Parasite (2019)

Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.

Jess' Review

I’d been wanting to watch this film for eons and Sam surprised me with a spontaneous date night that included Parasite as the main event (much to his reluctance). He can be sweet sometimes - brownie points all around!

From mastermind director-writer Bong Joon-ho, Parasite is a story of privilege, class and greed. I won’t divulge too much of the plot as I myself worked so diligently to avoid spoilers, and going in blind is such a pleasant rarity these days.

The cast are wonderful, with Song Kang-ho, the Kim family patriarch, as a personal standout. Each of the characters are a twisted blend of sympathetic and repulsive all at once, that makes this film inherently human. Parasite is a study of the human condition, exploring the precarious balance our of self-preservation and compassion to others. Joon-ho is a prodigy when it comes to character study, choosing to present real people and avoid overdramatising which would be so easy in this context. There are no good guys or bad guys, merely players in a game of control.

The cinematography is glorious, with artful shots that capture expansive decadence as much as the squalor of the Kim family residence. It’s a film of visual parallels. The pacing is excellent, the momentum consistent even within the scenes of calm, everyday life. But there is an ever-present tension underlying Parasite, that explodes in the latter half of the film to evoke unbearable discomfort for its audience.

For me, Parasite is one of those special films that breaks the constraints of genre. There’s comedy and charm, yet with little warning it dives deep into a realm of horror. It blends these extremes seamlessly and in doing so elevates itself to an Oscar-winning, wholly immersive production. I loved it. The symbolism and the social commentary is spot-on, subtle enough to make the viewer work but undoubtably present. It’s hard to ignore. But it’s the little nods and side glances that run throughout, snuck into fleeting shots and production design, that truly pique my interest. As it’s namesake suggests, the film truly challenges you to distinguish who is in fact the parasite in this situation.

Highly engaging and thought-provoking, Parasite is another masterpiece in Joon-ho’s filmography. Visually and structurally sublime, Parasite is honestly nothing short of phenomenal for me.

9.5/10

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Sam's Review

Parasite is a complicated film to review for me. Honestly, though Bong Joon-ho (writer-director of Okja and Snowpiercer) is a favourite director of mine, for some reason the film held little interest to me. In fact, I only caved because Jess was so eager to watch it. As lockdown began to irritate her a little, I planned a date night at home and it was the obvious choice. Fresh from the best restaurant in my living room, we sat down to watch Parasite.

The story wasn’t quite what I expected, which is never a bad thing. Beginning with Ki Woo (Woo-sik Choi) getting a job with the illustrious Park family, motivated by a desperation for money, he quickly sets a plan to have the rest of his family join him in employment. Capitalism, wealth, poverty and social class are prominent themes that are touched upon in Parasite, with Joon-ho unapologetic in his approach at showing humans for who we are.

The reason that Parasite is complicated for me is, it is clearly a masterpiece. The attention to detail, the stunning cinematography, the symbolism, the intelligent script. And yet, I found it boring. I never connected with Ki Woo. I felt disconnected from his family’s impoverishment. Which made it difficult for me to forgive his deception. But, the film is clever. Much like Okja, Parasite touches on the Korean’s connection to English. The rich study the language. Whenever a university is mentioned, it is an American one. As if they are the most prestigious in the world. Likely, this is a subtle critique of America and its heavy military presence and influence in South Korea. At one point, Dong Ik (Sun-kyun Lee) worries about the sturdiness of a tent that his son his sleeping in, only for Yeon Kyo (Yeo-jeong Jo) reassures him that it is from America.

And the symbolism. The Park’s luxury home sits amongst greenery atop a hill, while the Kim’s apartment is almost underground. A little window that barely peaks above street level, as if they are sub-human.

There is such intelligence woven into each strand of the film. And truly each shot seems crafted to ensnare a twisted beauty, which is equally true for the scenes depicting poverty as it is for the ones depicting wealth. Joon-ho captures humanity stunningly, revelling in our flaws. And the symbiosis of the wealthy and poor is terrifying. As humans, we need to do better.

Though I can see it is a masterpiece, I was bored. Which may speak volumes against myself rather than the film. Too often, I found myself wondering how long was left. My head says it’s a 9, my heart says it’s a 5.

7/10