A Ilha

Ki-duk Kim's "Seom"/"The Isle" has to be one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen.The cinematography,the silence and the themes under the surface are incredible.The film explores human relationships and the pain of being in love,and being loved.Both characters(Hyun-shik and Hin-jin)are lost human beings searching for love.They crave love,yet shun it when it comes to them,as they are deeply aware of the destructive qualities it brings out in them.Suh-Shik Hwang's cinematography is absolutely beautiful and captures many impressive visuals.Still there are some horrific images that will shock casual viewer,so the viewer should be prepared.9 out of 10.

Introducing the world to the wickedly disturbing yet thoughtful style of one of South Korea's most prolific & controversial filmmakers, The Isle is a deliriously dark story of love, obsession & salvation that follows two broken souls who find comfort in each other's company but is notorious for its grisly & graphic imagery of stomach-churning gore.

Written & directed by Kim Ki-duk (3-Iron, Pieta & Moebius), the film takes its time to set things up but an aura of mystery & hint of past trauma does loom over its main characters from the very beginning. Kim allows their relationship to develop at its natural pace and holds nothing back when portraying their emotional vulnerability or darker sides.

The serene & soothing ambience is aptly illustrated by the quiet camerawork but a lot of gruesome moments unfold in this calm setting. There are some scenes involving fish hooks that are extremely distressing to watch while the animal cruelty on display is bound to upset most viewers. As for the performances, Suh Jung steals the show without uttering a word.

Overall, The Isle is more inclined towards art-house audience than casual filmgoers and is destined to garner a divisive reaction. While some might call it a misunderstood gem, others will feel violated by it. Definitely not a film for all, it is as beautiful to look at as it is vile on several occasions but the human drama that unravels at its centre remains mostly compelling. Enter at your own risk.

Now this is a great example of horror. Not your slasher, undead walking, predictable spoon fed story. Instead, the Isle's simple setting proves that looks can be deceiving as calm waters and clear blue skies belie the murky depths and secrets hidden within.

I never realized the symbolism in this movie: fishing, bait, the simple action of simply tossing back an unwanted catch back in the water. Scenes most striking and prominent contained little or even no dialogue. The soundtrack is subtle, yet highly effective in establishing mood. Then again, anyone who has gone fishing can appreciate the tranquil, and peaceful state which can be very rewarding. How about human relationships? How about the bad times or deep hurts so traumatizing which cannot be shared with anyone. Do we walk burdened carrying deep pains like say a wounded scaled fish? Although it may be wounded, it still goes on swimming in its daily routine. Our two main characters throughout the film really catch you offguard. Let's just say "misery loves company". This horror is more psychological and more tangible than what you would usually see on screen.

I was impressed by Jung Suh who really displays the strength of Hee-Jin, and at the same time shows a frail, tragic side. Her routine actions like steering the boat, tending to the renters' are done so convincingly that you feel like you're at the lake watching true events unfold. Credit also Ki-Duk Kim for directing this without making it into a sappy love story and not going overboard or too artsy. Be warned: the Isle is laced with dark humor and will have you thinking about it after it is done. I really appreciate films that are able to do that.

Another movie that has attained a little notoriety from the number of walk-outs at festival screenings, and even a couple of audience members passing out. Whilst it is not hard to see why, it is a shame that is what the film is known for, as there is much more to it than *those* scenes. A mute girl makes a living running a kind of retreat, where men can rent a floating cabin on a lake in the mountains and spend their days fishing, and their nights sleeping with prostitutes. The mute girl makes ends meet by taking on this role as well. A young man arrives and rents a cabin, clearly not their for the fish. We see that he is tortured and suicidal - you wouldn't guess why from the 5 second flashback that is meant to explain it, but the 'filmography' section of the DVD explains it in more detail. The mute girl is drawn to the man's desperation, perhaps feeling sympathy/protectiveness, or perhaps simply relating to another deeply unhappy soul.

The relationship between these two characters, and several other characters that come to the lake for one reason or another, is the main focus of the film. The difficulty some people have with relationships is the topic being studied, particularly when they are not happy in their relationship with themselves. The inner feelings of the characters receive expression in scenes whose 'shock factor' has drawn inevitable comparisons with Takashi Miike, especially AUDITION. Director Kim Ki Duk doesn't seem to mind these comparisons:

"KK: I saw Audition at Toronto and that movie made me realize that there is someone else out there like me. We are two of a kind"

If you couldn't sit through the last half hour of AUDITION, you'll probably want to give THE ISLE a miss too. It's also definitely not a film for animal lovers... there is absolutely zero chance of the film being released intact in the UK or the US, as the treatment of the animals in the film (mainly fish) is far outside what is permissible in either country's regulations.

But there is much more to THE ISLE than the scenes that make keeping your eyes on screen a challenge. In between, the film is absolutely ravishing, and will keep your eyes glued there. The setting of the lake, mostly bathed in deep fog, and the fantastic wordless performance from actress Jung Suh (and the rest of the cast) are beautiful and powerful. The loneliness and sadness of the characters is reflected brilliantly in the total isolation of the floating cabins. There is a deep message in the film, and it is presented to us beautifully.

Like Miike, Kim Ki-Duk makes us work for our reward when we watch THE ISLE... if you want to take away the beauty of his film, you have to be willing to pay the price of the horror. Thoroughly recommended!

One note: the film is another one of those great films that just doesn't know how to end itself. Actually, we get the perfect ending... a nice long shot and a fade to white and it should have been over, but

apparently Kim Ki Duk wasn't quite satisfied to leave it at that and tacks on two extra scenes, about a minute of footage, that are simply inexplicable and serve only to confuse and spoil the mood. My recommendation... when it fades to white, simply stop the DVD

The Isle is a hard film to evaluate. It pulls the viewer's emotions in every different conceivable direction, from empathy to outright horror and everything in between. After it ended I wasn't sure if I was going to cry or to throw up; I didn't know if I was sad or happy or hopelessly angry. Either way, the film's images will probably haunt me for many years to come.

The film is beautifully photographed, making excellent use of the isolated fishing lake setting. All of the actors are perfect, even in scenes more painfully grotesque than anything I've seen in a film before. I simply cannot imagine the artistic process that went on during production-- how did the filmmakers raise the money to make this film, and how did they direct the actors to create such convincing performances from such outlandish material? And whose idea was it to end it like that?

I loved many things about this film, but I find it hard to recommend because of a few scenes involving really heartless animal cruelty. A fish is mutilated and partially eaten while it's still alive; a dog is yanked around by its collar and slapped; another fish is jolted with electrodes. Of course the humans in the film suffer much worse misfortunes, but the characters mostly deserve what they get, whereas the animals do not. Also, the scenes of human violence are created using makeup effects, but the animals have no such luck-- as far as I can tell, they're really slicing flesh off a live fish and eating it.

All I can really say is, see The Isle and make up your own mind about it. It will cause completely different individual reactions in every single member of the audience, and if you love it, good for you. If you hate it, I think I can understand why.