35 reviews
With a killer on the loose and The Witness paralyzed by fear this movie is as much an indictment on the false security and anonymity of modern living as it is a crime thriller. This is a crime movie, but it is more than that as a man discovers that everything he aimed for and wanted to protect was taking away his humanity.
With a killer easily evading what seem to be efficient but disconnected cops the story seems a bit contrived but overall worth the time to watch and the action continues from start to finish.
In the United States, we have a "traditional" urban-legend-like story, if anything in the United States could be called "traditional", which relates the "bystander effect" or "Genovese syndrome". The through line is that some violent crime occurs, such as a murder or rape and usually against a female victim, in close proximity to a private housing facility such as an apartment complex, in plain view, where the residents of the complex fail to give aid in any meaningful way.
This story tradition began with the March 13, 1964 protracted murder, taking approximately 1/2 hour to complete, of Catherine Genovese, ("Kitty"). The story is half apocryphal because, while the basic facts of the murder itself are known to be true, the media got involved and harped incessantly upon the idea that a large number of people knew what was going on and chose not to get involved. As recently as 2004 news articles have continued to appear questioning that there was any evidence that there were 38 witnesses or that anyone actually observed the murder and chose to remain inactive. In short, while the murder itself is undisputed, the circumstances surrounding it are highly questionable. If
Still, at least 2 notable things were the direct result of the murder and the perception, accurate or inaccurate, by the public of the notion of widespread unwillingness to render aid during an observed criminal act. Firstly, the story contributed heavily to the creation of the 9-1-1 emergency phone system. Secondly, the birth of the "urban legend" of criminals acting with impunity in the face of public inaction. Certainly, beginning with an episode of the PERRY MASON television series, this general plot line has appeared in innumerable television shows and movies.
THE WITNESS, the title of which is shared across many movies of exactly the same name, tells the same fundamental story but with a South Korean social/psychological perspective. The basic through line has the same, typical, notion that people are morally reprehensible for not getting "involved" and leaving some innocent, defenseless female alone to face her terrible fate at the hands of a reprehensible attacker. What makes THE WITNESS's version uniquely interesting (to my Western viewer's eyes) is the collection of South Korean sensibilities that contribute heavily to the content of the story.
To be sure, some of the "usual" thematic motivations that act as a barrier against witness involvement are present: instinctive fear, desire to protect one's family against the repercussions of involvement and so on. But interestingly there are some South Korean social and even legal issues depicted that a potentially altruistic witness would have to overcome in order to be willing to "get involved". Bizarrely, and even unbelievably to us in the West, engaging in any behavior that could be considered defamatory, ACTUAL TRUTH NOTWITHSTANDING, is heavily proscribed and,... wait for it... "South Korea is the only country in the world where an individual can be found criminally liable and imprisoned for damaging another's reputation by publicly revealing true facts."
In other words, in South Korea, just because the things you say or write are actually TRUE, they are not protected against civil and criminal liabilities if those things you say or write damage another's reputation or "face". So publicly proclaiming something like, "I saw Bob kill Alice" or "Sam raped me" can wind up costing witnesses (AND EVEN VICTIMS) tens of thousands of dollars in fines, prison time, and exposing the witness to additional civil liabilities to the actual criminal.
As noted in the legal literature, simply reporting the criminal to the police authorities is not grounds for witness liability in and of itself. But should the criminal manage to beat the charge, then the witness is back to being liable again.
So, unbelievably, in South Korea, the notion of getting involved when someone is being victimized not only has a moral/ethical calculation that has to be made by the potentially altruistic witness, but there is the practical calculation of the potential criminal and civil liabilities that you may likely face for simply doing the right thing.
A wonderful illustration of the downstream practical effects of this sort of legal system are wonderfully illustrated in some scenes from THE WITNESS. Because talking to the press or the police with any information by potential witnesses living in the apartment complex closest to the crime scene could lead to the damage of the positive reputation of the owner-occupied apartment complex (and concomitant loss of property values), the tenants of the apartment complex get together and create a document for all of the tenants to sign agreeing not to talk to the press or the police about the crime.
Do something like that in America and y'all gonna end up in jail and being forced to testify to boot. In South Korea, that's normal, reasonable and customary behavior. Watching the police get frustrated by it, AND NOTHING ELSE, is surrealistic to watch. You also get a sense that the police are more irritated by the fact that it makes their job more difficult than they are by any possible moral/ethical implications.
What these defamation laws illustrate is the astonishing regard many Asiatic countries have regarding reputation and face. It's not that crimes like murder are unimportant; it's just that crimes like murder are apparently culturally less important than maintaining reputation and face. So important is reputation and face in South Korea that these cultural notions have been codified into civil and criminal law. Philosophizing about the right and wrong of this in this context of cultural imperatives is a meaningless activity since right and wrong are cultural constructs. Watching such behavior unfold from an observation point of a culture where such behavior would be considered appalling and into a culture where it's considered perfectly reasonable is definitely a new experience. If you're one of those people who obsessively values multiculturalism then you can't sit in judgment of this kind of cultural value. Valuing multiculturalism means valuing cultural perspectives like this, too. You have no moral justification for picking and choosing.
While the South Korean "Genovese syndrome" representation presented in THE WITNESS may have the same underlying moral message (you should value a victim's life and you should just eat the potential consequences to you personally), it's a bit more strained that it would be here in the West.
THE WITNESS is a good movie, well-made and well-acted with good production values. Additionally, it offers a unique perspective on the whole Genovese syndrome issue that Western viewers might never have considered. An interesting watch. I recommend it.
This story tradition began with the March 13, 1964 protracted murder, taking approximately 1/2 hour to complete, of Catherine Genovese, ("Kitty"). The story is half apocryphal because, while the basic facts of the murder itself are known to be true, the media got involved and harped incessantly upon the idea that a large number of people knew what was going on and chose not to get involved. As recently as 2004 news articles have continued to appear questioning that there was any evidence that there were 38 witnesses or that anyone actually observed the murder and chose to remain inactive. In short, while the murder itself is undisputed, the circumstances surrounding it are highly questionable. If
Still, at least 2 notable things were the direct result of the murder and the perception, accurate or inaccurate, by the public of the notion of widespread unwillingness to render aid during an observed criminal act. Firstly, the story contributed heavily to the creation of the 9-1-1 emergency phone system. Secondly, the birth of the "urban legend" of criminals acting with impunity in the face of public inaction. Certainly, beginning with an episode of the PERRY MASON television series, this general plot line has appeared in innumerable television shows and movies.
THE WITNESS, the title of which is shared across many movies of exactly the same name, tells the same fundamental story but with a South Korean social/psychological perspective. The basic through line has the same, typical, notion that people are morally reprehensible for not getting "involved" and leaving some innocent, defenseless female alone to face her terrible fate at the hands of a reprehensible attacker. What makes THE WITNESS's version uniquely interesting (to my Western viewer's eyes) is the collection of South Korean sensibilities that contribute heavily to the content of the story.
To be sure, some of the "usual" thematic motivations that act as a barrier against witness involvement are present: instinctive fear, desire to protect one's family against the repercussions of involvement and so on. But interestingly there are some South Korean social and even legal issues depicted that a potentially altruistic witness would have to overcome in order to be willing to "get involved". Bizarrely, and even unbelievably to us in the West, engaging in any behavior that could be considered defamatory, ACTUAL TRUTH NOTWITHSTANDING, is heavily proscribed and,... wait for it... "South Korea is the only country in the world where an individual can be found criminally liable and imprisoned for damaging another's reputation by publicly revealing true facts."
In other words, in South Korea, just because the things you say or write are actually TRUE, they are not protected against civil and criminal liabilities if those things you say or write damage another's reputation or "face". So publicly proclaiming something like, "I saw Bob kill Alice" or "Sam raped me" can wind up costing witnesses (AND EVEN VICTIMS) tens of thousands of dollars in fines, prison time, and exposing the witness to additional civil liabilities to the actual criminal.
As noted in the legal literature, simply reporting the criminal to the police authorities is not grounds for witness liability in and of itself. But should the criminal manage to beat the charge, then the witness is back to being liable again.
So, unbelievably, in South Korea, the notion of getting involved when someone is being victimized not only has a moral/ethical calculation that has to be made by the potentially altruistic witness, but there is the practical calculation of the potential criminal and civil liabilities that you may likely face for simply doing the right thing.
A wonderful illustration of the downstream practical effects of this sort of legal system are wonderfully illustrated in some scenes from THE WITNESS. Because talking to the press or the police with any information by potential witnesses living in the apartment complex closest to the crime scene could lead to the damage of the positive reputation of the owner-occupied apartment complex (and concomitant loss of property values), the tenants of the apartment complex get together and create a document for all of the tenants to sign agreeing not to talk to the press or the police about the crime.
Do something like that in America and y'all gonna end up in jail and being forced to testify to boot. In South Korea, that's normal, reasonable and customary behavior. Watching the police get frustrated by it, AND NOTHING ELSE, is surrealistic to watch. You also get a sense that the police are more irritated by the fact that it makes their job more difficult than they are by any possible moral/ethical implications.
What these defamation laws illustrate is the astonishing regard many Asiatic countries have regarding reputation and face. It's not that crimes like murder are unimportant; it's just that crimes like murder are apparently culturally less important than maintaining reputation and face. So important is reputation and face in South Korea that these cultural notions have been codified into civil and criminal law. Philosophizing about the right and wrong of this in this context of cultural imperatives is a meaningless activity since right and wrong are cultural constructs. Watching such behavior unfold from an observation point of a culture where such behavior would be considered appalling and into a culture where it's considered perfectly reasonable is definitely a new experience. If you're one of those people who obsessively values multiculturalism then you can't sit in judgment of this kind of cultural value. Valuing multiculturalism means valuing cultural perspectives like this, too. You have no moral justification for picking and choosing.
While the South Korean "Genovese syndrome" representation presented in THE WITNESS may have the same underlying moral message (you should value a victim's life and you should just eat the potential consequences to you personally), it's a bit more strained that it would be here in the West.
THE WITNESS is a good movie, well-made and well-acted with good production values. Additionally, it offers a unique perspective on the whole Genovese syndrome issue that Western viewers might never have considered. An interesting watch. I recommend it.
If there was ever a character that I wished would be murdered it is the main protagonist of this movie. Along with many of the other tenants. Gutless, spineless simpering coward. OMG how I wanted him to die.
This movie really made me uncomfortable. How can people be like this? Sadly this actually probably reflects reality more than our average heroic Hollywood movie.
This movie really made me uncomfortable. How can people be like this? Sadly this actually probably reflects reality more than our average heroic Hollywood movie.
- MadamWarden
- Jul 29, 2020
- Permalink
I'm not saying that "Mok-gyeok-ja" ("The Witness") is a must-see, but it does does tick off a few boxes that makes it worthwhile. Suspenseful? Check. Twists? Check? Deliciously violent? Check. Good acting and cinematography? Check. What are it's weak points? Mainly character development. The lead guy, the father, is the most spineless, ball-less coward under the sun, but at the end, suddenly grows a pair so large his gonads are the size of basketballs. Completely implausible. The filmmakers tried but the development was just uneven. Still, given the very nice ending, I do recommended this film.
- redrobin62-321-207311
- Apr 17, 2020
- Permalink
This is not the best thriller/suspense movie i have ever seen but it is pretty decent. The man playing the witness did an excellent job potraying the anxiety filled feelings and emotions of a witness. The movie had a few flaws here and there but overall it is a good movie to watch although it goes on a relatively slower pace.
- afshan-99902
- Jun 7, 2019
- Permalink
A killer who isn't shy to kill in public places. The film took a while to warm up to, but it got pretty good eventually. The killer was cool as with most Korean thrillers. The protagonist really grinded my gears at times, just a total wimp and honestly should be locked away for accomplice to murder. Worth a one time watch.
- JoelChamp85
- Mar 29, 2021
- Permalink
For me with most movies set in another country it's as much the way of life and locations as the movie itself that entertains .
This is a good Thriller that is definitely worth a watch it's more 7.5 as a score . The cast is great , it's very well shot . Recommended .
- craigbelshaw-36-5326
- Aug 8, 2020
- Permalink
You see people on their cell phones all the time capturing video or screenshots of heinous or horrific events; quick to capture but terminally slow to help. That's kind of the gist of this film, The Witness, where it takes a decidedly and appropriately judgmental look at materialistic people more concerned with the value of their property than the well-being of another human.
This theme is hammered home throughout the film in more and more brazen ways, really ensuring that the audience gets the message: do the right thing.
Essentially, a lot of heartbreak and turmoil could have been avoided had people simply done the right thing. But the movie is perfectly exemplary of Mill's quote, "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing".
And this film highlights that quote to a 'T'. Now the only reason that I didn't rate this higher is because there are some obvious contrivances involved here to make the film more entertaining, even to the detriment of the film's realism. And the main villain almost borderlines on supernatural with his uncanny ability to zip in and out of locations undetected. But in some ways it does fit the theme that a lot of people ignore him because they don't want to get involved. It is taken to a somewhat absurd level in order to bring home the point for better or for worse.
Even still, this is well worth the watch for those interested in a mostly grounded thriller about doing the right thing when it counts.
This theme is hammered home throughout the film in more and more brazen ways, really ensuring that the audience gets the message: do the right thing.
Essentially, a lot of heartbreak and turmoil could have been avoided had people simply done the right thing. But the movie is perfectly exemplary of Mill's quote, "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing".
And this film highlights that quote to a 'T'. Now the only reason that I didn't rate this higher is because there are some obvious contrivances involved here to make the film more entertaining, even to the detriment of the film's realism. And the main villain almost borderlines on supernatural with his uncanny ability to zip in and out of locations undetected. But in some ways it does fit the theme that a lot of people ignore him because they don't want to get involved. It is taken to a somewhat absurd level in order to bring home the point for better or for worse.
Even still, this is well worth the watch for those interested in a mostly grounded thriller about doing the right thing when it counts.
- cyguration
- Oct 29, 2024
- Permalink
I don't know why people haven't reviewed this movie yet. Like other South Korean movies I've seen, this one didn't disappoint.
The movie starts with Sang-Hoon coming home from having some drinks with his work colleages, when he gets home he hears a woman's scream, when he looks put of the window he sees a man hitting a woman with a hammer. He is shocked and doesn't know how to react when the murderer makes eye contact with him.
The next day the woman is found dead and the police is investigating the case. Since he might be the only witness that night, he decides not to tell the police anything, but the murderer saw him and is now after him. Now Sang-Hoon will have to protect his family from the murderer.
The movie is packed with action and suspense moments. The actors are great, did an excellent job. The murderer's character is a bit undeveloped what we know is that he likes to kill. But well, it's nice to find a movie that uses different ideas, hammer instead of guns, storms, snow.
The movie was overall really good, entertaining, nice way to want to spend 2 hours.
The movie starts with Sang-Hoon coming home from having some drinks with his work colleages, when he gets home he hears a woman's scream, when he looks put of the window he sees a man hitting a woman with a hammer. He is shocked and doesn't know how to react when the murderer makes eye contact with him.
The next day the woman is found dead and the police is investigating the case. Since he might be the only witness that night, he decides not to tell the police anything, but the murderer saw him and is now after him. Now Sang-Hoon will have to protect his family from the murderer.
The movie is packed with action and suspense moments. The actors are great, did an excellent job. The murderer's character is a bit undeveloped what we know is that he likes to kill. But well, it's nice to find a movie that uses different ideas, hammer instead of guns, storms, snow.
The movie was overall really good, entertaining, nice way to want to spend 2 hours.
The movie is well made technically but the characters are acting in unrealistic, unrelatable and implausible ways from beginning to end. Maybe if you can suspend disbelief you'll be able to enjoy it, but unfortunately I couldn't.
- mister_bateman
- May 10, 2019
- Permalink
This film is about a man who witnesses a murder from a window of his home.
While I'm not interested in giving a long drawn out review, I will say that this was worth the watch. The story is relatable. The film is well made and the actors did well with their roles. It isn't without a few flaws but nothing that couldn't be overlooked. If you like dramatic thrillers, you'll probably be please with this. It ended up being a great find for me and I really enjoyed it.
While I'm not interested in giving a long drawn out review, I will say that this was worth the watch. The story is relatable. The film is well made and the actors did well with their roles. It isn't without a few flaws but nothing that couldn't be overlooked. If you like dramatic thrillers, you'll probably be please with this. It ended up being a great find for me and I really enjoyed it.
- Foutainoflife
- May 15, 2019
- Permalink
I loved this movie. The acting is flawless and the storyline gripping from beginnng to end. It even has a very important message at the end about helping each other when something is not right. Would totally recommend
- florenciaalf
- Sep 14, 2019
- Permalink
- grimreysarath
- Oct 10, 2021
- Permalink
This film is just a marvel for my virginious search for good south korean movies. its a murder and a witness. harrison ford did something similar in a blockbuster, but this is even more convoluted than that. the first 10 minutes were just raw, near bestiallic in its grueling performance.
the filmography are extremely good, and so are the editing, and use of lightsettings,to boost the shivering terror of the deeds done. the score are well made and smittens over on you like a virus.
i still dont understand the korean language, complete kauderwelsh to me, but the actors are brilliant and very well spoken, so they would for sure dress the grumpy old man with invisible silk verbally so have a shot on this one, good action thriller!
the filmography are extremely good, and so are the editing, and use of lightsettings,to boost the shivering terror of the deeds done. the score are well made and smittens over on you like a virus.
i still dont understand the korean language, complete kauderwelsh to me, but the actors are brilliant and very well spoken, so they would for sure dress the grumpy old man with invisible silk verbally so have a shot on this one, good action thriller!
Thriller Movies from South Korea have often a Interesting concept/Idea however a interesting concept and Idea doesn't make a movie good. The Witness is one of these movies , It has a Interesting Story that sounds like mix between Psychothriller and Hitchcock, but the end result is disappointing , illogical and sometimes slow and boring. In the end it is a very generic Thriler/crime Story that thinks It is a very smart Film , the main actor is just mediocre and the villain is a very characterless and empty because we don't learn much about him. I can not recommend this Film , watch I Saw The Devil or Oldboy Instead.
- BloodyPredator2
- May 24, 2022
- Permalink
It is easy to say what one would do. Like if you and Hitler were alone in a room and no repercussions to be followed no matter what you do. In this case, let's say you witness something (hence the title), what would you do? There is a right thing to do and I understand if some people may feel no sympathy for the main character. But if you indulge and accept that flaw, you will see quite a suspensful movie, that works on many levels.
Because apart from a thriller, it is also a social commentary. It is what most people are probably doing and what effect this can have on others. It's not easy doing the right thing, it takes courage. Of course as mentioned not just the main character is flawed, but also the movie itself. But while it is not perfect it is entertaining and might be able to give you food for thought too
Because apart from a thriller, it is also a social commentary. It is what most people are probably doing and what effect this can have on others. It's not easy doing the right thing, it takes courage. Of course as mentioned not just the main character is flawed, but also the movie itself. But while it is not perfect it is entertaining and might be able to give you food for thought too
A very boring film, very slow and acting was extremely sub-standard. very surprised because Korean films are usually pretty good. I suppose there's an exception to every rule and this one is it!
- contactmaz
- May 16, 2019
- Permalink
It started off very gripping but the amount of stupid decisions just became too much to bare that I didn't even care who died. It was a shame because the storyline was so interesting.
- PACMAN2023
- Jul 17, 2022
- Permalink
The Witness is an excellent South Korean psychological thriller. The story revolves around a man who kidnaps a young woman who manages to escape but gets beaten to death in front of a modern apartment complex. A young family father witnesses the incident but is seen by the psychopath and feels too scared to intervene. He keeps the burden of that terrible secret for days and is often close to crack but realizes that the psychopath is stalking him and menacing his wife and daughter. A woman who saw the murderer on the night of the killing and a mentally challenged adult who is strolling the area are soon getting murdered as well. Our helpless protagonist must decide whether he should remain silent and protect his family or tell the truth and confront the psychopath.
This movie includes lots of bleak social criticism and especially the final scenes are brutally revealing in that regard. It's easy to point fingers and criticize the protagonist for failing to inform the police about what he saw but the way people around him react make his motives easier to understand and even evoke some empathy. The shocking truth is that some people care more about the reputation of an apartment complex than about a human life.
The Witness doesn't only offer food for thought but is really suspenseful from start to finish. The silent but pitiless antagonist is the most dangerous psychopath since I Saw the Devil almost a decade earlier. The way the antagonist stalks, observes and menaces his victims is absolutely haunting.
The acting performances are credible, diversified and fascinating. The audience cares about every character involved for one reason or another.
While the beginnig of the movie is a creepy psychological thriller, the second half quickens up the pace, increases the body count and features tough action sequences. If you like conservative whodunits, this movie isn't for you. You need a solid mind and stomach to fully digest this masterpiece.
Anyone who is looking for an intense psychological thriller meandering between realistic drama and horror elements can't get around this overlooked masterpiece however. This movie is the greatest of its type in many years.
This movie includes lots of bleak social criticism and especially the final scenes are brutally revealing in that regard. It's easy to point fingers and criticize the protagonist for failing to inform the police about what he saw but the way people around him react make his motives easier to understand and even evoke some empathy. The shocking truth is that some people care more about the reputation of an apartment complex than about a human life.
The Witness doesn't only offer food for thought but is really suspenseful from start to finish. The silent but pitiless antagonist is the most dangerous psychopath since I Saw the Devil almost a decade earlier. The way the antagonist stalks, observes and menaces his victims is absolutely haunting.
The acting performances are credible, diversified and fascinating. The audience cares about every character involved for one reason or another.
While the beginnig of the movie is a creepy psychological thriller, the second half quickens up the pace, increases the body count and features tough action sequences. If you like conservative whodunits, this movie isn't for you. You need a solid mind and stomach to fully digest this masterpiece.
Anyone who is looking for an intense psychological thriller meandering between realistic drama and horror elements can't get around this overlooked masterpiece however. This movie is the greatest of its type in many years.
- drigo_gaming
- May 10, 2020
- Permalink
This was my first South Korean movie, so I can't tell if an over dramatic storyline and acting is considered the norm but this was over-the-top bad. All characters had no introduction into the story and especially the murderer's motive was left unclear. The story itself has so many loopholes which turned the initial thriller into a comedy film. To top it all of, the producers decided to finalize this mess of a movie with the poorest CGI they could find from the 80s.
- nlorenz-73242
- Sep 5, 2019
- Permalink
Another South Korean movie doing very well in the suspense, arresting you, distressing you, you feel like your own witness, afraid, between your role as protective father and husband or doing the right thing morally, which in this case is more than being brave, it can also be suicidal ... Lindooooo clash, everything in a light, relaxed, fun and witty way ... I love the oriental humor, with these huge doses of anguish, persecution, it gave despair ... Interesting ending, I had the same doubt... Wonderful...
- RosanaBotafogo
- Feb 16, 2021
- Permalink