(Movie Review) Murder Report
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| ▲ A still from "Murder Report" features the serial killer Young-hun (Jung Sung-il), as provided by Sony Pictures Entertainment Korea and A2Z Entertainment. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ A still from "Murder Report" features Seon-ju (Cho Yeo-jeong) and Young-hun (Jung Sung-il), as provided by Sony Pictures Entertainment Korea and A2Z Entertainment. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ A poster for "Murder Report" is seen in this image provided by Sony Pictures Entertainment Korea and A2Z Entertainment. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
(Movie Review) Murder Report
(Movie Review) 'Murder Report': thriller that lacks thrills
By Woo Jae-yeon
SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- Director-writer Cho Young-joon of the upcoming psychological thriller "Murder Report" has said the initial inspiration for the film came from a random scene he saw at a zoo.
He observed a child looking at a tiger through a fence and began to imagine what would happen if the fence were not separating them but was instead behind the child, placing them in the same enclosed space.
The end result of this inspiration, unfortunately, doesn't look as nail-biting or heart-pounding as the director intended, largely because the serial killer, Young-hun (Jung Sung-il), is not portrayed as a downright evil man. His appearance in the film is not menacing enough to amplify the suspenseful tension the movie seeks to create.
The movie centers on the psychiatrist-cum-serial killer who offers an exclusive interview about his murders to Seon-ju (Cho Yeo-jeong), a scoop-hungry reporter. He makes this request with the chilling condition that the interview is the only way to save the life of a person he intends to kill that night.
Driven by the desire to prevent another murder and secure a career-defining exclusive, she agrees to his terms, voluntarily being confined in the room with him.
As the story unfolds, Seon-ju is forced to confront a personal truth that is as shocking as it is inconceivable to her. With this plot twist, the film takes an unexpected turn, changing its tone as if it has changed genres.
Actress Cho pulled off her role perfectly. She had previously expressed concerns over whether she could convincingly perform a character who is engaged in an intense psychological battle with the killer despite being gripped with terror. But her concerns proved unfounded.
Similarly, Jung, who took on his first cinematic lead role, excelled in portraying a complex character with a traumatic past. His convincing performance, however, is undermined by a script that falls short of providing a completely gripping narrative and sidesteps the contentious questions of moral ambiguity surrounding the motives behind his killing spree.
To be fair, the film took extra care to establish the setting as a third character to overcome the plot's limitations -- unfolding entirely through one-on-one interviews between the two characters in the hotel suite. As envisioned by the director, the heavy, dark tone of the hotel suite feels imposing and suffocating, directly impacting the characters within it.
The movie also employs smart devices, like large electronic canvases on the wall that change pattern and colors to refresh the atmosphere, effectively addressing the story's structural weaknesses. Scenes from Young-hun's past and key episodes explaining his transformation also prove to be helpful in that regard.
That said, those expecting a truly edge-of-your-seat thriller may find themselves underwhelmed.
"Murder Report" is set for local release Sept. 5.
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