By grounding the story in a central character and her loved ones, adequate stakes are established. This first film takes over an hour before any sci-fi action breaks out. The Subversion is more character-driven, taking its time to establish the protagonist and those in her inner orbit. The Witch: Part 2 is more sprawling and action-driven than its predecessor. Not to mention the various other shadowy figures and their nameless thugs who are also interested in the girl or otherwise are unfortunate enough to fall into her path. A foul-mouthed mercenary and her South African partner are tasked with tracking her down. It is implied that she is heavily dangerous and ought to be eliminated. ![]() The central figure in this sequel is a test subject who was cloned in the mysterious laboratory (Shin Si-ah). The Other One takes the logical step of examining new characters who went through the same medical transformation. We follow her back to the facility where it all went down, where she can exact her revenge. Her unique abilities and ailments point backwards to her origin as the victim of a medical experiment. ![]() The Subversion is predominantly concerned with the narrative of Ja-yoon (Kim), an adopted young woman whose past catches up to her. Namely, it expands the world of this story. The Other One does some typical sequel things. For its reported budget of US $5.5 million, the film looks slick. It is altogether an exciting film, blending gritty action with more fantastical, comic book adjacent tropes (the medical experiments central to the premise are similar to the Weapon X program of X-Men lore). The Subversion was a financial success upon its release in 2018, and it garnered some accolades in South Korea and beyond, particularly for its lead performer Kim Da-mi. The Subversion screened as part of this year’s Fantasia Festival.Park Hoon-jun’s The Witch: Part 1. ![]() The Subversion might be the movie for you. If you’re a fan of both Korean cinema and stylish comic book films, The Witch: Part 1. Kim Da-mi completely kills it as the lead actress, and she definitely deserves the Fantasia Cheval Noir award for the Best Actress category. The Subversion isn’t the best title for the movie, but it still doesn’t change the fact that it’s a really entertaining action thriller with great scenes featuring superpowered mayhem. The SubversionĪdmittedly, The Witch: Part 1. This instalment is an origin story for Ja-yoon, so we know that she’s going to be more powerful and wise in the sequel. While the title heavily implies that this is just part 1 of a series, don’t worry, this still feels like a standalone movie on its own. It really pays off at the end, even if the beginning is sadly choppy at times. However, the third act is definitely the best part of the entire movie that the audience will be waiting to see. The intro does a great job setting up the vibe of the film, but then it starts to slow down in the second act. It is important for the plot, but it can still drag the pacing at times. It does take a while to get going, but then it picks right back up. The lead-up to the epic finale is admittedly slow, as it really takes its time to introduce Ja-yoon’s life to the audience. While the film’s action scenes are incredible, the pacing does have some issues. It’s like a gritty and bloody version of the X-Men, and it feels like a cool comic book origin story for the main protagonist. ![]() Known for having deadly violence in his filmography, Park Hoon-jung showcases that aspect of his filmmaking style in The Witch: Part 1. When characters are fighting on screen, you will have a total blast! As she uses her abilities to kill her enemies, it’s extremely entertaining for sure, but it’s also quite brutal. Also, whenever she unleashes her telekinesis onscreen, it’s a lot of fun to watch. As the movie goes on, she turns from a naive person to a force to be reckoned with when she rediscovers her destructive powers. She is absolutely phenomenal as the main character, and she definitely shines from beginning to end. Newcomer actress Kim Da-mi plays the lead role of Ja-yoon, and it’s still hard to believe it’s her first-ever feature role on the big screen.
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