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33 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Brutal Cinematic Tapestry Where Borders Dissolve..., July 14, 2005
Ki-duk Kim delivers an inquisitive blow to the audience with his film titled Bad Guy. Here he intends to make the audience question whether humans can get along despite differences in class, education, appearance, and other social standards that the society creates. On the surface these differences might not be what the viewer discovers, but in retrospect, or maybe even during the film, the notion of harmony among human differences might emerge in consciousness. Nonetheless, Ki-duk Kim paints a cinematic tapestry of brutality and hatred that strikes deep into the soul and core of humanity.
Bad Guy is not unlike Ki-duk Kim's other films in regards to the symbolism and the artistic expression that this South Korean director strives to visualize on the silver screen. Yet, the situation is new and the story is unique even though he returned to teenage prostitution in Samaria (2004), the English title Samaria Girl. The depicted cruelty often finds its place in Ki-duk Kim's films, may be even a reason for his popularity. However, it is in the moment of viciousness where he generates the artistic moment that crosses between what is acceptable and unacceptable. These are moments where opposite sides cross into each other's sphere like a bridge built for a moment that is destroyed in the next instant. The violence can be seen in films such as the Isle (2000) where a woman pulls up a man by a fish hook and the dog killings in Address Unknown (2001). It is in these violent moments where Ki-duk Kim reaches the furthest while trying to communicate his message to the audience.
Cleverly, Ki-duk Kim opens Bad Guy with a scene of a city street where hundreds of of people are wandering during business hour. People are shown from all walks of life, ugly and pretty, rich and poor, and among them emerges the silent anti-hero of the story Han-gi (Jae-hyeon Jo) who discovers Sun-hwa (Won Seo). They are from opposite social classes. Han-gi comes from the lower class while Sun-hwa is a member of the upper class. Han-gi is a quiet, perhaps of his servitude class, pimp from the part of the town nobody admits they are from, or want to visit unless it is for carnal pleasure. Sun-hwa is the pretty college girl most men would turn their head to look at twice who is both refined and educated.
When Han-gi's eyes lands on Sun-hwa for the first time he cannot take them of her, as she sits on a park bench. He stands there dumbfounded almost drooling all over himself while observing her from a distance. Awkwardly, he approaches her and is unable to speak he sits down next to her. Sun-hwa steps away seemingly threatened by his stare and presence, and possibly his looks. After all he has a thick and long scar running horizontally over his throat. When her boyfriend arrives Han-gi continues to stare at her. All of a sudden Han-gi walks up and kisses her right in front of the boyfriend who helplessly tries to remove him. Consequently, the situation escalates when Sun-hwa demands an apology for Han-gi's transgression, which ends with him getting a severe beating from a large number of bystanders.
Like a ghost Han-gi returns to his home in the poor community where girls sell themselves for a few meager bucks while bribing off nosy police officers with their only assets. Angry and vindictive Han-gi intends to repay the mistreatment in a Machiavellian style where he concocts a trap where Sun-hwa gets into big debt. Unable to pay off the debt she ends up becoming a slave-like prostitute where she must pay with her body and face. Silently, Han-gi continues to watch her through a one-way mirror while she begins and continues her new life as a prostitute. This of course has strong symbolic value in regards to the transparency of the lower class's view of the upper class while the narcissism of the rich blinds them from seeing the poor.
Ki-duk Kim's presentation of the theme is a very uncomfortable cinematic experience, yet he succeeds through this tragedy to make people think about the differences between Han-gi and Sun-hwa. In addition, to strengthen his message he experiments with distance between the characters through both tangible and intangible symbols throughout the whole film. In essence, the story turns into a macabre education of class struggle and differences between people where Ki-duk Kim does not hold back in his social criticism. The film is both bizarre and surreal while also humane underneath all the ugliness, as Ki-duk Kim displays his brilliant ability to create visual fabrications from his personal artistic vision that will continue to mesmerize many for a long time.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Potent And Brutal Story Of Psychological Degradation--"Bad Guy" Is A Korean Film For Adults, January 10, 2007
Having just seen the Korean film "Bad Guy," I am extremely impressed with its brutality. While that may seem like an odd comment, it has been quite a while since I've come across a film that really connected with its character's psychological dark sides. "Bad Guy" doesn't apologize or compromise in the choices (good, bad, violent, surprising) of its two leads, and in that--stands as a very honest, if unpleasant character study. I know many people will dismiss the film out of hand based on subject matter--that's fine, it's not for everyone. Other will question character motivations, which I think are brilliantly conceived. They are not, however, what we might expect or want. And I think detractors from the film are disturbed by the lead character's ultimate acceptance of her position (and make no mistake, it is disturbing), but from a psychological standpoint--it makes perfect sense, to me.
"Bad Guy" starts out with a powerful and violent street encounter. Han-ki, a street hardened pimp, becomes infatuated with an attractive young girl he spies on a park bench. Sitting next to her, he continues to watch her as her boyfriend arrives. Before leaving, as they have noticed and commented on his presence, he grabs her and gives her an extended (and rough) kiss--which leads to a confrontation with several passersby. But Han-ki can't get Sun-hwa, the college girl, out of his mind and starts to follow her. He eventually sets her up in a sting where she steals some money--and uses the leverage to force her into a world of prostitution to pay off the debt. As she learns the ways of her new world, many of these scenes are harrowing and graphic.
There is a lot that transpires as the film progresses--but the crux of the story continues to be this primary relationship. Han-ki, who is wordless and brooding, uses violence to speak for him. He is obsessed with Sun-hwa and secretly watches her debasement (sometimes protecting her, but ultimately letting her sink fully into this new life). Sun-hwa, whose attempts to escape have been unsuccessful, starts to accept her position--she has no alternatives. The Han-ki/Sun-hwa relationship is the film's strongest component--it is morally ambiguous, challenging, and hard to understand. But the man who has enslaved her is also the one that shows her kindness, protects her, never makes advances on her. In a bravura bit of acting, these two leads plumb psychological depths that few films would dare to embrace.
The film is not a perfect one, there is some added drama when an old boss is released from prison--and this adds some more conventionally violent showdowns. And the conclusion is very ambiguous, it is open to various interpretations. I've discussed this film with numerous friends and we have about 4 different views on the film's end--two of which are quite legitimate. I only warn you of the ambiguous ending because if that's going to deter you from seeing the film, you should know up front. But ultimately, "Bad Guy" has lingered in my mind. It's a powerful psychological study of an unpleasant topic and an unconventional relationship. Not for everyone, by any stretch, but if you like to be challenged--this might be up your alley. KGHarris, 01/07.
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Disturbing and then some, May 16, 2006
This is what might be called postmodern naturalism. Director Ki-duk Kim tells a brutal story without comment and without mercy. He reminds us of some human truths that will make some viewers uncomfortable, and he invites controversy.
First, two things: Spoilers to come, so if you haven't seen this movie you might want to stop reading now.
Second, if you've seen the movie only once and are scratching your head, you're not alone.
Here's what happens: Han-ki (Jae-hyeon Jo), a street tough pimp walking along in a South Korean city spies this very pretty and privileged college girl, Sun-hwa (Won Seo), sitting on a bench waiting for her boyfriend. The girl is everything Han-ki desires. He sits down next to her. She pretends not to notice him while she talks on her cell phone to her boyfriend. When she does deign to notice him (and his desire for her) she shirks back in horror at his dirty, lower-class presumption and gets up. Her boyfriend arrives while she throws ugly glances at Han-ki. Han-ki can't take it anymore and grabs her and forcefully kisses her as the boyfriend beats him about the head. Some soldiers arrive on the scene and beat the tar out of Han-ki. As a parting gesture, pretty girl spits on Han-ki as he is held by the soldiers.
That's "the setup." It's the kind of setup that cries out for revenge or at least a comeuppance, which is what I expected. Or perhaps pretty college girl and the bad guy will find true love and overcome their social differences. What actually happens is beyond expectation in a way that is likely to stun and totally engage the viewer.
Pretty girl is at a book store. She compromises herself (in the viewer's eyes) by tearing a page out of an art book and putting it in her purse. This can be seen as the fatal moral flaw that leads to her degeneration. Han-ki sees this. (He has been following her.) He is playing out a trap. Near her on the book display is a fat wallet. Pretty college girl grabs it, looks both ways, and puts it in her purse. This is the fatal moral flaw leading to entrapment and a descent into hell. She hurries to the bathroom and in the stall opens the wallet and takes out the money. Meanwhile the guy who lost the wallet is told (presumably by the bad guy) that she has the wallet and is in the bathroom. By the time he gets there she is gone. He chases after her and finally catches her. He roughs her up, calls her a pickpocket, and then forces her to go to a loan shark and sign an agreement (with her body as collateral) for money that he says was in the wallet.
This might be called "the turn" as the setup takes on a startling twist.
Next Sun-hwa is forced into prostitution by Han-ki She makes some feeble attempts to get away, but mysteriously has nowhere to go it seems, and anyway is too afraid to run. She realizes that she is going to lose her 21-year-old virginity so she begs her captors to let her lose it to her boyfriend. Han-ki and his fellow thugs mysteriously oblige. However, the boyfriend is confused and doesn't get the job done. They pull him out of the car, slap him around, dump him, and Sun-hwa is back at the showcase on the street. Through a two-way mirror Han-ki watches her lose her virginity to a forceful client.
Question number one: why doesn't Han-ki ever speak? Question number two: why does he watch her behind the two-way mirror instead of taking her himself?
The answer comes later in the film when we do hear him speak for the first time. His voice is a high shriek. Guess what his unique problem is.
And then comes the resolution. Yes, this is a love story of sorts and yes they do fall in love in a way that is debased and seemingly fated. He's a pimp and she's now a prostitute. This works out since he is able to vicariously experience her sexually and she is able to thereby serve the man she loves. And together they can make a living.
There is also a supernatural element in the film that suggests that the story is part wish-fulfillment fantasy by Han-ki. His ability to beat up the other guys and survive knife wounds fairly begs credulity. During the course of the film he loses enough blood to supply a small hospital. And the scene where both he and Sun-hwa appear together on the beach as if by magic is more mystical than realistic.
This is a haunting film done without any looking back or any compromise with the sensibilities of viewers. Director Ki-duk Kim's message seems to be that animal passion will win out in the end, and that humans are, despite the facades they put on, just animals doing animal-like things in the human jungle, and deliverance comes only when one realizes his or her nature and gives into it. Ki-duk Kim makes us identify with the bad guy and feel that he and pretty girl are no worse or no better than anyone else.
In short I found this movie disturbing like something from, say, novelist Cormac McCarthy. I am thinking especially of his novel, "Child of God." That title is ironic in the sense that his anti-heroic protagonist really is, whatever we may say or think, or however bestial his behavior, a child of God, while Ki-duk Kim's title "Bad Guy" ("Nabbeun namja") is also ironic in the sense that Han-ki is by societal standards certainly a bad guy, but by naturalistic (or cosmic) standards no better or worse than the pretty college girl.
Bottom line: see this excellent and deeply troubling film at your own risk.
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