Silence ProjectKorean Midnight Film at Cannes Film Festival
It is not uncommon for the Cannes Film Festival to honor him Korean Genre Cinema. As often happens, it was during the midnight screening of the 76th edition that we were able to discover a slightly different work between the two films in competition: Silence Project by Kim Tae-gon featuring Lee Sun-kyun, Ju Ji-hoon and Kim Su-an. It took more than a year for the public to discover the film in theaters, but without it, everything would have been fine.
With Silence Projectwe were expecting a fun and uninhibited series B based on a promising pitch: a car accident on a bridgetraffic blocked by an incessant fog AND dangerous creatures ready to pounce on the survivors… From this, and after the first few minutes, one thinks back to Last train to Busan (presented out of competition in “Midnight Sessions” at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival). Also, fortunately, Kim Su-an, the little girl from the zombie film, plays once again a daughter abandoned by a fathermore busy with his work (this time played by Lee Sun-kyun).
A disappointment despite a good concept
The writing of the secondary characters then follows a usual pattern (especially in Korean cinema) up to their respective introductions. There we find an elderly couple, a repairman too talkative to entertain the gallery, or even a professional golfer and his assistant. Why not. Then comes the accident and the rapid revelation of what is happening. Genetically modified military dogs were released in the incident and the army no longer has any control over them. Worse still, one of these animals, much more than a leader, did it the intention of revenge.
Here we are now on the side of Planet of the Apes (2011), although Kim Tae-gon tends more towards nanar. He still manages to stay on course so as not to cross this border, without being very convincing. The director cannot establish sufficient tension. And in this regard it’s a shame not to see him use the fog except to create, on a narrative level, complications for the protagonists stuck on the bridge.
But beyond its tasteless staging, it is above all in the finality of its story that the director appears the point is missing. On the one hand, there is this “hero.” A father who puts his daughter on the back burner and whose actions raise questions. Working for the future president, he will do anything to protect his employer’s image. Even if it means lying and endangering the civilians present. An unpleasant character for whom we will have no empathy. What do his rare moments of courage matter? without real coherence or credibility.
On the other hand, there are, on the contrary, these dogs whose past has everything to move them. But without ever taking their side completely, unlike the last films. Planet of the Apes -, Silence Project something to disappoint. And it is not with a forced final shot that one can get the impression that the director is really trying to sensitize public opinion. on the animal cause.
Silence Project by Kim Tae-gon, in theaters from August 21, 2024. The film was presented out of competition at the 76th Cannes Film Festival. Above is the trailer.
Source: Cine Serie
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