Indie Gems: I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK

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Take off your mask.

Last week I watched a Norwegian film about characters suffering from mental illness, and while I didn't plan for this to happen, this week I watched one from South Korea. 

Young-goon (Su-jeong Lim) believes that she's a Cyborg. When she slits her wrist at work, she winds up in a mental institution. She refuses to eat, thinking that she can charge herself to get the energy she needs. She licks batteries and talks to lights. She catches the eye of Par Il-Sun (Rain) another patient that frequently steals things. She intrigues him, and he makes it his mission to get her to eat.

Director Chan-wook Park is someone I'm really coming to love. He did Stoker, Oldboy, and Thirst, all great films, and this one couldn't be more different. In fact, this might be one of the weirdest fucking movies I've ever seen. Unlike Elling, my Indie Gem from last week, this one isn't out to make a case for the mental health community. Every part of this movie is completely over the top. Even the doctors seem tongue in cheek about their jobs. It makes for a beautifully strange atmosphere.

Young-goon and Par Il-Sun blossom into a sweet couple, and while I was never sure if romance was a good idea for them, I couldn't help but root for it at times. Sometimes two souls just need each other. Pacing does become somewhat of an issue for a film like this. It felt longer than it needed to be, and it let the weirdness linger. Thankfully the upbeat and infectious soundtrack always keeps us going. 

Grade: B-

 Memorable Quote: "You knew right away that you were a light?" - Young-goon (Su-jeong Lim)

Comments

  1. thevoid99May 9, 2016 at 7:53 PM

    It is a weird film but I enjoyed the hell out of it though it's nowhere near the Vengeance trilogy, Stoker, or Thirst but still fun.

    ReplyDelete

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