply a work of art.
The film opens in a seemingly generic plot of a family of four moving into a new house. Jin Seok has a strange sensation of having been there before, but he quickly dismisses it as a mere afterthought. However, he’s puzzled by a single room on the second floor that he’s told is forbidden to enter under any circumstances. From here, strange workings begin to occur. Noises in the middle of the night. Sounds that seem to come from the forbidden room above make Jin Seok wonder what is really going on. Things culminate one evening when he and his brother, Yoo Seok step out for the night when Yoo Seok sees that Jin Seok is unsettled. As Yoo Seok walks back to the house, Jin Seok witnesses several men abducting his brother by tossing him into a van and driving off. Yoo Seok returns 19 days later, but Jin Seok immediately notices that something isn’t right.
The film truly takes off from here because nothing is what it seems to be, and the viewer begins to struggle with Jin Seok and the reality of his situation. Is he hallucinating or dreaming about what’s been going on? Who is involved and why? Trust me. This movie has as many layers as an onion. Just when they’ve pulled back one layer, and you think you’ve got it figured out, a whole new layer is presented, and you’re left with yet another plot twist to unravel.
The writing, directing, and acting performances are all top-notch. Frankly, this may be the best thriller I’ve seen since “The Game,” which is another thriller that literally has the viewer guessing right up until the very end. That is a hallmark of masterful storytelling at its finest!
The film opens in a seemingly generic plot of a family of four moving into a new house. Jin Seok has a strange sensation of having been there before, but he quickly dismisses it as a mere afterthought. However, he’s puzzled by a single room on the second floor that he’s told is forbidden to enter under any circumstances. From here, strange workings begin to occur. Noises in the middle of the night. Sounds that seem to come from the forbidden room above make Jin Seok wonder what is really going on. Things culminate one evening when he and his brother, Yoo Seok step out for the night when Yoo Seok sees that Jin Seok is unsettled. As Yoo Seok walks back to the house, Jin Seok witnesses several men abducting his brother by tossing him into a van and driving off. Yoo Seok returns 19 days later, but Jin Seok immediately notices that something isn’t right.
The film truly takes off from here because nothing is what it seems to be, and the viewer begins to struggle with Jin Seok and the reality of his situation. Is he hallucinating or dreaming about what’s been going on? Who is involved and why? Trust me. This movie has as many layers as an onion. Just when they’ve pulled back one layer, and you think you’ve got it figured out, a whole new layer is presented, and you’re left with yet another plot twist to unravel.
The writing, directing, and acting performances are all top-notch. Frankly, this may be the best thriller I’ve seen since “The Game,” which is another thriller that literally has the viewer guessing right up until the very end. That is a hallmark of masterful storytelling at its finest!
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