Today served up a double-dose of movies for me, as not only did I head to the cinema to watch Birds of Prey, I also watched Parasite – Bong Joon-Ho’s black comedy that you’ve probably heard a lot of buzz about. The South Korean film arrived in UK cinemas today, and let me make this very clear THIS IS A MUST-SEE MOVIE.
I know you are probably going to spend your hard-earned cash on Birds of Prey, or possibly save it for Sonic the Hedgehog which is due out next week, but trust me – go see Parasite, you won’t regret it.
I want to tell you everything that happens in Parasite, but to do that would spoil the beauty of what is on offer. So, I will give you the very, very basic premise: A poor South Korean family find a devious way to gain employment from a rich family. But the deeper they get into their deception, the harder it becomes to walk away from.
Doesn’t tell you much, does it? Sorry, but I really don’t want to ruin this film – I knew next-to-nothing about the movie going into the cinema, and I think you would benefit from knowing the same too.
What I can tell you is that throughout my screening of Parasite, I laughed, I winced, I smiled, and at one point, I even started to move closer to the screen. At a certain moment, when the downtrodden family were hatching a plan to screw over their rich counterparts, the story grabbed my attention so much that I started to edge forward in my seat, as though I was being brought into some big secret.
Of course I wasn’t, and I soon recoiled once further twists and turns were introduced, of which there are many in this film. In short: Parasite throws curve ball after curve ball at the screen throughout its two-and-a-bit-hour run time, and I loved every moment.
I also loved the cast, especially Song Kang-ho who plays the patriarch of the poor family. He has a real screen presence, and his journey is perhaps the most interesting to watch.
What Bong Joon-Ho has done with this picture is take a simple premise and has made it one of the best movies of the year. That might sound odd to say in February, but even if 2020 delivers a cavalcade of awesome cinema, Parasite will still stand somewhere at the top.
It is beautiful to look at, with a dark heart that draws you in and refuses to let go. Parasite is simply a superb film.
Read more:
2 Responses to Review: Parasite
Sounds like one for my list .
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is a brilliant movie, deserving of the Best Picture award.
LikeLike