Marketing really dropped the ball on this one by letting everyone assume it was "Nicolas Cage as John Wick but with a pig." It's a smart, forlorn, reflective character piece about a broken man who deeply cares for something authentic in an empty world. I'd say this is Nicolas Cage's best performance since Adaptation, but honestly, this understated and quiet film blows everything he's done out of the water.
Do NOT go into this one expecting an action flick. This is a slow indie film with a relentless focus on its main character. The most unclassifiable movie I've seen in a long while, and one that stays with you long after the credits roll.
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@triseult You wrote a great review here and I agree with all of it. I actually like the idea that it wasn't marketed very well. I suspect this movie will gain it's audiences over time and be much loved.
Why is Parasite such a big deal? Because it’s different. It’s not a Hollywood movie, it's completely new and original.
I don’t think Hollywood is running out of ideas, but I think they’re more focused on making a profit and safe choices. That’s why they keep remaking the same tired scripts with different actors. Basically, the studios are too afraid to take a chance on something new because they are scared the movie won’t be “woke” enough. That’s why studios are busy with actors' skin color, sexuality or gender, not the actual story or characters. Creators want to be seen as “woke” without actually developing good, complex personalities and storylines for the characters because flaws make for interesting characters, but showing a female/minority character with any flaws will be condemned as sexism/racism by SJWs. That’s how you end up with shallow Mary Sue heroes with no character development.
Parasite is wildly innovative, suspenseful, unpredictable, with many subtle metaphors and satirical notes with pure silence. This is not a "bad guys" vs "good guys" movie, the world isn't black and white. The creator went out of his way to make sure the line of good vs bad was non existent. There are no teams, we are not supposed to pick sides. Both families are fucked up, and all of them are parasites, in some way. I really liked the use of stench as a symbol for poverty. And how the movie pitted a poor family against another poor family, and ultimately the poor people are the ones that still lose. Also, the movie shows how greed can be your downfall.
Just like any other movie, it requires some suspense of disbelief at various points. For example, somehow surviving two rock hits; the detectives didn’t search the entire house, even though they were looking for a man wanted for murder; the scene where the Kims are hiding under the table dragged out but the slow zoom on Mr. Kim’s face as he felt entirely ashamed in front of his children was so utterly heartbreaking.
It is definitely a well-made movie that holds your attention throughout. However, I do still think its a little overhyped by some people. Calling it the movie of the decade is beyond hasty.
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@cutecruel I agree with most of what our saying here. Just wait until the American version of this movie is made. Then a lot of people will agree with your statement.
Great soundtrack, and as alejandro_mhr says, it doesn't take itself too seriously. I enjoyed every moment of it. It was just the senseless action-filled movie I was looking for.
The performance of Dan Stevens noted itself for me, and I'll be watching him further! Great acting, great pushing of limits.
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@madcow I just watch this for the first time and I agree with you 100%.
I went into this film not truly knowing what to expect; I left it a better person.
So, what do I mean with the above? I didn't know anything about the director, the contents of the film, nor much except that the director is making another film with just about all of the actors from this one, plus Mel "antisemite" Gibson. And judging from the film poster and the fact that a horror-film-loving friend of mine liked this flick a lot, I...wondered what it'd give me.
There'll be no spoilers here, but I can say this: the script is very well-written. Imagine smart-alec dialogue as with TV-series "True Detective" season two, where Vince Vaughn's lines were often laughably badly written, but in this film it's as though the writer-director has wrought Aaron Sorkin's talent and made it succinctly good. Vaughn's character comes across almost existentialistic in nature.
I promised to not spoil anything, and I will only say this: this film is the first in a long time that's not completely over the top. This film is larger than life, and why not?
Casting Vaughn in the lead is a streak of genius, and Udo Kier is also perfect in this part.
If there's something bad to say, it's that female characters aren't really represented in a full or even half-assed way. Sure, Jennifer Carpenter's character doesn't really do much, but where the male characters are filled with stock-piled braggadocio and so little variation that they're at some point like different kinds of shelves found at IKEA, hers is drawn back. Asking whether this film would pass the Bechdel test is laughable as Carpenter's is the only non-male part in the entire film. I won't even go into analysing what the attacks on her fertility could symbolise.
Apart from that, this film is splendorific, something to kickstart Quentin Tarantino out of his mundaneness while loaning some off him (as though Tarantino's not a master thief already).
See this. The tone, the style, the soundtrack, even, gives way to a very enjoyable couple of hours. I actually will await this director's next film acutely.
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@pivic Great comment. You nailed this one without giving any spoilers. I wish there were more movies like this. If can recommend any please let me know. This was a gem!
"What a draaag."
I don't think Daniel Farrands deserves human rights at all.
Calling this piece of shit "offensive" may be the easiest thing to say, but it's so true. A complete spit in the face of Nicole Simpson's memory. Truly disgusting.
Terrible acting, poor directing, cheap lighting, and the unnatural writing that feels like it was written by a first time writer in film class.
Please stop making movies.
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@bradym03 This movie caught my interest, and I was a fan of Nick Stahl's acting way back in the Carnivàle series. After reading your comment I've decided I won't watch it. Unfortunately you did that job for a lot of people. Thanks for advice.
