Parasite Review

 

 Douglas Smith

Biz of Film 002

 

Parasite Review

Bong Joon-Ho’s 2019 film Parasite tells a particularly interesting story through a dependable cast of characters set in polarized locations, all while utilizing heavy suspense, shock and intrigue.

            Set in modern day South Korea, the story follows a lower class family who work as pizza box folders. They get it into their heads that they’d like to start earning more money and discover an in road to work for a wealthy family, who seem to be particularly clueless. As the story continues, highjinks ensue such as faking tuberculosis, living as a hermit under the building, and outright murder. These elements of the story help bring it quickly from a more or less simple tale to a shocking tale of drama and awe. This reflects a certain tie in to the Korean and east Asian culture as a whole, which in centuries past was rather involved with such similar plots that might be performed in stage plays or the like.                                                                                            The basis for all the films events are the sets themselves which really make the film lifelike and bring it all together. For example, in a phenomenal scene involving a major flood of the families house they have to deal with the chaos of losing their home while navigating a dangerous and constricting environment. The lighting in this scene is truly captivating, as is the movements of the people who can only try their best to protect their belongings to largely no avail. Other sets of note in the film are the main house of the wealthy family itself, which with its uniquely modern design never becomes stale to look at as the characters move up and down its staircases or do recreational activities outside its large windows. This is not to mention the almost bewildering hidden concrete bunker beneath the house as well as the large walls beneath and around it, making it very much seem to resemble a fortress.                                                                 Personally I think Parasite is a great film to come out of anywhere, but perhaps especially Korea to draw more attention to the industry there. Such scenes in the film as the wealthy families upper class garden party being ruined by straight up stabbings is just the kind of raw daytime horror that viewers crave sometimes, and that is somewhat hard to find. In the west it might be said that the quintessential horror film is mostly dark and full of the classic jump scare tactic. However, we have begun to see a different trend grow with films like this and Midsommar. After all, it makes sense that to see truly horrific things in blinding detail is actually more moving than having those very things obscured, even if the audience goer does not particularly wish to be moved that way. This is not to say that darker horror films cannot be major hits, as is the case with Alien, however it might not be exactly fair to compare that film as I consider it a true masterpiece which is of course also heavily embroiled within the sci fi genre as well as horror. All in all, Parasite           impressed me and I am interested to see what more comes from Bong Joon-Ho as well as other Korean filmmakers.