Jung Yi (2023)

Nonsense

+pretty cool fight scenes
+nice aesthetic that reminds me of mass effect
+interesting, tho surface level exploration of ideas like ai, human replacement and dystopia

-the antagonist behavior was nonsense. after he learned he's a robot, he had no motivation to fight the mc: in fact, he should have joined forces with them
-the ending was nonesense too. supposedly the planet is ruined by suddenly there are forests everywhere? and were is the robot supposed to go alone for spare parts?
-thematically, first the movie makes a point that robots are not the same beings as the humans whose brain was transferred. yet seo hyun goes out of her way to give robot "a chance to live for herself", what's the point, that's not her mother, her mother is in coma.
-several characters behave in erratic and idiotic way, makes you wonder if everyone except the mc is replaced by synthetics already. perhaps that was intentional, but it didn't make it any less annoying to watch.

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Boring

While the story seemed to have a promising start, the fact that it was only for 1hour plus made it feel rushed. Guess I am just more used to dramas with 16 to 20 episodes.

To actually highlight KHJ as the lead was a bit misleading. Yes, she can be one of the main characters, but her screen time is definitely less than the others. The CGI was so-so for me. The movie gave off Terminator vibes, what with the AI army and those fight scenes.

Honestly, I do not know what to write about when it feels hollow. There wasn't much substance to it. It would have probably worked if they made it into a miniseries.

Netflix definitely got it wrong ranking it #1

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Excellent Subversion of Expectations and Wonderful Overall Execution

The movie definitely subverts expectations until the very end. How I thought the story would progress and what I thought the story would focus on was absolutely not the case; however, the movie executes this in a way that is unsettling yet deeply hopeful. I was surprised that in the backdrop of such a hopeless setting, the story that was told focused on the unforgettable love of one’s family, and how each person hopes that love will set their loved one free. I think this is a must watch.

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Spoilers below

The Love of a Mother and Daughter
(this was the original title of my review, but I felt it might spoil the premise of the movie)

I found the theme of how the mother (Jung E) did all she could to save her daughter’s life, but even then 40 years later the same problem of cancer still plagues her daughter AND now she, Jung_E is trapped to a life where she is abused by the system and can’t even truly ‘rest in peace’.

Initially I was definitely more focused on the dystopian horror setting and how they were going to win the war more than I focused on the heart of the story, which centred on the love of a mother for her daughter and love of a daughter for her mother. I think the execution of the movie was flawless in subverting our expectations but also drawing out spectacular performances from our two female leads.


Also want to say RIP to the main lead actress, Kang Soo-yeon. Jung_E was both her comeback performance and her final performance. She really did a phenomenal job. Great work by all the production and team members— “Jung_E” really captured my attention!

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Tremendous storytelling and strong emotions

The storytelling they were able to present in this movie is tremendous, the imagination of the brain cloning concept is almost infinite for a distant future but it's also treated with a very realistic approach on how it would affect the future world. The dystopian cinematography is absolutely stunning and believable, basically the class struggle that comes with the advancement of technology is really well indicated, that's why it is so heartfelt and immersive while watching. Using the personal connection of the characters as the main driver of the plot surrounding this seemingly soulless robotic world, the strong emotions stand out effectively from the rest of the sci-fi movies more than ever before.

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Great CGI, incomprehensible plot with no substance.

I will be brief in this review because there are not that many things to say about this movie. It's main problem is the lack of a comprehensible plot and not the lack of special effects that are top notch but they can't save the inconsistencies of the plot.

Here are some of the things that didn't make any sense in this story.

Why they kept for forty years the development of Jung_E by the time that they had already alternatives, well developed and combatable humanoids that not only did what they were ordered to do but also didn't hurt when they got injured and had complete lack of feelings? Why did they spend all these resources, time and effort and human work hours in order to develop this particular model with the conscience of Jung?
The project wasn't public to start with, in order to satisfy the public's feelings that considered Jung a hero, and trying to develop a humanoid that would work with Jung's conscience in combat conditions didn't serve any purpose because they already had such kind of humanoids. And the war was about to end either way and there was no point to repeat again and again in simulation the same old last Jung's combat that after forty years would have been out of date on regard of the technology used in it.

Also why Jung's daughter (Yoon Seo Hyun- that is the name of the daughter) released her mother into the body of another humanoid? To serve what purpose? If she wanted to save her from this thing, she should have deleted her completely.
And what about the other versions of her mother's conscience and the backups?
Her mother's conscience was in a digital form so there should have been copies of her brain mapping all over!

And how did it happen and she didn't know what were the terms and conditions of using someone's conscience in type C contracts? How did it happen and she wasn't aware of the terms of these contracts by the time that she was so deep into R&D of this technology and she used it without any moral doubts at her own mother's conscience?

Anyway.. the whole plot doesn't make any sense because it can't justify and explain the characters' actions in order to justify their feelings and reactions too. The melodramatic end is not justified by facts.

The characters are the only ones who know the true reason why they are crying their eyes out! We just don't!

The plot is hollow and without any substance and the CGI that were very good, simply can't save it...

2 out of 10 for the CGI ( I feel for the FX artists and the work they've put into it).
Skip the rest, because they don't make sense and they don't worth your watching time.

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Philosophical flick with questionable details.

Jung_E is great as a starter for some interesting conversations, but it does not really dive too deep into the topics itself. What could have been a great movie that ends on a question mark, became a bit too mindless and random closer to the end, trying to give a “reasonable” ending that lacks reason.

What worked? It opened the door for many interesting topics to be explored and reflected on - what is free will, can you put a price on it, what makes us human. What I appreciated the most, even though it was not the focus part of the plot, was the conversation about human rights, and how much does it cost to have them - since, even though on less “dramatic” and smaller scale, it’s a sad reality we live in right now.

The acting - amazing. I wanted to hug Jung Yi, slap Sang Hoon and both hug and slap Seo Hyun. Kang Soo Yeon did an amazing job at showing all the strong, but concealed emotions the character felt. Kim Hyun Joo’s performance was simply raw and I loved every second of it - well, every second the character actually showed emotions.

Jung_E was also a visual feast. I am one to always complain about CGI, but here they truly ace it. The robots looked greeted, the CGI created environments were amazing, the blend of special and practical effects was perfect.

All the scenes that focused on the morality of the whole scenario were wonderful. Every time they focused more on the philosophical and psychological aspect of it - great, and I wish the movie kept that going till the end. But no, we need some brainless fighting scenes at the end, because they had to flex special effects. Last 20 minutes truly made so little sense the movie went from 9 to 7.5.

Then we have Kim Sang Hoon and how painfully underdeveloped and underused he was. This character had such a potential to present so much depth. The set up was perfect, the potential emotional reaction could have been great, the dilemma he could have felt. What did the writer do? Said “screw it and put it in the trash” as they delivered some of the most random development for this character, that they tried to justify with one line of dialogue…

I also wish they explored some of the rules a little bit more. They gave a few lines and hints how the world works, but I wanted more to make it more believable. Some small details just don’t make much sense to me, the longer I think about them.

That said, it was still a truly enjoyable watch. First hour I was just glued to the screen. I am a bit biased, because I love the topics concerning free will, ethics and morality. It was a rather slow paced, character focused story that tackled a few too many issues while also trying to entertain people with the unnecessary action.

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Mediano

Estava pé atras porque é sobre novas tecnologias e etc, mas quando vi a sinopse e vi que se podia tratar de algo mais sentimental eu dei uma chance. O filme em si está interessante, achei que tem MUITAS partes desnecessárias, de conversa fiada.

Achei que iriam explorar mais a relação da cientista com a Jung_E, mas foi em vão... tudo isso só serviu para ela no final a soltar e apagar as memórias dela... (??), mudar a mente dela para um robot sem expressões e deixa-la ir.
Eu entendi a intenção dela, mas para mim não fez muito sentido sair de lá num corpo de robot e fugir para sei lá onde num mundo apocalíptico ...

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Not Great ?

This movie was such a let down ?

love this genre and I really thought this movie was going to be good.

For a film by the same creators of Train to Busan I was expecting heart. Sadly this movie did not deliver in any way ?

I don't understand how it sets at #1 best movie on Netflix right now. America Netflix

One star for the main actress she did a fantastic job acting as a robot ?

PROS:
◇Robot fighting was good
◇The main actress acting ??
◇The CGI was watchable

CONS:
◇The writing
◇Pacing was off
◇Didn't have the heart they were aiming for.

optional it had but sadly didn't work for me.

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Jung_E is a profound SyFy movie and a “must see”. I will explain it.

SyFy can be difficult to grasp sometimes. Jung_E is a brain twister. It takes you in one direction, then abruptly goes in another. If you don’t make the twist you are thrown off the bus. Jung_E is an intellectually profound SyFy movie. I am compelled to explain it. Contains Spoilers.

Jung_E

The movie Jung_E takes place in a dystopian world. Earth is under evacuation to Space, because of flooding covering the earth. Some eighty satellite worlds have been constructed in Space to hold humans. Now, some of the satellite worlds are at war to claim domination. There is always a political faction who wants to rule others. The world needs a fighting force. This force will be made up of AI robots patterned after this Legendary Female Commander.

When we have to read subtitles and try to absorb very relevant information, sometimes the brain does not keep up.

Premise is stellar
SyFy look is through the roof
Woman fighter and leader is a thumbs up
Set and Costume design is through the roof

EXPLANATION OF THE MOVIE

In the opening scene, we view combat action with the Legendary Female Commander. She is single-handedly taking down an army of Cyborg warriors, but then she is killed. Right before she is killed, you clearly see her pause. Abruptly in the next scene, you find out that you were looking at a simulation. You further find out that “The powers that be” are trying to perfect this AI warrior for mass production and profit. However, the Warrior always stops at the very same point in each simulation improvement. Why? This is the first brain twister, taking you in a different direction from thinking you are seeing real combat, but you are viewing a simulation.

It is revealed that one of the Scientists is actually the daughter of this deceased Legendary Female Warrior. She has been brought on to guide this project. However, why is the AI always stopping at this same point? The daughter figures out that in the midst of fighting the Cyborgs the Legendary Female Warrior loses a little finger size doll that she carries, which was given to her then young daughter (Now grown Scientist). At this point, the Legendary Female Warrior always spots this doll amidst the fighting, distracting her long enough to be shot by the Cyborgs. This is an anomaly, because the AI Warrior should not recognize her human past. The Legendary Female Warrior AI is evolving after all these tons of simulations. The daughter picks up on this and this notion is confirmed when the two actually meet and the Legendary Female Warrior recognizes her.

The second brain twister come when we are introduced to the fact that the Head Scientist is actually a Cyborg too. The mega-mad “owner of it all” is a dilettante (person who takes up a subject merely for amusement, especially in a desultory or superficial way) and these Artificially Intelligent constructs are toys to him to dispose of at will.

The third brain twist is when we learn that the program will be shut down, especially since they have not figured out how to advance past this certain point (Even though the daughter knows the secret). The dilettante chooses to scrap all the remaining Legendary Female Warriors and throw them away (so the daughter is told), because the warring factions resolved their differences by negotiation. The Legendary Female Warrior is no longer a source of potential profit.

Now for the fourth most profound brain twist. To the daughter, literally, they want to throw her mom in the trash. This does not sit well with her. She is use to working with her deceased mom daily. What is even more disturbing is that the daughter finds out that the dilettante is not going to toss all those Legendary Female Warriors in the trash. He is going to make them into sex toys to sell for profit. What??? After learning this, the daughter activates the main unit, which is the one evolving into sentience (or humanness) and helps her to escape. The daughter also steals the unit information needed to activate the remaining Legendary Female Warriors. This gets the ordinal Jung_E into the open and sets up the potential for Jung_E, the second movie or this SyFy premise could be used or should be used to make a Korean Drama.

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Curiosity Killed The Cat

I watched Jung_E several days ago and couldn't figure out how to express a review right away, so I rewatched the pertinent scenes again and here I am STILL not really knowing how to say just how bad this was. The pertinent scenes throughout the entire 1 hour 33 mins and 45 seconds (fade to black) maybe, MAYBE numbered 5 in total. Maybe a total of 15 mins in all holding the movie together like glue which has been dabbed in spots on a heavy sheet of metal which hasn't dried before being hung onto a sheet rock plastered wall.

The beginning held promise with what I thought was live action from our main female lead, Kim Hyun Joo (the mother). The CGI was on par with the best gaming experience on the market today. Then the reality of the plot was revealed. In the present as an adult, Kang Soo Yeon (the daughter), is overseeing her "mother's" combat ready machine generated "body & brain", that Son Young Sun (the grandmother), had signed over under the Type C contract when she was about 12 years old (played by Park So Yi) after her mother died during combat. The Type C contract allowed living and educational expenses for her granddaughter, Park So Yi, but gave the government complete access in how her mother's brain data would be used in the future. This would allow for her mother to "live on", albeit as a robot. By presenting the "level" families could choose from upon the death of a loved one, and the futuristic health care facility we are shown this was set sometime well past our present time wayyy in the future.

I won't go into detail about the apopcalyptic conditions of Earth except to say it was a wasteland of water covering to the mountain tops. The few citizens that were unable to be transported to a colony in space were living in dire starving conditions underground to escape the war above.

The premise of the movie, the use of the mother's brain data to be used in manufacturing squadrons of elite soldiers was never quite fully formed as we learn somewhere during this 1 hour+ disaster. The daughter, Kang Soo Yeon, apparently had utilized her education since she was 12 years old to become the project manager overseeing her mother's brain data (in the present time). The project was dismantled due to the failure of it being obsolete compared to that of the robotic soldiers of the enemy from 2 other colonies which were at war with all the other colonies and Earth. Thus, the story revolves around saving her mother's brain data instead of being scaped per the appearance for 3 mins tops, Uhm Ji Won, who was the head of whatever authority she represented.

Enter more CGI fighting until the end in which the daughter "freed" the mother, albeit the robot, upon Earth to roam to her "heart's delight", I assume.

Lord have mercy. I hate, really hate this was the last project of Kang Soo Yeon. This role didn't do her justice, and thankfully she has an outstanding list of awards for her other roles, dramas, and movies for us to enjoy and remember her by.

The extremely limited roles were exceptionally acted given what they were which was very little screen time. Beyond the mains, the others were planted mainly to say they were there ONLY. I agree with another reviewer that said this could have been a great series of 16 or more episodes. The story fell flat with 1 premise in the mind of the writer. Also, why the daughter at 12 had surgery for cancer for the cancer to return when she was an adult had nothing to do with driving the plot. The love between mother & daughter could've been utilized differently. The music was unexceptional in that I can't remember it at all even after watching again this morning right before writing this review.

Yes, I feel like I wasted 1 hour 33 mins and 45 seconds PLUS the extra 20 mins it took to write this review. If you're curious, well, you know what happened to the cat, right?

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A patchy retelling of a classic trope

This movie certainly started like an action movie. Elaborate action sequences filled the screen with loud noises and pyrotechnics. It is all done with good quality CGI. It launches the plot and introduces all the key players. The premise of the movie is not exactly new. The use of AI/robots in combat was cause célèbre before the first Terminator movie but that franchise certainly made it a pop culture phenomenon.

The special sauce in this case is the combat AI in question was extracted from the dying brain of the lead researcher’s mother. She is a famous mercenary who nearly died years ago during her last mission to earn money to pay for her daughter’s surgery. She has been kept alive but in a vegetative state.

The research project led by the selfsame daughter (2FL) is the central plot. It largely focused on honing the AI’s combat and tactical abilities as captured at the height of the FL's fighting prowess. However, it is treated as a closed loop and each time the experiment ends in failure, the android’s mind is wiped.

Everything changed when the research programme is cancelled with little warning. At first, the 2FL was just going to pass on the data and shelve the programme, but she found out that her mum’s memory is intact and the android will behaves as if her mum has come back to life if the restraint on its programming is removed. That realisation triggered the final cascade of events.

I gather the writer-nim and director-nim are trying to make a grand statement about the morality and pitfall of using AI created by mapping a living brain or the sanctity of one’s mind. Unfortunately, the message is not particularly strong nor clear and is mixed in with all the political/business imperatives and feels muddled.

What I did notice is that the process and legality of transferring a dying person’s mind to an android seems to be well established and there are even a price list for perspective clients which diluted the message further. This makes it hard to explain why the 2FL, being a leading scientist, is caught off-guard by her own discovery.

While the start and end sequences are impactful and quite entertaining, the middle section is slower and meandering. It is filled with pseudo-science and the movie tries to use the narrative to fill in some of the backstory. It is watchable but the complete change in pace did the movie no favours. It just feels like there is too much exposition about contrived theories.
As I mentioned before, the ending was an even bigger rollercoaster thrill ride. It was certainly well made and keep your attention to the end. However, the ending is rather tropey. It just about confirms the whole movie is a retelling of the liberation of a trusted slave/horse/mum trope. The final shot of the FL was “interesting”. It is cheesy but does leave the door ajar for a sequel.

Acting wise, it is a mix bag. The female leads did well especially the mum/android role. It is very demanding both physically and emotionally. The 2FL earned her keeps but the script doesn’t really give her much time or room to grow. She has a job to do, and she did it to the best of her abilities. The ML is a caricature and prone to overacting. Most of the support cast are just living props. That is probably why the middle section is the weaker link because we have to rely on some of those secondary roles to push the plot along and they are not always up to the task.

All in all, it is an enjoyable popcorn flick. There is a hint of grand ideals but the setting and execution was too restrictive to truly deliver a knockout punch.

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