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"No Other Choice" is the latest from Korean director Park Chan-wook. I saw it in a film festival and assume it will be more widely available here in the States in the near future.

When the story begins, you see that Man-soo has a good life. He's a manager at a paper plant, has a lovely wife, two kids and lives in an amazingly lovely home. Life is good...and then one day he is fired. Being an older worker, he has a lot of difficulty finding work and later, in desperation, he comes upon the idea of killing his competition for jobs!

To say this movie is dark is an understatement! It's very darkly comical and it's certainly NOT the sort of thing you'd expect to come from Hollywood. It's very well acted, very engaging and is well worth seeing. Not for everyone, however, as it is a bit bloody and nasty, but I think the director did a good job not overwhelming the audience with gore.

No Other Choice is Park Chan-wook's latest experiment in shifting tones and genres-an ambitious attempt to blend dark comedy, critiques of capitalist structures, and the existential anxiety of a middle class on the brink of collapse. Although the result lacks full cohesion, it still carries the unmistakable signature of a filmmaker who, even in his missteps, offers a rare visual and performative brilliance. The film is clearly influenced by the novel The Ax and Costa-Gavras's adaptation, yet Park relocates the narrative to contemporary Korea, transforming a story of professional crisis into a more human meditation on lost dignity and the fear of becoming disposable.

What stands out most is the film's visual precision: minimalist, geometric production design; sudden, playful zooms; and compositions that interweave situational humor with an underlying sense of structural suffocation. However, this playfulness becomes excessive in the middle act, at times pushing the tragic weight of the story to the margins. The abrupt tonal shifts-from physical comedy to psychological suspense-are not always fully controlled, creating a disjunction that contrasts with the meticulousness of Park's recent works like The Handmaiden or Decision to Leave.

Even so, the film reaches a point of real strength in its portrayal of the central character: an ordinary man suspended between wounded pride, a collapsing sense of professional identity, and mounting financial pressure, carrying a kind of bitter innocence within him. Lee Byung-hun's flawless performance-balancing desperation with dry, dark humor-forms the backbone of the film, while his dynamic with the wife character adds emotional depth to the narrative.

No Other Choice may represent a slight narrative retreat in Park's filmography in terms of cohesion, but it remains a vibrant, visually striking work filled with sharp, intelligent ideas-one that mixes the bitterness of economic structures with comic improvisation, and despite its inconsistencies, remains a rewarding experience.

Watched at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.

This is no where near the best movie Park Chan-wook has made. But Chan-wook once again strikes another dark comedy thriller exploring about the modern climates of the social class system, labor force, and commentary between people, contradictions, and insanity. Chan-wook has always never shy away from dark yet hilarious approaches with the writing and tone. Throughout, Chan-wook takes liberty on bringing the atmosphere, humor, production designs, camerawork and writing to light with's it's strong ambitious direction. Each scene with the camerawork felt purposeful, the production designs, costumes, music, and sound designs are excellent, and Chan-wook's direction is brilliant and meaningful.

The character portrayed by Lee Byung-hun is interesting as both a depressed, frustrated, at times, pathetic and engaging character. Byung-hun gives one of the best performances in recent times, alongside with the other performances as well. I really enjoyed how the Byung-hun's character was portrayed and developed. As his character resonates with the modern critique of the workforce, people, and the paradox between one another. The writing is pretty great as the irony and satirical aspects explored were well-written and quite brilliant.

While I did wish some of the other characters could have been developed a little more, as a whole, Chan-wook reminds us why he is one of the master's of Korean cinema.

A first-rate dark comedy film bearing Park Chan-wook's signature and visual style, featuring exceptional and distinctive cinematography with precise camera movements and framing that were truly masterful in this work. The color grading, production design, and editing were also outstanding and meticulously executed.

The performances were top-tier, especially by Lee Byung-hun and Son Eon-jin, who shone brilliantly and delivered strong portrayals that gave their characters real depth and emotional resonance.

The successful blend of dark humor and situational comedy allows the audience to experience laughter and discomfort simultaneously. Moreover, the film is emotionally and sentimentally powerful.

The story itself was good, though at some points a bit vague and ambiguous, and narratively somewhat weak. However, the film's high technical quality compensated for these shortcomings to some extent.

Overall, I truly enjoyed watching this film.

• Watched at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Sept. 9, 2025 (First Watch)
• Format: Regular theatre
• Rating: 9/10

I could speak about this film for hours and it still wouldn't be enough. Director Park Chan-wook delivers something both unique and deeply characteristic of his style. Paired with actor Lee Byung-hun, the two create a remarkable actor-director synergy, a chemistry that permeates the film from start to finish.

This is a meticulously crafted work, filled with details and Easter eggs that practically demand a second viewing. I'm confident No Other Choice is one of those films that will not only hold up but reveal even more on rewatch-perhaps resonating even stronger the second time around.

Although the narrative moves at a deliberately slow pace, it never drags or feels dull. Instead, it pulls the viewer in, making you eager to follow the protagonist's strange journey-full of questions, twists, and unexpected turns-all leading to an ending that feels worth the wait.

Visually, the film is a feast. Its engaging sequences, combined with elegant editing and seamless transitions-often using dissolves-create a flow that feels both natural and artistic. Park's direction ties everything together masterfully, with the soundtrack standing out as one of the film's strongest elements. One sequence in particular, a tense confrontation involving multiple characters set against a track blasted at high volume, perfectly encapsulates the brilliance of this cinematic experience.