Sisyphus’ Sigma: A Look into Mental Illness
Libera Me
Country: South Korea Year: 2000 Genre: Action, Drama
‘’Líbera me ("Deliver me") is a Roman Catholic responsory that is sung in the Office of the Dead and at the absolution of the dead, a service of prayers for the dead said beside the coffin immediately after the Requiem Mass and before burial. The text of Libera Me asks God to have mercy upon the deceased person at the Last Judgment.’’
Because of the heinous abuse he had been under as a child; Hee Seo (The ultimate Cha Seung Won) turns into a bloody psychopathic arsonist. Believing that he’s saving the world by setting fires on the bad guys, he plans his missions perfectly in a way that causes a huger fire once the first fire is discovered. Jo Sang Woo (the one and only Choi Min Soo) and his team fight the deadly fires and try to catch Hee Seo. Not tolerating the failure of his plans; Hee Seo starts getting rid of anyone who stands in his way.
As the title alludes; the film is about the last moment before death; that decisive moment of either saving yourself or another life. Between the real flames (they actually set real fire) and the falling buildings and with the agonising background music; two views of saving the world clash. Only one can win.
It’s one of the best films I’ve ever seen. It’s arresting in an insane and dolorous way. If you find yourself numb gaping at the screen after you finish it; you’ve been caught. The sick and murderous gaze of Cha Seung Won vs. the determined and humane stare of Choi Min Soo create a saga..
Running Wild
Country: South Korea Year: 2006 Genre: Crime
‘’When we live in a world that is very unjust, you have to be a dissident.’’
Our first dissident hero; Jang Do Young (Kwon Sang Woo) is a hot-tempered, fierce, impulsive and violent young detective who doesn’t tolerate injustice and whose fists come out first. Our second antagonist is the neat, composed and law-abiding Prosecutor Oh Jin Woo (my new crush Yoo Ji Tae). The two men have absolutely nothing in common except for their thirst to catch Yu Kang Jin (Son Byung Ho) who symbolises every terrible thing a human being can be. They disregard their differences and join hands to chase the villain. As they go through hell working on the case, they develop friendship. But because life is unfair; things don’t work their way.
I had believed in the principles they taught us in school for a long time. I had always believed in crime and punishment and that justice would always prevail. But as I grew older and experienced more of life, I realised that these principles only take place in fairy tales. The world is rotten and the powerful prevails. Running Wild tries to slap people like me back to reality.
Murder, Take One
Country: South Korea Year: 2005 Genre: Mystery
Wow!! I didn’t see that coming!! Is all I can see after finishing this film.
Choi Yeon Gi (Invincible Cha Seung Won) is a hot tempered diligent prosecutor who chases the truth till the end. One day he takes charge of an appalling crime of a young and beautiful woman. Prosecutor Choi starts digging in the case, the more he digs the more discrepant the results are. Faced by the complexity of the case and the big obstacle of having the investigations broadcast to the whole nation; Choi Yeon Gi find himself in a tie. When everyone else believes the case is solved; only Prosecutor Choi doesn’t.
The film starts as a typical investigation and mystery film but as it goes; it gets more intriguing, more enigmatic and more interesting. Cha Seung Won’s moments with Shin Ha Kyun – acting the main suspect; Kim Young Heon - are so mystifyingly nerve-wracking. The deep questions he throws at his boss (Shin Goo) and the cynical but meaningful arguments with his fellow prosecutor Sung Joon (Ryu Seung Ryong) are priceless. The ending is astonishing and I never saw it coming.
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