Good News

Really entertaining and unpredictable, full of surprises. I'm honestly surprised it has such a low rating here. With its unexpected twists and wild ride, Good News keeps you guessing. As the film says, 'even the moon has secrets' - definitely worth a watch for anyone looking for something fresh, exciting, and unique.

For a change, Netflix has another positive surprise in store, as is so often the case with Asian productions. Or is it almost exclusively Asian productions? 'Good News' is a bitterly angry political satire with witty humour. Careerists, shadow men, opportunists, idealists, populists, media jackals - all are exaggerated and reduced to absurdity with a precisely punctuated density of gags. Above all, the ugly entanglements within civil service hierarchies and the life-strangling shackles of bureaucracy are dissected with a black humour that has not been seen in a long time. The format mixes thriller and comedy, portraying the absurdity of the conflict between North and South Korea, which is so characteristic of our humanity, through the lens of a single event. From the South Korean perspective, of course, as that is where the film comes from, but with sufficient self-criticism. I was completely unprepared, especially for such enthusiasm.

Good News is one of the most fun movies I've seen in a while. I laughed a lot, especially in the beginning. The pacing is so well handled that I completely forgot it's over two hours long.

It's even more interesting if you know a bit about 1970s Japan, like the student riots and the classic manga Ashita no Joe. It's well-known that protesting students carried Ashita no Joe in one hand and a book on Marxism in the other.

Both the Korean and Japanese actors did their parts so well. The characters are the heart of this movie - everyone, from pilots and hijackers to soldiers and officials, stands out in their own way and feels memorable.

I highly recommend Good News to anyone who enjoys character-based comedies. Even if you're not familiar with the historical or political background - you might have a few "huh?" moments, but you'll still have a great time watching it.

I really had doubts this was gonna be a good movie as people claimed in the beginning with how it starts and it takes a little for the wheels to start turning properly and to build a little depth and layers to the characters and the story, I mean the terrorists start out as unhinged maniacs and the KCIA guy is all over the place as well and I thought oh no two hours of this?

But it became twisty-turney and I started to like it and it kept momentum right up to the end.

It's still a little too long and the beginning is not the best but it's a good one overall.

Also, why are the men so good-looking in this movie? Movie magic right? The pilots are good-looking, the terrorist chief is, the air controller, the Japanese deputy minister, of course in their own different way but come on... Can't say I minded though, but it was staring me in the face. These are actors.

Anyway, the politics of power and shifting blame and accountability are used for laughs and it is funny but also upsetting at the same time. Both on the Korean domestic front and between the three nations. Geopolitics is crazy. Everybody agreeing to pretend things didn't happen. So how come we now know?

As I was expecting a typical thriller about a plane hijacking, I was instead met with an impressive cinematic language that tells the story through masterful use of black humour.

It's common to see traces of influence among leading directors, but Byun Sung-hyun's film stands out as truly unique. I watched it with full appreciation from beginning to end.

The acting is five-star across the board. The performances of Sul Kyung-gu, Hong Kyung, and Ryu Seung-beom are especially remarkable. Just a small suggestion - although it's not the filmmakers' fault, the IMDb crew list should be better prepared with names and photos, as Western audiences are often unfamiliar with Korean or Japanese names. These artists truly deserve wider recognition.

I'm very pleased to have watched this movie. Thank you!