from Cannes - The Hollywood Reporter

day5_p50_review_Chaser_b 5/17/08 12:58 PM Page 50day 5 | sunday, may 18, 2008 | reviewsThe ChaserIt’s no fluke that “The Chaser” enjoyed a long run at Korea’s slumminglocal market and got snapped up by Warner Bros. for aremake. The subject of “The Chaser” — a serial killer who hammersa chisel into prostitutes’ heads — is morbidly fascinating. Italso plays a wily game with theaudience, satisfying their bloodlustwhile frustrating expectationsof how such crimes shouldbe solved, and indeed how suchfilms should be made.It should easily pin down theatricaldates around Asia andniche markets in the West, inaddition to hitting the nail on thehead for overseas DVD sales.Usually, serial killer films keepthe audience guessing till theend, but director Na Hong-jinreveals his identity in 20 minutes.There are no red herrings,> OUT OF COMPETITIONBOTTOM LINE PA disturbing murder thriller withhaunting mood play and high-strungtension.CAST: Kim Yun-seok, Ha Jung-woo, SeoYeong-hie, WRITER-DIRECTOR: NaHong-jin, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: ChinHee-mon, DIRECTOR OFPHOTOGRAPHY: Lee Sung-jePRODUCTION DESIGNER: Lee Min-bokEDITOR: Kim Sun-min, SALES:Showbox/Finecut/Dire/Haut et CourtNo rating, 125 minutes.and the script even dispenses with the other rule in the book —solving the mystery of motive. The protagonist also is unconventional— a frazzled ex-detective turned pimp who gets his adrenalinfrom guilt over the prostitutes’ plight.The film branches out to touch on human fallibility and systemfailure. For this reason, it has been compared with Bong Joon-ho’ssuperior “Memories of Murder” but comes closer to “Zodiac” in itscynicism and resistance to closure.The climax is in the first act. It contains a chilling mis-en-sceneof dark foliage that is a veritable fallen eden, a thrilling montage thatcrosscuts between the killer’s attack and the pimp’s frantic search,and the action lives up to its title with a heart-stopping and brilliantlyedited chase through alleys and steps. The narrative losessteam midway and only clicks into place when the pimp’s race tofind the survivor converges with the killer’s comeback.“The Chaser” is a not flawless gem. The script is pierced throughwith improbabilities and, like many Korean films, just when the finaleis in sight, the plot runs through at least five more endings beforereaching the finishing line. Nonetheless, the tight time-frame gives theexcellent cast a chance to play with intensity, making even old genrehands hold their breath and feel their minds sufficiently shaken up.— Maggie LeeTHR.com | los angeles 323.525.2000 | new york 646.654.5000 | london +44.207.420.6139 | beijing +86.10.6512.5511 (ext. 121)50