Movies / Movie Reviews

A Bloody Aria at the Fantasia Film Festival

By Al Kratina
July 26, 2007 - 01:49

A Bloody Aria

2006, South Korea

Director: Won Shin-Yeon

Writer: Won Shin-Yeon

Cast: Han Suk-Kyu, Cha Ye-Ryeon, Kim Shi-Hoo, Oh Dal-Su, Lee Byeong-Jun

Producers: Lee Seo-Yeol

Genre: Drama, Action, Comedy

Rating: Not yet rated.

Distributor: Imaginasian Entertainment/Prime Entertainment

Running Time: 115 minutes

 

To put it bluntly, this film is odd. To describe the plot clearly would take nearly as long to read as the film did to watch, but just imagine a mix between Deliverance and Twin Peaks with Korean bar-b-que replacing the apple pie. A music professor is driving around with his young student in the car when they make a brief pit stop for some light lunch and attempted rape. Then they come across a mildly retarded butcher, several high school students beating up a colleague tied up in a bag, and a guy on a moped. It turns out they’re all connected, in ways that make me cross my legs in discomfort just thinking about describing it.

The film is a long, slow burn, one that builds to an almost indescribably bizarre climax. For the first three-quarters of the film, nothing really happens expect for the creation of an impending sense of doom and terror, as various combinations of the 6 or 7 characters laugh, joke, fight and threaten each other. Also, people have food on their faces a lot of the time, which is gross and doesn’t help the film be any less unsettling. For the last quarter, however, A Bloody Aria lives up to its title, with graphic, strange, and brutal violence finishing off the story. The film is kind of a comedy for the most part, but you can always tell that it’s not going to end up that way. Director/writer Won Shin-Yeon has crafted a tense and truly unique film that is too strange to write about, but too uncomfortable to forget, like a memory of being molested by a dead relative. And if that last simile was a little strange for you, just wait until you see A Bloody Aria.  

 

Rating: 8 on 10

 

alkratina@gmail.com

 

ADDITIONAL BONUS REVIEW BY ALISON ANDERSON

 

Sick of reading paragraphs with punctuation and sentences? Here’s a bit-sized capsule review, with a handy “Suckometer” scale, that runs from 0 (good) to Suck (not good).

 

A Bloody Aria

A friend of ours came to see this movie with us.  He couldn't remember the name and kept calling it "A Bloody Orifice"... that title was actually quite fitting.  mmmm blunt objects to the back of the head and Korean bbq, what more could you ask for?  This movie reminded me a lot of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, only it seems like maybe in Korea instead of chainsaws they use sticks and rocks which aren't really as efficient for killing so everyone just ends up ... bloody.  My description may be misleading as this is not a horror movie but that did not make it any less horrifying for me.  This gritty film by writer/director Won Shin-Yeon was way over the top and too much for my liking.  Chainsaws are quick and fun, rocks and sticks not so much. 

On a scale of 0 to suck i give it a 7 .

 

- Alison Anderson

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12