Pandora

Honestly, I watched this movie without any expectations whatsoever. It turns out to be an incredibly emotional ride til the end. The plot, acting, graphics and ambiance are reasonably realistic. The last time I watched a movie feeling this emotional was when I was watching "What's Eating Gilbert Grape". I know that the acting and script are a bit Asian (well, this is an Asian movie), but all in all, this is a good movie. I admit that I watched it twice already.

This movie Deserve an oscar and will break your heart

My opinion---

Pandora is a catastrophe film, written and directed by: Park Jeong- woo, even if there is not an original scenario, the film is still very well realized, we feel well the idea that wanted to develop the Director with this film mainly making attention to the serious nuclear accident of Fukushima Daiichi "Japan" in March 2011. In staging this reconstruction of the facts he wanted to make the attention that with all the nuclear power plants of his country , That such a catastrophe could one day come if we did not take all the resolutions of security and prevention for maximum protection of the people of South Korea. It is frightening to see all the damage and consequences that such catastrophes can have on the inhabitants and even on the whole human race. Even if the special effects do not live up to the film, it is nevertheless a very good film witnessing this kind of accident and these serious consequences.

I must be honest, the repetitive dialogue by just about everyone about the possibility of something happening at the power plant kind of ruined the possibility of something happening. Yeah, off course we knew it was going to happen because that's what the film is about, but it would have been more effective if the characters were unsuspecting. When the disaster did come, it was a roller coaster ride of excitement and suspense. The earthquake scene was very well done, as well as the explosion of the reactor. The pacing was really great with never a dull moment during this 136-minute film. The highway scene as everyone fled the villages was not very credible,though, as people were running away from the nuclear plant as radiation spread, and then suddenly they were running towards the plant again, with no sign of the radiation clouds that threatened them minutes before. It did get a little too sentimental towards the end, but it was all good and a thoroughly entertaining disaster film. The visual effects were very good.

It always amazes me that Korean filmmakers are able to make Hollywood-style genre movies on a fraction of a budget that Hollywood movies typically have. (Canadian filmmakers, take note!) "Pandora" takes on the disaster movie genre, and for the most part it does it pretty well. The movie looks very slick and expensive, having a wide scope that doesn't feel the least bit phony or stage bound. There is a lot of tension and excitement as well. Also, the human characters are written very well, showing them to be flawed but sympathetic individuals with a lot of depth. I will admit, however, that in the last part of the movie they do get kind of overblown with feelings of duty and nobility to one's country, and that gets the movie to be somewhat sappy. Another problem is that at over 135 minutes, the movie is too long for its own good, and as a result has some very slow spots. But I admit that despite the overlength of the movie, I was never bored at any moment. Definitely recommended, but some viewers might want to wait to watch it until they are in a somewhat more patient mood.