Parasite premiered at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival on 21 May 2019, where it became the first South Korean film to win the Palme d’Or. To be honest, my feeling is quite complicated. On the one hand, I fully recognize this film in my heart. Of the more than ten films I saw in Cannes this year, this one is almost perfect in terms of completeness, story creativity, and thought. Bong Joon-ho’s silent cultivation finally paid off.
Of course, the significance of winning the award in “Parasite” is not limited to Bong Joon-ho alone. This is the first Palme d’Or in the history of Korean film. In recent years, Korean films have frequently been shortlisted in Cannes competitions and screenings. “Okja”, “The Handmaiden”, and last year’s “Burning” are actually only one step away from reaching the summit. This year finally achieved a big explosion and successfully won the championship.
Who is Bong Joon-ho, is no stranger to movie fans, in addition to ” Memories of Murder”, which is regarded as a god by everyone, he also has the popular “The host”, “Mother”, “Snowpiercer”, “Okjai” ,etc.
It is no exaggeration to say that I think “parasite” is another pinnacle of Bong Joon-ho after “Memories of Murder”. This is a very complicated movie, so complicated that each character can have a connected relationship, and this relationship is more ideological, that is, psychological activity, which highlights the script. A lot of mystery and thoughts are buried under the seemingly joking story.
Irony, anti-tradition, is always hidden in Bong Joon-ho’s works, such as “Memories of Murder”, around the misty murderer, you can’t distinguish between good and bad guys, because there are no absolute good and bad guys. In the whole story, all Because of the murder case of the female student, the character completely returned to human nature.
Bong Joon-ho ’s work has always adhered to the core point mentioned above. Bong Joon-ho never chooses to stand in front of the characters in his works, nor does it allow the audience to realize who is the vested interest and who is the victimized exploiter. The values of all the characters in his works are complex and muddy, which makes them more real and cruel.
“The Parasite” is also a work with Bong Joon-ho’s strong personal style, but this time the story and discussion angle are more profound and metaphorical than his works in recent years. The plot has black humor and suspense. The composition also makes the film more pleasing, and thus is loved by a wider audience.
Class is a symbol of Bong Joon-ho’s many works. For example, the early “Snowpiercer”, under the packaging of a science fiction coat, uses the story of the train to explain the dependence and opposition between classes.
The same is true for Parasite. In the first half, we can use an extremely easy way to let us see the absurd parasitic story. It seems that the entire social form is actually a strange parasitic relationship in the film.
To be honest, in modern society, most of our office workers don’t just work for the bosses to earn money, and in the process, the survival of the fittest and even the use of some gray means to achieve their own goals, that is What is more normal, what we do, think about it, is not much different from what the parasitic family does.
In expressing these opinions, Bong Joon-ho has not favored any one side, but used restraint and ruthless lenses to let the audience make their own values judgments.
In Bong Joon-ho’s works, metaphor and satire are the second characteristic.
The film puts the class represented by each family, the place where they live, the best representative. The people on the ground are bright and bright, the people on the ground are miserable, and there are even airtight rooms, which hides the greater hidden dangers of this society And uneasy.
Remember the stone used as a gift? The stone itself is part of nature, but as an ornamental stone used for decoration, it gives other meanings, such as luck. The film is also because the stone sent by the elder brother of the elder brother really brought fortune to the family and brought unexpected chaos. The brother’s last act of putting this viewing stone into the river seems to mean that the individual’s power cannot change the original restraint and return to his position. Perhaps it is the best choice.
http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xH0HfJHsaY
Now comes this question, since neither party is a parasite, what is the cause of the tragedy? The family could stay together, like one of the billions and billions of families in the world, struggling and suffering their own pain, enjoying them as well. After all, they are alive, together. I don’t think there is a real answer in the film. This may also be the director’s blank creation method, showing a strong sense of powerlessness. That is, almost every moment in the movie is full of irony and power, but after watching it, we can no longer find the answer besides the stone that symbolizes desire.
In the end, in addition to violence, Bong Joon-ho still did not give a way to solve this problem. This may also be a chronic illness in human society. Criticism is possible, but it is really difficult to solve. Wise like you, can you help them? If it were you, what would you do?
At the end of the movie, I made a vague spot: very simply, the brother would go to the college and after graduation he would find a job and earn enough money to buy this mansion to reunite the family. Is that possible? Will he be successful? Is it really that simple? If it were you, what would you do? Perhaps the simplest way is the best way, how do you like it? Agree or not? Why?
The sequel of “Parasite” may answer your questions.
There are still many things worth exploring. Everyone’s understanding and feelings are different. In the end, I sincerely recommend you to take a look at this sequel to “The Parasite”. Between absurdity and reality, they often mirror each other.
Here I really recommend you again! If you love movies, you must find a way to see this movie!
