Yeon Sang-ho’s Colony

These are zombies for the age of wokeness, because they literally practice group think. Of course, just like the DSA, the hive mind is not truly based on equality. They have no free will, individual or collective, because they are being controlled by an evil genius. However, these zombies are also old school, in that they hang out in the mall. To get out of quarantine, Dr. Kwon Se-jeong must find the responsible mastermind in Yeon Sang-ho’s Colony, which opens today in theaters.

Dr. Kwon’s worrywart ex-husband Han Gyu-seong dragged her to a Chains Bio media event, so they (but primarily he) could beg for a job for her. While he lacks her passionate integrity, Han worries about her, so he wants to leave her in a secure position, before departing indefinitely for America. Then the zombie outbreak explodes.

It was all Seo Young-cheol’s fault, as he himself gloats to the 911-equivelant operator. The founder of Chains fired Seo for the increasing ethical sketchiness of his research, which took an even sketchier turn after his dismissal. As payback, Seo pumps his old boss full of zombie virus and himself full of the only existing vaccine. Consequently, Kwon and her ragtag group of survivors, including Choi Hyun-seok, a security guard in the Columbus Circle-like mall underneath Chain headquarters, and his wheelchair-employing IT-speecialiist sister Choi Hyun-hee, must capture Seo and hand him over to the police to escape zombie ground zero.

Frankly, Seo is creepier than the zombies, but that is not a bad thing. Although Yeon is best known for the Train to Busan trilogy, which started with the animated Seoul Station and concluded (at least for now) with Peninsula, these are very different zombies, rampaging in a completely separate narrative continuity. They are much more resourceful, because they are literally wired together into Seo’s head. However, the methods Kwon devises to foil their hive consciousness are consistently clever. Consequently, Colony could be the most satisfying zombie film since Anna and the Apocalypse.

Yeon fully capitalizes on the upscale mall setting (think Coach rather than JC Penney), without prompting unflattering comparisons to George Romero’s classic Dawn of the Dead. This is a punchy, fast-paced zombie thrill-ride that arguably better incorporates the hive and swarm themes than any previous insect horror movie, including Phase IV.

Yeon Sang-ho’s The Ugly

If you thought your old nickname was bad, keep in mind Lim Dong-hwan’s late mother had it much worse. Her factory co-workers called her “Dung Ogre.” No, nothing was lost in the translation. Sadly, she disappeared while he was still an infant, so he never knew his mother. He had never even seen her, since she apparently left behind no pictures. Obviously, he cannot really blame his blind father Lim Yeong-gyu for not taking any. However, Kim understandably wonders if she truly deserved the cruel taunts and epithets she endured when her murdered body is finally discovered in Yeon Sang-ho’s The Ugly, which opens today in New York.

For as long as Lim can remember, his blind father took care of him, so now the son returns the favor. When he was little, his father was desperately poor, but they persevered. Now, the older Lim enjoys as small degree of fame, as the blind engraver, who produces such laser-sharp stamps. Nevertheless, he dd not even recognize Jung Young-hee’s name when the police call.

As it happens, a TV camera happens to be there when the younger Lim receives the news. Smelling a bigger story than her initial feel-good profile, the producer, Han Su-jin, arranges for him to meet several of his mother’s former co-workers incognito, to learn about her life and potentially identify suspects in her murder. The pattern of bullying is truly disturbing, as are the reports of sexual assault committed by her sleazy boss.

This is a painfully dark film that could leave a mark on your soul. In terms of themes and tone, it is much closer to Yeon’s moody animated films, like King of Pigs than his Train to Busan zombie films. In many ways, it is as spirit-crushing as Tetsuya Nakashima’s Memories of Matsuko. Frankly, both films should be banned from streaming platforms on Mother’s Days, because they could very easily drive vulnerable viewers to suicide.

Indeed, Yeon puts the audience through the wringer and he probably should have had on-set counseling for his cast. That might have been particularly true for Park Jeong-min, who goes to some very dark places as the increasingly outraged Lim son and his flawed father, Yeong-gyu, in his younger, flashback years.

Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula

Maybe South Korea was a comparatively fortuitous location for the zombie outbreak, because it is a peninsula, with heavily fortified northern border. The country fell, but remnants of humanity endured. However, they are often more dangerous to encounter than the unthinking zombie hordes in Yeon Sang-ho’s Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula, which opens this Friday on VOD and at select theaters.

Junior army officer Han Jung-seok thought he was saving his family by getting them on the last transport out Korea, but instead, he hastened their death from an infected passenger. Only his resentful brother-in-law Goo Chul-min survives. Ironically, they are forced to seek sanctuary in Hong Kong (where in the real world, millions of Hong Kongers are eager to acquire their BNO credentials). Treated with contempt and barely scraping by, Han and Goo agree to a dodgy proposal from a HK crime boss. They are supposed to slip into Incheon, secure an abandoned armored car full of American Dollars, and bring it to the rendezvous point. For their efforts, they will get a percentage.

Of course, the zombies do not care about money, but the fortune hunters face a greater threat from a gang of former army troops, who have devolved into Mad Max-style barbarians. Yet, there are also good people surviving in the shadows, like Min-jung and her family.

Peninsula is getting a lot of angry reviews, because it is not exactly like Train to Busan, Yeon’s breakout hit. Instead, his sequel is much more action-oriented. In a sense, Peninsula is to Train what Aliens was to Alien. Yeon did not simply make the same film again, which is always a risk. Arguably, Peninsula is much less like a typical zombie film than even Train. By this time in the saga (that began with the animated Seoul Station), zombies are just part of the terrain that must be navigated. In fact, the survivors figure out clever ways to use zombies as weapons against their human foes.

Fantasia ’17: The Senior Class

If you think art school students are inherently more sensitive than you have another thing coming. Granted, the shy, torch-carrying Jung-woo sort of fits the stereotype, but certainly not his coarse pseudo-friend Dong-hwa. They relate to women very differently, especially the aloof beauty, Ju-hee. We know angst and bitterness will mark their final year of school, because this is a production of Studio DADAhouse, the production shingle of Yeon Sang-ho, director of the smash-hit Train to Busan and the animated films, The Fake and King of Pigs. Love hurts like a stiletto in the heart in Hong Deok-pyo’s The Senior Class (trailer here), written and produced by Yeon, which screens during the 2017 Fantasia International Film Festival.

Ju-hee is beautiful and talented, so her classmates hate her, but pretend to like her. Everyone also assumes she is rich, because of her stylish accessories, but she isn’t. In fact, she has to work at a hostess bar to cover tuition. It really wouldn’t be a big deal if she were working in a Hooter’s here in America, but this is South Korea. Fortunately, it is the smitten Jung-woo who accidentally stumbles over her secret. By maintaining her confidence, Jung-woo manages to get closer to her. She sees it as a platonic friendship between future colleagues, but it’s a start. However, things take a decidedly dark turn when the crass Dong-hwa also learns her secret.

With the passage of years, we start to think school love affairs and dramas really don’t matter, but Senior Class is powerful reminder how much they can sting at the time and how deeply they can scar. Frankly, this is a sophisticated story of unrequited love, opportunistic lust, and predatory gossip that could just as easily unfold in any number of largely self-contained social/professional circles. Just about every viewer should be able to identify with the character’s emotions and understand their pain.

As an added bonus, Senior Class’s animation looks somewhat more refined and detailed than previous DADAhouse features. The voice cast is also admirably expressive. Yeon, Hong, and company are making first class films that take the path less chosen. They have a rare talent and affinity for scrupulously real and unflinchingly honest drama. Indeed, Senior Class an unusual film for “new adults,” because it has the maturity of adult adults. (At times, it is also quite sexually explicit, so viewer discretion is advised). Highly recommended for sophisticated animation fans, The Senior Class screens tonight (7/15) and Monday (7/17), along with Yeong-a Hwang’s surreal animated short Lovescream (which is rather unsettling for imagery that is both sexual and violent).

Train to Busan: Yeon Goes Live Action, but Stays Zombie

Busan is home to one of Asia’s most important film festivals. It happens to be a fest with a large midnight section, so they are probably no strangers to zombies. According to rumors, Busan handled the unthinkable catastrophe better than most Korean regional governments. Unfortunately, there are several train cars loaded with even more shuffling undead headed straights towards the city in Yeon Sang-ho’s Train to Busan (trailer here), which opens this Friday in New York.

For those keeping score at home, TTB takes place one day after the events of Yeon’s animated zombie film, Seoul Station. The morning news is filled with mysterious reports of violent riots erupting, but the average citizenry is still unaware a full scale zombie apocalypse has broken out. Super-busy fund manager Seok-woo proceeds to take his unhappy young daughter Su-an to visit her mother in Busan, exactly as planned. Obviously, if any zombies get in, a speeding commuter train will be a terrible place to be cornered: a confined space, packed with people, but no guns.

Of course, one manages to jump on at the last minute, along with uninfected shellshock man. By the way, these are not slow zombies we are talking about. They happen to be really darn fast. As usual for Yeon’s films, crisis brings out the worst in humanity, especially the scummy transit executive Yong-suk. Despite his every-man-for-himself instincts, Seok-woo will start working with a handful of passengers to survive. The audience will especially care about working class hardnose Sang-hwa, his mega-pregnant wife Sung-kyung, high school baseball player Young-guk, and cheerleader, Jin-hee. Yes, they do have baseball bats, which will be put to good use.

So basically, TTB is like Under Siege 2, but with zombies instead of Eric Bogosian. Yeon unleashes a massive undead beatdown, but it never feels CGI’ed. Those zombies pile-ups look as real as you’re ever going to want to see them. There is wide-ranging wreckage and a good deal of gore, but the human emotions are also legit. There are several character sacrifices—and they are always heavy moments. Frankly, Yeon’s only real mistake comes in killing off too many major characters. While we respect him for respecting the principles of zombie cinema, TBB deserves to become a franchise, which would be easier with a few more returning faces.

Ma Dong-seok (a.k.a. Don Lee) is just plain awesome as the brawling Sang-hwa. His star has been steadily rising, but TTB should send it into the stratosphere. Likewise, An So-hee scores breakout turn as the resilient Jin-hee. Gong Yoo and Kim Su-an are certainly believable and ultimately quite poignant as the dysfunctional father and daughter, while Kim Eui-sung chews the scenery like Pac-Man as the odious Yong-suk. Yet, Yeon chooses to humanize him at the most unlikely moment. That is not like the frequently didactic filmmaker, but it sure keeps viewers off balance.

Yeon does not exactly reinvent zombie natural history, per se, but he gives the genre a few new tweaks. However, the pedal-to-the-metal execution will leave zombies fans in awe. It is easily the best zombie film since Sabu’s Miss Zombie, which was an entirely different cinematic creature. Very highly recommended for genre enthusiasts, Train to Busan opens this Friday (7/22) in New York, at the AMC Empire.