Memórias de um Assassino

Memento meets Dexter which at times reminds of The Wailing and Insomnia. Byung-Su is a former serial killer who is living with his daughter and has got Alzheimer's disease. When new killings start to happen he suspects a young police inspector to be the culprit but not sure if he himself has been doing the murders and forgetting it. Sul Kyoung-Gu gives an incredible performance as Byung-Su and carries the whole film. The film keeps the audience guessing what's actually happening, a bit too much. The effect of domestic violence and relationships are touched upon. The mysterious mood is kept throughout the film which was effective in engaging the audience.

The creativity of the whole plot is similar to "Memory Fragments", but too many reversals in the plot make the audience feel tired and weaken the theme. Especially in the end, we can't understand why we need to do more.

A couple of days ago I reviewed a Japanese movie, with the lowest rating possible, and there I stated that I rarely come across good Asian movies, unless they are Korean, and once again it's been proven right. What a difference when you watch a Korean and a Japanese movie. Memoir Of A Murderer (or Salinjaui Gieokbeob) is a movie with surprisingly good twists and turns. The acting is much better than any Japanese movie where they tend to overact all the time. I wouldn't score this movie high for the acting but for the story itself, which is entertaining to follow and with a good mystery feeling. So once again I'm impressed by the Korean movie makers, clearly the best out of Asia.

The lead is one of SK's finest actors, and the actor who plays the younger villain is also extraordinarily talented. The stalking and fight scenes are well executed and become vicious as they would between two serial killers. Writing, direction, and acting are all excellent, though there are definitely some plot holes, especially about the "daughter", and a rather strange open-ended bit at the end. Still, this is a fine movie: SK simply knows how to make them.

Memoir of a Murderer suck's you in from the very beginning. That's what SK writers are so good at doing. They don't rush the development of characters. They give them believable backstory's then let it play out at a slow rate. A lost art for U. S. writers.

Even tho the main character was a serial killer now with dementia you really feel for this guy, the sense of loss he is living with. I'm not going to give anymore away plot wise, but if you want to watch some great films look up the SK ones, they have taken over Hollywood.

I'm glad they did, you can only watch so many Superhero films without losing your mind....