The DVD box says: "This film either serves as a political parable about Korean society, a microcosm of Korean social problems or, alternately, just a hell of a lot of fun." I couldn't sum it up any better.
"Attack the Gas Station!" can be many things... or nothing at all. Therein lies the mark of a great work of art. I'm not familiar with Korean politics or society, so I can't comment on whether it's a fitting allegory for those... but I personally saw this film as a brilliant "immorality play" and definitely a lot of fun.
Like the classic morality plays of the 15th century, it uses characters to personify certain human virtues & vices. However, unlike a classic morality play which is supposed to teach a moral lesson, "Attack the Gas Station!" draws no moral conclusions ...except maybe that you should never p*ss off Chinese food delivery boys. They can get nasty.
Instead of moralizing over right & wrong, this film simply tells it like it is. The plot & premise is summed up in the title: a bunch of hoodlums decide to attack a gas station. They do it for no real reason other than "just because". If you're a fan of Camus ("The Stranger") and certain other influential writers of the 20th century, already you see an interesting theme of existentialism here.
As the film progresses, we see that theme become more powerful. Characters answer to no higher morality other than their own individual instincts. Good & bad become irrelevant. Actions, reactions and situations seem almost random. Folks, if I were to teach a 10th grade English class about Existentialism, I'd say to heck with Camus, Sartre & all those heady books... just watch "Attack the Gas Station!" and have a blast.
On the flip side, if you watch this movie and try to judge what's right & wrong, you may hate it. Like "Pulp Fiction" the lines of right & wrong are erased, and often the most likable characters are the ones who are doing horrible things.
OK, enough of that deep stuff. Let's assume the movie is just intended to be "a hell of a lot of fun". It's definitely a comedy, but the comedy isn't in your face. It's more like an absurdist comedy where the situations are so bizarre you can't help but laugh. In that respect it reminded me of Buñuel's 1962 surrealist classic "Exterminating Angel". In the DVD interview, the director of "Attack the Gas Station!" states that the gas station is designed to represent a fantasy bubble, separate from the rest of the world, where peoples' true natures come out and anything goes.
Also in the DVD interview, he mentions that each of the 4 main characters represents a different emotional aspect, and the 4 put together represent a complete individual. I can't remember exactly who represents what, and you'll probably have more fun figuring that out for yourself, but for example "Mad Dog" may represent frustration, "Rock Star" may represent regret, etc.
The presentation itself is stylish, hip and fast paced, like an MTV video. It may remind you of "Amelie" or other Jean-Pierre Jeunet films (who, himself, claims to be influenced by Japanese and Korean films). If you're familiar with Asian cinema, think of "Kamikaze Girls" or "Cutie Honey (live action)". But there are also some sober moments giving us time to reflect on the deeper significance... if there is any.
Like I said, "Attack the Gas Station!" can be many things... or nothing at all. The best part is that it doesn't pretend to be anything, so it's up to you. I highly recommend it for a philosophical/socio-political mind trip as well as a mindless action-comedy flick. See it if you get the chance.
