POSSIBLE SPOILERS: I watched this at London Film Festival where the director described his desire to tell about the political corruption that prevented a competent investigation into a serial rape/murder case. Fine. But after having watched the film, which for the first half burdens us with the unnecessary graphically depicted rape scenes and close ups showing horrific violence against numerous women (and a child), I'm not sure any political message is what you are left thinking about.
The fact the entire story could have equally been told without a single rape scene being showed, leads me to believe the director simply enjoyed showing this type of violence, and that these scenes were included for shock value. Confirmed by the director himself who wanted to provide 'horror' for the audience.
So if you were hoping to find an impressive depiction of the corrupt Communist regime, you may be disappointed by this. If you were looking for Last House on the Left x5 then you've come to the right place.
I've given it 5 stars because the acting was good, there's some excellent dialogues and the cinematography is beautiful. But for me, the story (structure not content) was weak and relied heavily on American style 'violence for the sake of violence'. Do better please.
Films like Memories of Murder did a far better job showing the corruption of a political system in a police investigation (and the violence included was far more appropriate to the story).
The fact the entire story could have equally been told without a single rape scene being showed, leads me to believe the director simply enjoyed showing this type of violence, and that these scenes were included for shock value. Confirmed by the director himself who wanted to provide 'horror' for the audience.
So if you were hoping to find an impressive depiction of the corrupt Communist regime, you may be disappointed by this. If you were looking for Last House on the Left x5 then you've come to the right place.
I've given it 5 stars because the acting was good, there's some excellent dialogues and the cinematography is beautiful. But for me, the story (structure not content) was weak and relied heavily on American style 'violence for the sake of violence'. Do better please.
Films like Memories of Murder did a far better job showing the corruption of a political system in a police investigation (and the violence included was far more appropriate to the story).