Wonderland

Using AI to comfort those who lost or losing their loved ones seems to be a good intentionand a great idea. However, it does not mean that there are no challenges when it is really taking place.

Bai Li's story brings out a question about how a person who still denies about the death of loved ones can be comforted. Yet, a person who is fully aware the death of the loved ones, struggles between wanting to provide the comfort and at the same time wanting the other person to face the reality.

Tae-joo's virtual existence does not only bring comfort to Jeong-in, "he" also makes her relying on him. It makes it hard for Jeong-in to know what she really wants when she is challenged to make a choice.

Above the moral issues that provoke me as a viewer, I like how the director presented the stories. Some may find the movie confusing as there are changing scenes and changing characters. I like how Bai Li' reflection in the mirror to depict reality verses virtual. It's a very clever way to bring out an idea.

Overall, it is a movie that is not for "easy-watching". It is probably better to watch a few times to appreciate the theme.

I was rather disappointed in this movie. The acting and cinematography were great and the plot itself had a lot of potential that just was not realized. I think a big part of the problem was that they tried to put too much into a 2hr movie that they ended up having to cut out much of the important backstory that would have set everything up. From the Netlix synopsis, I thought this was going to focus on Bae Suzy's character and story. But instead, her story was just one of 2 major storylines along with 2-3 sub-stories. That did not leave enough time to provide any real backstory or world building to explain what was going on not did it really provide enough time to do any of the story-lines justice. If this had been a 6-8 episode Kdrama series, it might have been great but as a 2hr movie, it was rather confusing.

I would strongly suggest that people research the premise of the movie before watching as it takes a long time before the storyline becomes clear. In a world where loved ones who have passed but can be created in an AI universe we see stories of how people connect and how our memories of people are not all they seem. The movie cast includes Tang Wei, Bae Suzy, Park Bo-gum and Gong Yoo who along with the rest of the cast deliver great performances. I am not surprised it failed to be popular in Korean cinemas on release as it was released in the summer when you expect action blockbusters not films leaving viewers to question the depths of human connection. I viewed it on a streaming service, knew the plot and thought it was an interesting watch.

I saw it in film festival amongst other indie films. It is quite good.

Enchanting yet flawed film that offers a visually stunning experience while falling short in some narrative aspects.

Themes of courage, friendship, and self-discovery are universally appealing, their execution in the film is somewhat inconsistent. The movie tends to rely heavily on exposition rather than allowing the story to unfold naturally through the characters' actions and interactions. This approach can make the narrative feel disjointed and less engaging.

It is a film that shines brightly in terms of visual artistry but falters in its storytelling and character development. It is a movie that can be enjoyed for its aesthetic beauty and moments of humor, but it may leave some viewers wanting more depth and coherence in its narrative.

Overall it is quite solid.

The script needed to be handed to another team to tighten it. Some lines need development and emphasis, others need to trail away. There's an epilogue after the credits which ties up a loose end, but we didn't need it because we weren't interested. Indeed, it is a distraction.

The acting, direction and production is faultless. Korea's film & television industry is superb.

The theme of this (slightly futuristic) film is novel... can AI creations be independent beings?

As such, Wonderland, is very moving. Once the viewer works out who's who. And who's not who.

I enthusiastically recommend this piece. It's tri-lingual (English, Korean and Chinese) in case you get a bit confused with language.

Watch it.

It's thought provoking, cerebral, but have a box of tissues close by.