Parasite

I've been eagerly anticipating Parasite for the last few months as the hype around it has been building. 

I've also been avoiding anything about its content like the plague as I've heard from many that going in with a fresh mind preserves the surprise. 

Finally this weekend, I was able to go with some friends to a sold out screening and watch it. 

I think we all walked away a little disappointed. I get the sense my audience did too. We each enjoyed the film - it is a truly well crafted movie - but this could have been an example where the hype levels were to high. I'd even argue that knowing absolutely nothing about it was A) a tad unnecessary and B) harmful in and of itself. The uber hype and mystery floating around it made it seem something more than it actually is and I got the sense that my entire theater last night left with a sense of "That's what all the hubbub was about?"

Which is a shame because Parasite is a very memorable film and one that has a lot of good things going for it. Where it ends on my end-of-year list shouldn't be important, but many reviewers claiming it as even one of the best films of the decade (woah!) must be speaking in hyperbole. 

So yes, I'm a tad disappointed about Parasite. I think the hype and mystery was a bit undeserved, but hey, that's not the film's fault right? My review will try to reflect that as best as possible. 

Parasite is immediately striking with how well-made it is in general. The cinematography sings and is a highlight, the editing is brilliant (more on that in a second), and the original score - while maybe not one of the best of the year - is still very fitting and used well. Production design is another thing I don't think I hardly ever mention in my reviews, but for Parasite, of which a majority of the film occurs within a house, it plays an integral role. Combined with that dynamic editing I mentioned, you're often able to understand where everyone is within the house at any given time. It becomes a character within itself thanks to some longer cuts on scenes and generally skilled framing of who/what is in the shot. Calling back to director, Bong Joon-Ho's previous film, Snowpiercer, it shows a growth in him from a skill level that is commendable and you can clearly witness his evolution as a filmmaker. For the record, I liked Snowpiercer more than this film but that's a really hard pair of films to compare to one another and I really like Snowpiercer, so it's a hard film to overcome in that regard. 

Not the best family to be folding pizza boxes it would seem!

Wi-fi on the toilet? I see no problem here

There's also a really fun and memorable cast of characters here. "Fun" may come as shocking to some given the grim poster, but Parasite can be a downright comedy at times, consisting of mostly dark humor. The central focus of the film is on the Kim family. They're a struggling bunch within South Korea but you can tell that most of them have street smarts, even without the education to go along with it. Their performances are very strong in the sense that they create characters who feel distinct and each add something to this family group. Other members of the cast are able to achieve similar results, with each character truly feeling unique. 

For me - and I imagine others of my audience - the story is where Parasite will have some questioners. For a long time, probably the first hour of the film, it feels like it's kind of going no where. I won't reveal spoilers here because that's not my gig, but I still question why the internet was in such a cryptic craze to protect the film's secrets. Either way, the movie's story will likely speak many different things to many different people. Joon-Ho often likes to focus on class divides (which is quite literal in Snowpiercer) and that's a core focus here. It all builds to an ending that, while shocking, wasn't that shocking given the context around it and I'm still not quite sure I know what the film is trying to say about its main themes. Part of that is the fun in it; to dissect the movie afterward through discussion, but part of me also thinks that it could be the sensation of people thinking something deeper is there when it may not be. The story is perhaps the thing that takes the biggest hit from the aforementioned hype and secrecy, but that doesn't make it bad. In fact, it's quite a funny film when you look at the broad strokes of it on paper and the result is a film with a plethora of memorable scenes. 

"He's not going to give us a perfect score. Should I kill him?"

So should you see Parasite after perhaps this "first" not-completely-over-the-moon review about it? Absolutely. Enter with some adjusted expectations and know that it's still a high quality film in many, many ways. It's also a Foreign Language film and truly original which allows you to shake up your routine at the theater and vote with your wallet for more unique stuff like this. 

CONS

• Not counting it against its final score, but having seen it, I'm not sure what all the crazed hype and secrecy was for
• Meanders for a time and is a film with a lot of randomness used as plot development
• Both a pro and con, I'm not quite sure exactly what the film is trying to say about its main themes
• Seems longer than it actually is

PROS

• Gorgeous film from start to finish. Wonderful cinematography, editing, and production design
• Highly memorable and unique characters. Both well written and well acted
• Unique blend of humor, social commentary, and thriller
• Lots to dissect regarding what it's trying to say about society
• Several very memorable scenes that are some of the year's best
• Fitting original score

Rath's Review Score | 8.5/10