Curiosity killed the cat. That curiosity caused me to check out Parasite, the South Korean Best Movie nominee for an Oscar. And now, like the cat, I’m dead. Trusting critics is always such dangerous business. In Parasite, they see class warfare turned horror as art, wonderful art. To the contrary, I see a miserable two hours. Critics demand that we be uncomfortable. I ask why. Granted, it is beautifully filmed and acted, but entertain me and forgo the lectures. I give the film 2 Gavels and it receives a 99% Rotten Tomatoes rating with a 93% Audience score.
Plot
The Kim family is unemployed, living in squalor. A plan is devised where each will work for the wealthy Park household, not advising their employer that they are related. Certain devices must be used to oust the current Park employees. The Kim daughter proclaims that they must worry about themselves, not their predecessors. All the while, the Parks are blissfully unaware of what is happening in their own house. Did the Park son actually see a ghost?
Actors
It is unlikely that you will recognize any of the Korean actors. Only a few phrases are in English; the rest dubbed. Regardless, all have extensive film backgrounds and their professionalism is quite evident.
Final Thoughts
Be prepared for a very unsatisfactory ending. Still, check out Parasite on Wikipedia and it astounds the number of critics that have this on their Top 10 lists. Moreover, HBO plans a limited series based on the film. I’ll pass. Just because a film does not neatly fit into a genre does not make it earth-shattering. For those who say that they couldn’t wait to see what happens next, I thought it dragged. A parasite lives at the expense of its host. The director wants us to think Downton Abbey and who is taking advantage of whom. But, he gives us caricatures and proclaims satire. It is he who takes advantage of his audience with a solid first-half concept and ruins it with second-half gore. See this one at your own risk!
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