Save the Green Planet!

In preparation to experience the latest Yorgos Lanthimos film this week, I wanted to see the movie upon which it is based. Lucky for me I had a DVD I had gotten at one time from one of those $2 carded discs at a Family Dollar store. It was filed away, but I had never watched it. There is a right time for everything.

According to a poll taken in 2024, one in three Americans believe that aliens from another planet are living among us disguised as human beings. Nearly half of all Americans believe that aliens from another planet exist. Still, 37% of Americans believing that people are walking around as body-snatched aliens is quite alarming. What sorts of lengths might people go to, to expose these aliens? Could they, for instance, kidnap the CEO of a company?

This is what happens in Save the Green Planet. Kang Man-shik (Baek Yoon-shik) is president and CEO of Yoojae Chemical Company, a corporation that is engaging in experimentation to develop drugs. Lee Byeong-gu (Shin Ha-kyun) believes that Kang is an alien leader from the planet Andromeda. Lee also worked in one of Kang's plants with his mother. Now he has Kang in his mountain "fortress" dungeon, torturing him and hoping that his efforts will ward off the impending alien invasion.

Assisting him is his girlfriend Sooni (Hwang Jung-min). On the case is disgraced Inspector Choo (Lee Jae-yong), who plays by his own rules. Also tasked with looking into the kidnapping is recent graduate of the academy Tae-sik (Kim Dong-hyun). This is comedic at times, but far more tragic than that. The culmination of the film is bloody and violent, with a surprise ending that you will not believe (or will you?).

This classic Korean sci-fi/crime thriller mash-up is not as widely seen as it should be. Although I thought the now out of print DVD looked fine, it needs an upgrade. Perhaps considering its pedigree fueling the latest from Lanthimos, it may get some love on physical media. It is nowhere to be found on streaming, so good luck if you want to see it. Writer director Jang Joon-hwan crafted this minor masterpiece from whole cloth and deserves much credit for making Bugonia a possibility. I hope he gets an honorable mention if award season gives birth to acceptance speeches. Also, Lee Dong-jun has provided the film with a haunting score. I am now ready for my Lanthimos.

A very original genre hoping Experimental Sci-fi, Black comedy which slowly dissolves into chilling Horror. Bizarre and captivating, completely defies any genre. Highly underrated when compared films of Bong joon ho,Park Chan-wook and Im Sang-soo. The plot is really clever, it's just that it may not be immediately accessible to a lazy viewer. This is a film that invites numerous interpretations, as all great art does - however, this film is also very entertaining, making it a rare film experience. It's simultaneously provocative and fun. The gore scenes are really funny as the film doesn't takes itself too seriously."Save the Green Planet" is wonderfully photographed and the use of colors is top-notch.The characters are insane and there is enough shocking surprises to satisfy fans of horror, dark humor and extreme cinema. This movie definitely deserves more attention and needs to seen by many.

How many films can have you laughing one minute and totally freaked out the next? This movie, "Save the Green Planet", is not for the faint of heart. There are tons of disturbing scenes, but if you able to take everything in you will find an amazing piece of cinema. It's a shame that Hollywood wouldn't have the gall to but out something as amazing as this. This movie will twist your emotions like none other. You will not know who to cheer for, who's doing good, and who's evil. It's a crime to list this movie as a true comedy, it doesn't even fit the mold of "dark comedy", it's a true hybrid of multiple movie styles, only the Korean movie makers have been able to pull this off flawlessly. This isn't a film for everybody, however if you have a true passion for movies, and want to find out what the hype concerning Korean movies is all about, this is the place to go.

I love Korean cinema. Even when it makes as little coherent sense as this, you still come out of it really refreshed and humbled by the sheer weirdness of it all. When you think you know what is coming you are driven right back to the park of the unknown. This bizarre story of a nobody who deems it a good idea to kidnap a successful businessman he believes to be an alien, incorporating torturous sanity, vigilante gumshoes and lots and lots of nastiness will stretch your basic emotions beyond their thresholds, making a mockery out of them in the latter acts. Usually when a film is as blatantly silly as this it would be easy to dismiss it as nonsensical whiff that was probably made up on the spot as the film went on. And believe me, you won't get much of an argument from me about that. Yet despite the obvious obscenity of the screenplay 'Save The Green Planet' never seems like a movie that wants to satisfy your expectations. It wants to throw them in the river and have them chewed up by sharks. The ride, itself, is a fantastically demented one, so if you can stomach the nastiness of it all, you shouldn't be hateful towards its blatant weirdness. You may even embrace it. Having you guessing right up until the final head-scratching scenes, the movie will leave you bewildered as whether to cry, laugh, shout or scream. Trying all four at once will probably give you the most satisfaction.

I watched this movie quite some time ago. And I have to admit, that I wasn't so sure about the movie or how I should feel about it! I originally would've only have given it 6/10, if I had voted for it back then.

I don't think that there are many people who know this little gem, outside from Korea! And it's almost impossible to recommend it to somebody. Because it's a very special movie. It does go against the flow and it's not at all a Blockbuster! What it is, is unique, thought provoking, always challenging and disturbing. But mostly in a good way (even if it takes you longer to figure out, how you feel about it, as was the case with me)! To tell you anything at all about the story would be spoiling the fun of discovering it on your own ... If you think you can handle a movie, where you just don't know what to make of it ... watch this! That's all I'm going to say ...