Bluebeard

Bluebeard, obviously inspired the French folk tale of the same name, is a psychological thriller with many ups and downs that left me somewhat confused. Some parts of the movie were brilliant, others were underwhelming and even the resolution is partially satisfying and partially disappointing.

The story revolves around a young doctor who has recently been starting to work in a clinic in a suburb of Seoul that is infamous for its numerous serial killer cases. The young doctor doesn't seem to have the best relationship with his divorced wife, fails to bond with his progressively estranged son, has socially awkward behavior, is constantly overworked and lives in a very small apartment due to serious financial problems. One day, he overhears his anesthetized patient and landlord mumbling about decapitating a human being. When the torso of a woman is found in a river a few days later, the doctor immediately suspects his aged landlord and his awkward son to be partners in crime and a duo of dangerous serial killers. The young doctor starts investigating independently, thus putting himself in great danger.

On the positive side, the movie oozes with a mysterious and almost surreal atmosphere from start to finish. The settings are sinister and at times claustrophobic. Lead actor Cho Jin-woong does an incredibly convincing performance as shy doctor who is gradually losing control of everything around him. The movie includes a few nightmarish dream sequences that are visually stunning and flirt with the horror genre. The simple but creepy soundtrack blends in perfectly. The story is intriguing enough to keep you watching until the lengthy resolution unfolds.

On the negative side, the film has a slow and sluggish pace. One expects the film to shift into faster gear at a certain point but this just never happens. Some of the minor twists are somewhat predictable, as most of them simply turn out to be nightmares which isn't too creative. The resolution overstays its welcome and tries to surprise with a double twist. This only works when a movie is thoroughly thought through like the brilliant A Tale of Two Sisters but Bluebeard is filled with incongruities and leaves you scratching your head rather than being amazed by a clever plot.

In the end, Bluebeard is worth your attention if you like slow-paced atmospheric psychological thrillers that challenge you to think along. However, the movie overuses its plot twists which end up being confusing or even nonsensical. Genre fans can give it a try but if you aren't too familiar with Korean thrillers yet you should watch A Tale of Two Sisters, Memories of Murder and I Saw the Devil before giving this one a try.

The elaborate plot and the portentous South Korean setting prove vital in keeping this thriller thoroughly engaging. There's an undertone of horror right from the start of the movie but it's not overdone. What stops me from rating it higher are the convenient plot contrivances that pop up during the climax. It's a neat twist (after twist) at the end alright, but at times, it felt like two completely disjointed stories were being told.

Also, if you've seen your share of thrillers, the climax reveal wouldn't come across as a shocker either. The serial-killer element is what kept me wholly invested in the narrative - the trope, unfortunately, did not get the kind of layered treatment that I expected. Soo-Youn Lee unravels the twists in a slow-burn fashion, but the genre thrills are solidly placed. I'll admit it - it did work my brains for a good while, except for that ending. Why I keep mentioning the finale so much is because it made me feel like the writer initially took me on a mysteriously thrilling ride, then later took me on a completely different, less-thrilling one with an okay end-result. In other words, it felt very ready-made. Like, having to eat frozen food over freshly cooked.

Jin-Woong Cho delivers a chilling performance as the introverted doctor steadily losing control over what's happening around him. There are a few well-executed nightmare sequences that tease the director's interest in visual horror. There isn't a whole lot of violence (for a serial killer flick) but a decent amount of gore. If you are interested in a serial killer movie with umpteen psychological-thriller elements that need to be picked apart piece-by-piece, Bluebeard should be right up your alley.

Bluebeard was a welcomed surprise among other recent South Korean thrillers. While movies of this genre tend to be more frantic and action-packed, Bluebeard takes an U-turn from this and is quite a slow burner, focusing more on its plot and on the psychological aspects of its protagonist.

Although it has its problems, like the sudden cuts and confusing timelines, it does a pretty decent job all-around, delivering an entangling and disturbing narrative that leaves you questioning your own reality.

What can I say about Korean crime and horror movies? When it comes to plot twists and character development Hollywood isn't even close. The plot centers around a middle aged Doctor whose life is in turmoil. He seems like your ordinary guy. This is one of the best movies I have seen in awhile it kept me enthralled.

Must watch this movie because they give an incredible story . Your emotions will be played while watching and will be unexpected ended. We talk about don't judge the book by its cover, it means a lot and happened in this movie, so you will be surprised along the movie. Correct me if im wrong with this review, but we need more movies like this! Totally crazy!