I'm a Cyborg but That's OK (Saibogujiman kwenchana) Film Review

NO SPOILERS CONTAINED WITHIN

In order to provide a reasonably objective film score, I've broken down each element so the reader can see my thought process and assess whether a movie is worth their time. A lot of reviews seem to operate on emotional reaction rather than strict analysis and this is my attempt to provide a decent alternative to the consumer. The final scores will be shown at the end of the review.

Film: I'm a Cyborg but That's OK (Saibogujiman kwenchana)
Year: 2006
Country: South Korea
Language: Korean
Format Reviewed: DVD
Rating: Unrated/Not Rated

Story Basics: "A girl who thinks she is a combat cyborg checks into a mental hospital, where she encounters other psychotics. ...She (befriends) a man who thinks he can steal people's souls." - IMDB

Each score is between 1 and 10.
A score of 1 is fatally flawed. 
5 is creatively unoffensive yet mediocre.
10 is perfection.

Family Tree: 
The writer/director, Chan Wook Park, also wrote/directed Oldboy and produced Snowpiercer.

The lead actresses, Lim Su-jung, was also the lead in the incredible A Tale of Two Sisters.

Story Grades

Coherency: 7.5
The story is clear enough but some of the backstory given means little to the overall plot.
Given the subject matter of mental instability, the narrative doesn't always progress linearly which may throw some viewers for a loop. Overall though, the narrative voice is clear and coherent.

Emotional Depth: 8.5
There's some deep mechanisms at play here and the film never once stoops to the level of picking low hanging fruit. For example: the brutality and harshness of some psychiatric treatments are shown without any softening yet the doctors are not depicted as antagonists, they are shown as deeply-caring people who are doing their best to help those in their charge.

This level of emotional depth and tenderness is present at nearly every level of the film, from individual character arcs to overarching themes. Such balanced restraint and attention to detail make the payoff of the culmination of our lead character's emotional revelations extremely rewarding when all is said and done.

Originality: 9.5
A violent romantic comedy set within a mental hospital that never once uses it's theme/setting for cheap laughs? I've never seen anything like it and probably never will again. This is a unique and special film.

Visual Grades
 
Visual Effects: 6.5
Special Effects: 7
There are some really pleasing visual effects, but some of the cg will read as being pretty dated. Technology has come a long way since 2006. In terms of physical special effects, there are some explosive elements and blood hits that read quite nicely without seeming particularly feigned. Nothing incredible, just what is necessary.

Cinematography: 9
The framing in this film is both beautiful and unusual. Constantly playing with compositional ideas and creating striking images, this is a films whose visuals will not leave the viewer after watching them.

Sound Score
 
Music: 7.5
General Sound: 6
The score is beautiful and grand while occasionally lilting into a fairy-like, music box sound and tempo. This not only allows the soundtrack to stand out while complementing the surreal visuals and color palette, but makes for a memorable score.
I didn't particularly notice much about the rest of the sound. This could mean one of two things, that the fx and foley were so complementary and perfect that they disappeared completely into the narrative, or that they were so mediocre that absolutely nothing stood out. 

Performance and Flow

Acting: 8
With such a large cast and so many vignette portions focusing on each of the secondary characters, this film ran the risk of being dragged down by a single terrible performance. Fortunately, nearly everyone here is at the top of their game. The leads are utterly convincing and effortlessly draw the audience into their performances while the secondary actors turn in performances ranging from slightly-better-than-hammy to incredibly nuanced and interesting.

Pacing/Editing: 6.5
The film's overall pace stutters in a few areas and takes some unexplicable detours that never end up adding to the overall narrative, but these issues can be explained away as being an additional layer of representation for the themes of mental instability shown. That said, the pace won't resonate with everyone watching.

Subjective Modifiers

Passes Bechdel Test: + 0.5
Intelligent Mind-Bender: +0.5
No Exploitation: +0.5
Extremely Odd/Quirky in Nature: +/-0.5
Moderate Gore: +/- 0.5

Final Grade: 7.6 out of 10
Take all the scores except the Subjective Modifiers and average them, we have our final score.
 
An overall, super entertaining and original film that most people will greatly enjoy!

Subjective Grade: 10.1 out of 10
This is where the Subjective Modifiers factor into it. Take the average score before modifiers and then add or subtract them exactly as they are, anything that is +/- is a positive as I am personally a fan of horror and a feminist. 

For someone like me, this film is beyond perfect. Everything I want to see in a movie is here and I can geek out about it on both aesthetic and intellectual levels, a rare treat indeed. Films like this are rare and to be treasured!

Squeamish Grade: 6.6 out of 10
Same process as the Subjective Grade but only factors in the +/- modifiers and counts them as negatives. This score is aimed at those who are turned off by violence, high tension situations, and anything out of the ordinary. 

Even if you strongly dislike when a film veers off into the absurd or are put off by violence/gore, this film will still come across as a quality, above average viewing experience.

Second Opinions

IMDB: 7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
Metacritic: N/A







Hope this helps you decide whether you want to give I'm a Cyborg, but That's OK a viewing!
Thanks for reading,
Josh Evans

Triangle Film Review

NO SPOILERS CONTAINED WITHIN

In order to provide a reasonably objective film score, I've broken down each element so the reader can see my thought process and assess whether a movie is worth their time. A lot of reviews seem to operate on emotional reaction rather than strict analysis and this is my attempt to provide a decent alternative to the consumer. The final scores will be shown at the end of the review.

Film: Triangle
Year: 2009
Country: UK
Language: English
Format Reviewed: Blu-ray
Rating: R (violence and language)

Story Basics: "The passengers of a yachting trip...are struck by mysterious weather and must jump to another ship only to experience greater havoc." - Rotten Tomatoes

Each score is between 1 and 10.
A score of 1 is fatally flawed. 
5 is creatively unoffensive yet mediocre.
10 is perfection.


Family Tree: 
The writer/director, Christopher Smith, also directed Black Death and wrote/directed Severance.

The lead actresses, Melissa George, is known for her parts in the television series' The Good Wife and Grey's Anatomy.

Story Grades

Coherency: 8.5
Triangle revolves around a central mystery that, initially, will have the viewers rolling their eyes at the seemingly nonsensical actions of the protagonists only to gasp in astonishment as the plot reveals itself and fully explains the films internal logic.

In the end, any minor plot holes may be overlooked due to the sheer audacity and eventual coherency of the film's main conceit. 

Emotional Depth: 6
Spotty acting from the supporting cast bring down some moments that may have been quite emotionally rewarding. Part of the allure of this film is how the genre morphs as the narrative progresses and the entire front end is a genre with very little in terms of emotional investment on the part of most audiences.

Once all is revealed, some major emotional punches land; but for some viewers this may be too little too late.

Originality: 7
To talk too much about the plot is to ruin much of the fun with this particular film. Suffice to say, other films have attempted to pull similar narrative tricks. NONE within the subgenre of horror have ever attempted it with such complexity, subtlety, and grace. That alone is more than enough to give Triangle a leg-up within its own genre.

Visual Grades
 
Visual Effects: 5
Special Effects: 6
The seams shine bright in this low-budget endeavor, which is a shame because sometimes they glaringly distract from the parts where the film really stands out. There's some terrible digital compositing, obvious character stand-ins and unconvincing gore effects that can simply be chalked up to a low budget.

Cinematography: 6
The camerawork is pretty par for the course with a few notable exceptions. The majority of the film has pretty standard framing, only occasionally does the overall image look like capital 'A' Art. 

Sound Score
 
Music: 6
General Sound: 6
Complete honesty time.
I didn't even notice the score or anything about the sound. This could mean one of two things, that they were both so complementary and perfect that they disappeared completely into the narrative, or that they were so mediocre that absolutely nothing stood out. 

Performance and Flow

Acting: 7.5
The cast is small, very small. This can often spell the doom of immersion if any one actor stands out as being particularly terrible. Fortunately for Triangle, the secondary cast only stands out as being mediocre and, usually, only borderline convincing. This would result in a much, much lower score than 7.5, but Melissa George's performance elevates the entire film. She is entirely believable and relatable as a character and sells the heck out of her character's dramatic arc.

Pacing/Editing: 8
A slow burn occasionally broken up by flash cuts that, subtly, take over the entire editing style as all hell breaks loose. The narrative pace is both methodical and frantic; the edit works to fully support and complement this progression.


Subjective Modifiers

Passes Bechdel Test: + 0.5
Intelligent Mind-Bender: +0.5
Moderate Gore: +/- 0.5
Decent Scares/Tension: +/- 0.5
Minor Exploitation: - 0.5

Final Grade: 6.6 out of 10
Take all the scores except the Subjective Modifiers and average them, we have our final score.
 
The result is a slightly above average movie that might be memorable but won't change your world.

Subjective Grade: 8.1 out of 10
This is where the Subjective Modifiers factor into it. Take the average score before modifiers and then add or subtract them exactly as they are, anything that is +/- is a positive as I am personally a fan of horror and a feminist. 

The result is a movie that challenges the tropes of its genre and offers a new perceptive on tired themes. For fans of psychological head-trips and horror fans alike, Triangle is a must see!

Squeamish Grade: 5.6 out of 10
Same process as the Subjective Grade but only factors in the +/- modifiers and counts them as negatives. This score is aimed at those who are turned off by violence and high tension situations. 

For the squeamish, this film won't be entirely enjoyable. While they may appreciate the central plot and overarching narrative, the high tension and violence will take a lot away from the overall experience.

 Second Opinions

IMDB: 6.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 82%
Metacritic: N/A


Hope this helps you decide whether you want to give Triangle a viewing!
Thanks for reading,
Josh Evans