Opening Day: 27 October 2005

Synopsis:

Trying to track down a young woman who stole a winning lottery ticket worth $16 million from them, gangster Jae-cheol and corrupt cop Chung-su follow her to the small island of Mapado. But once they arrive on Mapado Island, the two men get far more than they bargained for.
The island is so tiny and isolated that no one lives there except five old women – odd but friendly women who have not seen a man in 20 years. Jae-cheol and Chung-su feel like they’ve been sold at a cattle market, as their hunt for the woman who stole their lottery ticket turns into a nightmare of slave labour and sexual harassment by the grannies. AGAIN, WHATEVER YOU PREFER. But with a full week until the next boat comes to this isolated island, what can they do? Will they be able to find their money without losing their minds?

Movie Review:


If you have noticed, there have been quite a considerable number of Korean movies playing in our cinemas recently. There are all kinds of genres, from the common romantic comedies and horror flicks, to the more unique revenge sagas and arthouse films. This time round, we have this oddball comedy, which will likely appeal to the common movie-goer.

This movie proved to be so successful in Korea that it hogged the top place of the box-office charts for three whole weeks. One of the greatest reasons is its feel-good plot.

The story unfolds like an adventure storybook you remember reading as a child. A gangster and a corrupt police detective travel to the remote island of Mapado to hunt down a woman who has run off with a $16 billion winning lottery ticket.

Alas, the strange island seems to be only populated by a group of unfriendly grannies who make the two men’s lives very difficult. This is when a whole series of amusing antics and jokes begin.

The story may not be much to shout about, but it will still be an enjoyable experience. The movie may start off slowly, but once the two men reach the island of Mapado, the fun starts.

For the girls, there is always the good-looking Lee Jeong-jin to ogle at. He plays the handsome gangster with ease, effortlessly dripping coolness in every frame he appears in. For the guys, it is just too bad the movie is dominated by five frumpy old ladies. They are so grumpy that any male audience will shudder at the thought of being stuck on an isolated island with them.

This is also the very fact that makes this movie very amusing to watch. The energy of the 107-minute movie clearly belongs to these five women. They liven up every scene they are in, from the first one where they are mistaken as supernatural beings to the last one where they gather to save their home from the bad guys. Besides being feisty, their more sensitive sides will also touch viewers.

Too bad then, that the individual personalities of these five characters are not explored deeper. Viewers cannot distinguish one from another, as the five roles often appear as one collective.

The movie also gets points for showing us urbanized Singaporeans how different life on secluded island can be. It makes us think how we would adapt if we were to switch to that kind of lifestyle. Of course, there are the very scenic views which will make you wish you were there. The huge marijuana fields in the movie (yes, in case you were wondering why the movie got slapped with a NC-16 “Some Drug Content” rating) are also a sight to behold.

There are some nice moments in the movie which make use of the nice sceneries too. With a nice setting, throw in some thought-provoking lines like “This is life” and “Everyone has a story to tell”, and you can make your audience’s goose bumps stand.

The plot of the movie does become predictable after a while, and distractions in the form of slapstick humour are thrown in. There are the obligatory wardrobe malfunctions and toilet jokes which never fail to entertain the viewers.

Do not buy enter the cinema expecting this show to be serious and arty-farty. It does not even have an important message to deliver. It is all about a good night out at the movies, and you deserve it after a hard day or stressful week’s work. And you know what they say, all well’s that ends well. The movie’s last scene is so pleasant that we promise you will walk out of the theatre smiling.

Movie Rating:

Review by John Li

(Take your mind off the daily stress and enjoy this latest Korean movie that has reached our shores)