Midnight silence

Some people really don't like this film but I'm one who does enjoy this thrilling idea. The lovely Ki-joo Jin plays a deaf girl and also her mother whilst there is a serial killer around. True this is a simple idea with a half a dozen people and a few streets and running around as well as also in the girls' house, it is still very fast and very scary. Their impairment makes it difficult with a killer on the loose but at least they can talk together without the killer understanding. I love the fact that this takes so little to make it good and I loved it.

Korea's latest serial killer thriller is quite obviously a lockdown movie, so looking cheaper and more basic than we're used to. Don't go in expecting it to be on the same wavelength as I SAW THE DEVIL or THE CHASER, the stand-out classics of the genre. Saying that, it's still a fun little film that ekes every drop of suspense from the premise, which is that a deaf-mute mother and daughter are pursued by a killer whose crimes they witnessed. Plenty of contrivance in this one from a first time writer/director, but the pace is spot on, the acting strong, and there are plenty of thrills to take your mind off any problems.

Works mostly as a generic thriller, but there are some very interesting scares, the best foot chase of the year and a great usage of silence to put us on the main characters feet.

With a very committed performance from Jin Ki-joo, Midnight presented a tense and atmospheric thrill even from its first scene. But then this cat-and-mouse thriller was getting repetitive with the characters keep making questionable choices through their action. Hence the film became less interesting, even though it still entertaining to watch.

It seems like this movie attracted some negative reviews but I have to say that it has several major positives. The dynamic with the deaf women was unique and a well positioned angle. We got to experience the stamina and courage of someone who is often marginalized by society. The women here were strong positive role models- our main female lead risked her life for others. The two female leads are very cute in a down to earth right kind of way. Suspense and action were good. Serial killer was mostly annoying and crazy which would be consistent with the profile. Now some cons or simply other sides. The police are behaving in really unusual ways, from the very first scene. I don't know enough about Korean police but it seemed unlikely. The security guard took a very unusual decision at one point. And among all the action, no one seemed to engage in any analytical thought process. Lastly I wonder if the crowd's inadequate reactions were a form of social commentary. The movie may not be the best of a kind but is still solid with very good performances.