Forgotten

Netflix has quite some interesting movies/productions and this is one of them. Korean thrillers are quite good most of the time anyway (at least in my book). One may wonder where they come up with that stuff and ideas. But I'm happy they do and I happily watch them too.

Like this one, that keeps you guessing from the start to the finish. Certainly some decisions may feel akward or wrong that characters take, but that is just how things work. Also it will make sense (more or less) in the end. Keep guessing, keep trying to figure out where this goes - it's almost impossible I'd say. Unless you've read a synopsis and even then, it had to be quite thorough ... so I urge go in this without reading too much about it and enjoy the thriller you are being served ... and the enticing story with it ... I don't totally agree with the ending this chooses, but it makes sense with the sensibilities and the mood overall ...

There are some good points about this movie. It draws you in and keeps you interested. The plot is unpredictable with some twists that take you by surprise. When it seems there are just too many things to be explained, don't worry there is an explanation. It's far fetched but throrough - too elaborate a scheme to achieve the outcome. I was entertained but I wish the ending had been different. Kang Ha Neul acts well. He is a convincing actor unlike some of the newer generation.

There's a South Korean psychological thriller on Netflix that deserves your attention: Forgotten.

I will keep this little review as short and vague as possible, since I really think you should go blind into Forgotten.

Visually stunning, well-paced, extremely uneasy, beautifully scored and fantastically acted, Forgotten is definitely among my favourite thriller films... ever!

Very simply put, it tells the story of a regular family moving to a new house, something feels odd from the very beginning and, as soon as the story starts to unfold, it's one twist after the other. Forgotten is unsettling, depressing, compelling and features awesome characters, all of the extremely well written by writer/director Hang-jun Zhang (whose last film came out 15 years ago!).

If you haven't seen it yet... just go on Netflix and watch it asap.

I enjoyed this movie better than expected. You never know with Netflix movies if a movie will be good or bad. But this movie is worth watching for the performances and characters. The ending is emotionally gripping. I'll spoil it by saying anything more. It's best going into this movie not knowing anything.

Contrived at times yet narrated with such tenacity that the plot stays compelling throughout, Forgotten comes jam-packed with twists n turns and takes its viewers into unexpected alleys without giving away too much, thus making for a consistently engaging ride which keeps the tension & mystery alive for the most part before losing steam near the end and finishing on a sappy note.

Written & directed by Jang Hang-jun, the first act plays out like a haunted house horror with steady build-up, uneasy vibe & hints of supernatural before elements of mystery & paranoia take over the screen. The tone shifts around the halfway mark and the dots start to connect as new details surface & revelations pour in but the first half is much better & more effective than the next one.

What Jang does well here is keeping us intrigued & invested in where all of it is headed even when the film takes some wild detours. The twists however are a tad too many, which in turn hurt its credibility to an extent. Still, the characters are well-defined and the entire cast does a fabulous job in bringing their scripted roles to life. The ending is tragic & heartbreaking but also lacks that gut-punching quality.

Overall, Forgotten is competently crafted & confidently directed, and makes for a thoroughly gripping psychological horror. The narrative flow & momentum is disrupted by the exposition laden second half but the way its events unfold, the interest in the outcome is never lost. It may not end as strongly as it started but it is a solid example of its genre(s), and is yet another fine showcase of South Korea's mastery over twisted stories.