Buckland-Warren-Puzzle-Films-Complex-Storytelling-Contemporary-Cinema

228 Eleftheria Thanoulihand, helps us understand and position the entire phase of imprisonmentwithin the story, while, on the other, it reassures us that the narration isin hold of all the necessary information. Moreover, the long and fragmentedepisode of captivity, despite its complex temporality and, by extension, thehigh degree of self-consciousness, is held together by the regular intrusionsof Oh Dae-Su’s comments, offering detailed explanations regarding themethods and practices of his prisoners, such as the fact that he was druggedwith the same gas that the Russians used on Chechnyan terrorists.At the same time, the voiceover soundtrack becomes a parallel diegeticspace where the protagonist’s emotional and mental life can unfold. It isan ambiguous narrative realm where the most extreme levels of narration 8are welded together; on the one hand, Oh Dae-Su operates as a non-diegeticnarrator who reveals his omniscience, while, on the other, internally focalizedsounds give us insight into the innermost workings of his mind. 9 Forexample, as soon as Oh Dae-Su is liberated, he promptly shares with usthe realization that his enemy left him on exactly the same spot from whichhe was abducted 15 years before; the rooftop of a building constructed wherethe telephone booth used to be. This information immediately explainsthe bizarre choice of location and reveals the meticulous planning of thevillain’s game. Moreover, the narration often grants us complete access tothe character’s inner dialogue and allows us to hear his thoughts as he encountersa new world, walking down the streets of Seoul. In one instance, hehears a new slang word and thinks to himself that television could not teachhim such things, while later on he wonders if 15 years of imaginary physicaltraining can be effective. After beating up a gang of young hustlers, herealizes that it can indeed.In addition to the safety of this omniscient narrator who not only possessesinformation but also shares it with the viewers, the film employs multipleother devices to transmit information. The selection of the televisionimages in the secluded room indicate with precision the passage of the years,while the presence of clocks and calendars reminds us of the various deadlinesthat punctuate the action. Moreover, through the extensive use of cellphones, internet chat rooms, audiotapes, and photographs, the charactersexchange information and communicate their plans and goals. There isone particularly decisive piece of the puzzle, for instance, which is addedthrough the tapes that Oh Dae-Su violently detracts from his jailer; therecorded conversations reveal the instructions given to the jail manager,they describe the treatment that was prescribed by the villain, and theygive us a hint regarding the latter’s motivation. This impersonal source of