I enjoyed a lot the first hour or so, because of its hilarious humor. Unfortunately, the twists used to delay the moment when the cops will arrest the murderer are stupid and irritating. Spoils a bit an otherwise excellent movie.
If you're a fan of Se7en and Zodiac, you should watch this. If you haven't seen Korean thrillers yet, this is for you as well. That ending was truly, as others have said, haunting. Also, bonus points for the flying kicks :P
I have to admit that the very Korean lightheartedness of the first part of the movie nearly made me stop watching it altogether, it almost seemed as if the movie was nothing but a couple of idiot cops prancing around the countryside messing about, but thank Tatsuya I persevered, because the movie transcended into one of the greatest pieces of cinema ever.
It's mystery at it's finest, accompanied with some of the most beautiful scenery and almost Kurosawa-esque rain scenes, need I say, I was on the edge of my seat nearly throughout the film. The sound design was also spot on, you could almost feel that heavy rain on you. The scene in the end where the detectives encounter the suspect at the train tunnel was pure magic.
The acting is superb, especially Kang-Ho Song, boy was he in a Godly form in the early 2000s, first JSA and then this, le magnifique! His co-star Sang-kyung Kim brought a nice touch of seriousness compared to Songs more eccentric character. Kim isn't one of the most well know actors in Korea, but if you want to see more of his coolness, go watch Montage, it's a great piece.
The fact that the movie is based on a real life occurrence makes it so much more unnerving, you can almost feel the real murderer sitting in the theater reliving what was undoubtedly the greatest time of his life, all the while Kang-Ho Song stares into your very soul....
quote:
What did he look like?
Well... Kind of plain
In what way?
Just... Ordinary
I will not provide any spoilers to this movie. As previously stated by so many here, this movie is superb in its filming and character portrayal. The humour is used as it is in real life. Not all law enforcement is sophisticated and some are forced to work along side less than competent people.
I found the movie to hold my attention throughout and my hopes for a good outcome what always present right to the bitter end.
Brilliant! Loved the visuals, the fact that there is violence that is not glorified, and the mix of comedy and drama. The intensity of the investigators is remarkable. Loved, loved, loved the ending!
Yeah nothing new to see. Average indeed, I didn't see the point of makin' this movie, acting so trivial, everything so .. plain. Cruel story but if we made an story for a crime not solve .. we will have (infinite). DONT WALK ALONE IN THE RAIN.
Korean Cinema is one of those areas which I have yet to completely explore. Thanks to the Brutal thrilling Korean classic Oldboy, came out in 2003, I got highly excited about exploring the Korean world continuing my journey with this incredible film: Memories of Murder.
Memories of Murder, based on a true story, is a crime thriller set in the late 1980's. Two rural cops and a special detective from Seoul try hard to search for the killer who ruthlessly rapes women, especially on rainy nights a factor that probably excites him. The film shows us the usual cat-and-mouse chase. Though it's not an experience that cliched thrillers gives, just running around here and there...
What mostly bothers me are the subtitles in any foreign movie. The way you have to look down every time while missing all the action even on a small scale might distract you. Memories of Murder is one of those foreign films where the above factor just doesn't completely apply. Some of the best scenes of this film happen in silence. There are truly great examples of camera work in this film that includes the dry but powerful cinematography, few but effective Steadicam shots and of course the direction. Like in one scene when the lead Detective comes to inspect the first crime scene (also filmed in one continuous shot), they find a shoe print nearby on a small road as an evidence. Suddenly, a tractor comes out of nowhere and ignoring the Detective's cries ("No Stop!") it goes over the evidence smudging the entire print. This is one particular scenario which was shot with such realism that you connect yourself with the movie and become a part of it. I don't care how simple or complex the scenes are, the most vital property of any good cinema is that it should allow you to become a part of that experience. Even sounds are important in this film. Can't explain that in detail but you will notice it once you have seen it. The acting too is superb, as always in any great film. The way they interrogated brutally or researched or sometimes were very impatient was captured again in a realistic ways involving attention seeking performances.
Memories of Murder though doesn't concentrate much on the murders, it kind of gives more attention to the emotional aspects of the characters involved in the case. Hence, the name. When you say Memories of Murder it refers not only to the ones solving the case but also the ones who were the victim of this brutality. The film truly goes more beyond the thriller part and at the conclusion of the film, no one will deny that they had watched something different. The downside is that it takes little patience to watch the film and the film's ending is not that easy to take in. Still, I am highly impressed by the different style of film-making of Koreans.
In conclusion, Memories of Murder is a realistic document of the incident, not like some Hollywood flicks that put in some spice like an exit line just after a kill or the hero walking away from an explosion. If you are a good lover of cinema, this will hardly disappoint you. There is one thing I have learned so far in Korean thrillers: Always expect the unexpected. Just in case of this film, it comes out in a very subtle manner...
Dumbest characters I've seen in a long time. Had a lot of good elements, but was wasted on retarded characters who almost turned this in to a comedy. Sad.
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Comments 1 - 15 of 27
Groovy09
Long live South Korean cinema! One of the best films i've ever seenWindill
I enjoyed a lot the first hour or so, because of its hilarious humor. Unfortunately, the twists used to delay the moment when the cops will arrest the murderer are stupid and irritating. Spoils a bit an otherwise excellent movie.Realenur
Those who call this masterpiece mediocre, watch an Adam Sandler movie instead and shut up.tyrion68
Call me shallow, but I didn’t love Zodiac and I think this one is overrated as well. It’s good, but not that good.randompasserby
If you're a fan of Se7en and Zodiac, you should watch this. If you haven't seen Korean thrillers yet, this is for you as well. That ending was truly, as others have said, haunting. Also, bonus points for the flying kicks :Pder Zorn Gottes
I have to admit that the very Korean lightheartedness of the first part of the movie nearly made me stop watching it altogether, it almost seemed as if the movie was nothing but a couple of idiot cops prancing around the countryside messing about, but thank Tatsuya I persevered, because the movie transcended into one of the greatest pieces of cinema ever.It's mystery at it's finest, accompanied with some of the most beautiful scenery and almost Kurosawa-esque rain scenes, need I say, I was on the edge of my seat nearly throughout the film. The sound design was also spot on, you could almost feel that heavy rain on you. The scene in the end where the detectives encounter the suspect at the train tunnel was pure magic.
The acting is superb, especially Kang-Ho Song, boy was he in a Godly form in the early 2000s, first JSA and then this, le magnifique! His co-star Sang-kyung Kim brought a nice touch of seriousness compared to Songs more eccentric character. Kim isn't one of the most well know actors in Korea, but if you want to see more of his coolness, go watch Montage, it's a great piece.
The fact that the movie is based on a real life occurrence makes it so much more unnerving, you can almost feel the real murderer sitting in the theater reliving what was undoubtedly the greatest time of his life, all the while Kang-Ho Song stares into your very soul....
Shingwauk
I will not provide any spoilers to this movie. As previously stated by so many here, this movie is superb in its filming and character portrayal. The humour is used as it is in real life. Not all law enforcement is sophisticated and some are forced to work along side less than competent people.I found the movie to hold my attention throughout and my hopes for a good outcome what always present right to the bitter end.
Paulorsadv
This movie is amazing, started soft in the first part, but the second half is just thrilling.ClassicLady
Brilliant! Loved the visuals, the fact that there is violence that is not glorified, and the mix of comedy and drama. The intensity of the investigators is remarkable. Loved, loved, loved the ending!Ralf
The last five minutes of this movie will haunt me for the rest of my life.Gershwin
Dammit, USE SPOILER TAGS, guys.juanittomx
Yeah nothing new to see. Average indeed, I didn't see the point of makin' this movie, acting so trivial, everything so .. plain. Cruel story but if we made an story for a crime not solve .. we will have (infinite). DONT WALK ALONE IN THE RAIN.Filmsthemostbeautifulart
Korean Cinema is one of those areas which I have yet to completely explore. Thanks to the Brutal thrilling Korean classic Oldboy, came out in 2003, I got highly excited about exploring the Korean world continuing my journey with this incredible film: Memories of Murder.Memories of Murder, based on a true story, is a crime thriller set in the late 1980's. Two rural cops and a special detective from Seoul try hard to search for the killer who ruthlessly rapes women, especially on rainy nights a factor that probably excites him. The film shows us the usual cat-and-mouse chase. Though it's not an experience that cliched thrillers gives, just running around here and there...
What mostly bothers me are the subtitles in any foreign movie. The way you have to look down every time while missing all the action even on a small scale might distract you. Memories of Murder is one of those foreign films where the above factor just doesn't completely apply. Some of the best scenes of this film happen in silence. There are truly great examples of camera work in this film that includes the dry but powerful cinematography, few but effective Steadicam shots and of course the direction. Like in one scene when the lead Detective comes to inspect the first crime scene (also filmed in one continuous shot), they find a shoe print nearby on a small road as an evidence. Suddenly, a tractor comes out of nowhere and ignoring the Detective's cries ("No Stop!") it goes over the evidence smudging the entire print. This is one particular scenario which was shot with such realism that you connect yourself with the movie and become a part of it. I don't care how simple or complex the scenes are, the most vital property of any good cinema is that it should allow you to become a part of that experience. Even sounds are important in this film. Can't explain that in detail but you will notice it once you have seen it. The acting too is superb, as always in any great film. The way they interrogated brutally or researched or sometimes were very impatient was captured again in a realistic ways involving attention seeking performances.
Memories of Murder though doesn't concentrate much on the murders, it kind of gives more attention to the emotional aspects of the characters involved in the case. Hence, the name. When you say Memories of Murder it refers not only to the ones solving the case but also the ones who were the victim of this brutality. The film truly goes more beyond the thriller part and at the conclusion of the film, no one will deny that they had watched something different. The downside is that it takes little patience to watch the film and the film's ending is not that easy to take in. Still, I am highly impressed by the different style of film-making of Koreans.
In conclusion, Memories of Murder is a realistic document of the incident, not like some Hollywood flicks that put in some spice like an exit line just after a kill or the hero walking away from an explosion. If you are a good lover of cinema, this will hardly disappoint you. There is one thing I have learned so far in Korean thrillers: Always expect the unexpected. Just in case of this film, it comes out in a very subtle manner...
4.9/5
MrDoog
Can't understand what this movie is doing on so many lists.Average.
afan
Dumbest characters I've seen in a long time. Had a lot of good elements, but was wasted on retarded characters who almost turned this in to a comedy. Sad.Showing items 1 – 15 of 27