Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned (2016)

I've been anticipating this film since it was first announced because the storyline was so intriguing to me, especially as someone who loves the fantasy genre. Through the premise alone, I already had so many questions, the main one being, 'How did Sungmin become an adult over the course of the last few days?'

First, this film is worth watching for the plot alone. The writer is extremely creative and he weaves in the 'fantasy elements' in an eloquent way. As a viewer, it felt realistic, as if it was something that could actually happen, despite the idea of it being so far-fetched. Another thing that is worth mentioning is that he examines the situation from different perspectives - how the average person would view their story (mentions of stockholm syndrome and other psychological analysis) versus how Soorin viewed Sungmin's story. It was extremely thought-provoking. There were comedic scenes, but also heart-wrenching scenes that made me tear up. It was well-paced and kept my attention throughout. I docked half a point for the story because I felt like a scene near the ending wasn't explained very well (it's either a loophole or something I need clarification on). But other than that, I had no qualms with the story.

Moving on to the acting/cast, I will emphasize this over and over again, they could not have chosen better actors for their roles. Kang Dongwon is absolutely impeccable as Sungmin. It's almost as if you are watching the thirteen year old boy Sungmin stuck in a man's body; as evidenced by the way he delivers his lines, the look of naïveté in his eyes, the tears of hurt, and feelings of guilt - in my opinion, no one could have played Sungmin better than him. Shin Eunsoo was the real surprise (as I'm a fan of KDW, so I already knew he would deliver). It's hard to believe this is her first role and she has little to any previous acting experience. She's so talented and her ability to emote is stellar. She has this wonderful ability to express a variety of emotions, and her friendship with Sungmin (the dynamic she had with both young/adult Sungmin) is what made this film so 'real' and beautiful to me (*mini spoiler: their code language was so special). Also, her chemistry with Kang Dongwon is so natural and inherently believable. The rest of the cast fit their roles well, especially Lee Hyoje as young Sungmin and his friends, they were adorable and hilarious at times, but you could also feel how conflicted they were to be in that situation.

The soundtrack fit the atmosphere of the film very well, but there wasn't a particular score that really captured my attention. However, the music did help with the buildup of intensity in certain scenes.

I will definitely rewatch this film, especially since I haven't seen anything else like it. But I also found it quite sad, so I think I'll pick it up again after some time.

Overall, objectively I'd rate it a 9.5/10. In terms of my subjective enjoyment of the film, I'd rate it a 10/10. Just a few additional comments I'd like to include, the cinematography is gorgeous and it really contributes to the mystical and melancholic vibe of the film. There are so many scenes that were filmed beautifully, such as close up shots of their eyes, Soorin's hair, the ocean - it was very artistic and aesthetically pleasing. I also thought the CGI was done well, especially the floating items, the scenes filmed in water, water droplets in the cave. It really felt as if time had stopped. Anyhow, this film is definitely worth the watch. It's hard for me to come up with the right words to describe it, but I guarantee that it's a gem. It left me wondering, if time has stopped for everyone else except for me, what would I do? And how would it affect the way I developed as a person?

Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned is a well-delivered, thought-provoking film with its own unique eccentric touch. Director and writer Uhm Taehwa astutely adds a touch of realism to this fantasy film.

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I give this one a 10/10 because I can see myself buying it. This drama really hits all my personal goal posts for movies of it's kind. A Jem! .......After getting used to the hourly pace of dramas, I'm not much into movies, but every now and then I wander around and a film catches my eye.... This movie displayed the unmatched power of Time and how helpless we are against it(him). Time is the star of this movie. He has a heartbeat here and was actually breathes! And the cinematography? Amazing.

THIS FANTASY CONCEPT IS NOT NEW but the twist and the way it was written is different.
I'm partial to Time-Fantasy dramas/films. But this is the first one I've watched where I felt that Time was the actual Star of the show and not the humans. It was a character without it having to take on human form. and that's really cool.
- The film moves from the normal, innocent childhood adventures of a 13 year old boy and girl and takes you into the nightmare of something fantastic and a little chilling, on so many levels that I'm still taken by the imagination of the writer. ! Not being great with words, if I try to explain more I'll spoil. But the two main characters go through a lot of turmoil because of the stopping of time.

Visually, I found it more profound because everything is pared down. In the beginning the film is stripped of all the white-noisy loudness and all the focus is on the story So, when they threw in the special effects it doubled the impact. During every slow-mo, my mind sped a mile a minute.

KANG DONG WON AT HIS BEST! but still felt like the second lead. Time just over powered him..heheh! I think of all the things I've seen him in. This one for me is the best. He's gotten so handsome with age too!
-The acting is the top. Child actor SHIN EUN SOO did a fantastic job, and the chemistry she had with both Lee Hyo Je (little Seong Min) and Kang Dong Won (Adult Seong Min) was great. Her intensity was solid and didn't quit even when her peer & sweetheart changed to an adult actor. She transitioned so well while remaining the same. Sounds confusing but It was amazing to watch. Oh, and not to worry, the ending falls in line with the whole story. You won't be in heaven but you won't be left wallowing in a pit either. You'll end this movie feeling like you just watched a piece of art and a damn fine film.

I gushed and went all biased with this review but that's what happens when a movie hits all my sweet spots. I'll be sure to look out for this writer in the future. I'll also be grabbing a few friends to re-watch and share this one for sure.

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