Movie No. 115 (2013): MAY 18

May 18 (2007)
Director: Ji-Hoon Kim
Cast: Sang-Kyung Kim, Yu-Won Lee, Sung-Kee Ahn
In Korean, with English subtitles

The film is based on the massacre of protesting students and common people (who oppose the military coup of Chun Doo-Hwan) in Gwangju in South Korea on May 18, 1980. The story evolves around Min Woo, a shy cab driver, and his brother, Jin Woo, a student. The film shows how their simple and peaceful life gets threatened by the presence of militia in their once peaceful town of Gwangju. One fateful day the massacre happens and the people have to act against it. The brothers find themselves in the middle of these.

Overall, the movie itself is confused. Not confusing. The beginning of the film shows a military leader preaching before the group of military interns about a chance to put their training to use. I was convinced the movie is about them. And then they are shown being transported to some place not clear to them, only to find out (later in the movie) that they will be executioners in the massacre. The part of the film involving these military interns is (in my opinion) irrelevant to the narrative because the film is really about the massacre and the people who are connected one way or another to the victims. 

The theme and story of the movie are serious. I agree that for movies with serious themes, some comic relief or scenes that will give the audience some opportunity for a reprieve from the cringing are necessary. But in the film, there's so much of these that the movie looks confused: it looks like comedy or serious historical drama. It can't be both.

Rating: 2.5/4.0

Date seen: May 12, 2013