Haemoo

This isn't the movie I was expecting - it's so much better.

The tonal shifts in the film are jarring, throwing the audience off from our expectations. Early exposition introduces the crew of the ship and makes a display of the human element as they first bring the immigrants on board and show them kindness. This contrasts sharply with early moments of conflict as tempers flare, to say nothing of the dramatic turn within the second half.

For as dark as it is, and well made, 'Sea fog' is deeply, terribly engrossing.

It's notable that the film was co-written between director Shim Sung-bo and celebrated film-maker Bong Joon-ho, who both similarly collaborated on Bong's marvelous 'Memories of murder.' The same grim atmosphere that pervades the latter film is just as inescapable here, if not more so, as the picture progresses. Where earlier scenes almost let us believe that 'Sea fog' is built as a sentimental human interest story along the lines of Disney's 'The finest hours,' that illusion is quickly dispelled in the second act.

It doesn't seem especially remarkable, at first, in any way. But Shim's eye as a director waits for the titular sea fog to roll in, literally lending atmosphere to the film, before he pointedly stirs it into his feature with tension as thick as the murky air. The cast roars to life with the onset of great violence and desperation, and every performance is truly riveting as the complexity of each character, and their altogether horrific personalities, are brought to the forefront.

While all excel, I'm especially enamored with the display of acting from Kim Yoon-seok, who portrays the stubborn, sole-minded captain with an unexpected range that's increasingly captivating as the feature rolls toward its conclusion. Then, too: Han Ye-ri, as Hong-mae, and Park Yoochun, as Dong-sik, share chemistry as scene partners that's greatly alluring. This is especially true in a tender scene that marks the transition from the second to third acts. Both bear such swirling, conflicting emotions in their countenance that, together with the swelling, affecting chords of Jung Jae-il's fantastic score, a scene that should be rousing and touching in a romantic sense instead feels direly tragic and heart-breaking. For as much as 'Sea fog' makes an impression from start to finish, not least of all at the climax, this scene in particular is one I am simply not going to forget.

The production design is arresting, with the scent of fish and sea air practically wafting through our screens along with the din and grit off the boat, to say nothing of the gloom of the fog. That deepening vapor is employed as pathetic fallacy in 'Sea fog,' to an extent that's maybe a bit heavy-handed, but it feels far more natural than arbitrary. The sheer quality of the storytelling and film-making herein makes this an essential watch, to say nothing of the fact that it's based on real life events.

This was only Shim's first full-length feature film, and still to date his only credit as director, but he has absolutely proven his worth. The accolades and nominations it received are very well deserved, and by all means it was a fine submission for the Academy Awards that sadly was not selected. I began watching with a particular idea in mind of what I was about to see, and I've been blown away with the experience I got instead. 'Sea fog' is an outstanding movie, highly recommended for all comers.

It is a really interesting time for Korean cinema. Chan-wook Park and Joon-ho Bong, South Korea's leading auteurs have successfully transitioned into the English language with Stoker and Snowpiercer, introducing a larger audience to their respective cannons. South Korean cinema is flourishing. Haemoo's success on the festival circuit and its selection as Korea's entry for the foreign language Oscar is probably due in a large part to Joon-ho Bong's credit as producer and screenwriter.

Haemoo (Sea Fog) is based on a stage play which is in turn based on a real event that occurred in 2001. Judging by the collective gasp in the VIFF screening I was in, I assume most were not aware of what event it was based on. All I will say is that the incident is shocking and traumatic; this is not a film for the squeamish.

The film centers on Captain Kang and his fishing crew. He is about to lose his boat due to lack of finances so in an act of desperation he agrees to the job of smuggling Chinese-Korean immigrants into the country. His crew is not told until they are at sea.

First time director Sung Bo Shim competently handles the film, employing a straight forward, no bullshit approach to storytelling that would make Clint Eastwood proud. The set pieces are solid, especially the ship itself, although the film would have benefited from a cinematographer who wasn't afraid to take a step back. The camera is often too close to the action and three uses of shaky-cam are three too many.

Haemoo has its flaws but it's properly paced and well told. The audience at the screening seemed to love it, simultaneously applauding loudly at the finish. I look forward to seeing what Sung Bo Shim does next, preferably with a slightly larger budget.

This film is another living proof to show the world how Korean movies could be so unique and so creative. If you turn your eyes to the recent Chinese movies, including those from Taiwan and Hong Kong, you might immediately be able to tell the day and night differences and how superior and transcendent are the Korean movies, their screenplay writers, their directors and their actors are just so superior to other Asian movie industries. Japanese movies used to be good, but after their anime crap dominated over everything, their movie industries just suffered a nose dive, most of their great movies were produced between 1930 to 1070, after that golden era, Japanese movies simply lost almost everything worth mentioning.

"Sea Fog" is another memorable Korean masterpiece. Those familiar actors were doing great in this bone-chilling film. A fishing boat, fishing bad luck, down and out captain, crew and those smuggling illegals, accident (a so appropriate American slang: "Shit happens"); so unpredictable and so unavoidable....

Then, there's one thing also proved that we are too human, too subconsciously trying to hide from the atrocity and tragedy by using sudden unexplainable sex to get a cathartic escape. I do understand that under some weird, dangerous, suffocating occasions, when the tension is too high to bear, if there is an opposite gender facing the same situation with you, both you and her or him, just might use love making as a safe harbor to escape the atrocious storm and to release the pressure right afterward. But still, when that moment happened in this film, I still couldn't help shaking my head and murmuring: "WTF!??", then suddenly I realized that episode was quite possible.

If you like this movie, please don't forget to check out another great Korean movie, "The Yellow Sea", that's another bone-chilling film that only the great Korean movie people could have achieved.

This film BLEW all my expectations out of the water , I knew nothing about it going in and enjoyed every single second of this incredible piece of Korean Cinema.

The intensity and tone of the film is one of the best things I can say about it , you could cut the tension with a knife and my hands were sweating the whole time ! The score and editing was impeccable , particularly the score being reminiscent of huge blockbusters (all though this is a lot more adult and brutal than an American blockbuster as usual with Korean Cinema). The cinematography was absolutely incredible , considering this took place on a boat , there was practically no shaky cam throughout the entire thing and instead the viewers are treated to some gorgeous visuals and beautiful smooth and steady shots. Only negative thing I have to say about Haemoo is the fact that a few times , it felt a little bit cliché with its character moments and plot decisions (very rarely) .

I could not believe my eyes when I saw the ratings online , they deserve to be much , MUCH higher.

... is what you get? You may expect certain things to happen, but I would think that if you haven't read too much about the story, at least the inciting incident will come as a shock. That doesn't mean that the movie has not prepared you for this, but it still is quite the shocker.

Having said all that, the characters are very well drawn. And while some things may feel like over the top (or over the board?), it all makes sense in the grander scheme of things. Very well acted and suspensful from start to finish. Although the ending may not be everyone's cup of tea I reckon (no pun intended).

If you are already a fan of Korean cinema, this will only underline that sentiment. If this is your first journey (again with the puns) into that territory (I do those on purpose don't I?), then you are in for a treat - might not be entirely a sweet one, but we wouldn't want to have it any other way (the majority of characters here will very likely disagree)