BFI London Film Festival Movie Review Cobweb (2023)
Web , 2023
Director: Kim Ji Woo
Starring: Song Kang Ho, Im Soo Jung, Oh Jung Se, Krystal Jung, Park Jong Soo, Jeon Yeo Bin and Chan Young Nam.
SUMMARY .
In the 1970s, director Kim was obsessed with reshooting the ending of his film The Spider's Web, but chaos and confusion reigned on the set due to interference from censors and complaints from actors and producers who couldn't understand it; finally appointed. Will Kim find a way out of this chaos to realize his creative ambitions and complete his masterpiece?
“I Saw the Devil” director Kim Ji Woon returns with a “Beyond Knives ”-style farce that focuses on the chaotic events of filmmaking and proves to be as funny and entertaining as its synopsis sounds. “The Web” appears behind the closed doors of a 1970s Korean film studio as a director attempts to redeem his legacy by remaking the ending of his last dumb horror film to create his masterpiece.
The idea is not new at all. Using the Rashomon Effect to manipulate multiple threads of a larger whole is a commonly used narrative device. One Cut of the Dead complements this with a very similar backstory. Therefore, Kim must ensure that his cast is interesting and worthy of navigating the complex web he weaves, and he does so deftly.
Directly related to the historical framework of the country's film production policy in the 1970s, when films had to be submitted to a committee to ensure their conformity to Korean values or government propaganda. Of course, this means we see the typical boring manager trying to stop filming, but the subtext adds a bit more weight to the drama bubbling beneath the laughter.
This can be seen especially in the performance of Song Kang-ho ( The Middleman ), who gives his character the sadness that has become his trademark in recent years. He's the totem around which the film revolves, which also means he can play the role of the goofball and hit the emotional notes as secrets come to light in the film's surprisingly relaxed final act. This is typical for the entire film. unpredictable and always surprising.
There's a lot to like about the entire cast. Crystal Jung is a standout protagonist in the film, forced to overcome her disdain for the two-day shoot with her diva desire to be the best on set while hiding her own secrets. Baek Jang Young-nam comically unfolds at the same pace as the plot: his fancy clothes and nerdy demeanor are soon abandoned in favor of alcoholic drinks and locked doors to prevent illegal shootouts. And as stalwart director Kim, Jung Yeo Bin steals the film with a wonderfully dry performance that fits Spider-Man's style perfectly.
As expected, Kim uses setting and narrative techniques to anchor the chaos in a visually creative but always coherent way. This mystery is fun to watch as we witness the creation of a “masterpiece,” a black-and-white sketch of the finished film that serves as a nice climax to the organized chaos that preceded it.
It can sometimes suffer from the cinematic elements driving it forward, but Kim Ji- woon's Web is all-round entertainment with infectious energy. Full of humor, misdirection and lots of good laughs. Good advice.
Rating of the flickering myths - cinema ★ ★ ★ ★ / cinema ★ ★ ★ ★
Matt Rogers – Follow me on Twitter
