Swiri (1999)

Also known as "Shiri (Hong Kong/English Title)"
Overall Score: 5 out of 10

Starring: Suk-kyu Han, Min-sik Choi, Yoon-jin Kim, Kang-ho Song, Johnny Kim, Yong-woo Park

Director: Je-Gyu Kang

Running Time: 125 minutes

US MPAA rating: N/A
UK BBFC rating: 15
Action, Romance, Thriller

On DVD

On DVD

Upon its big screen release back in 1999, 'Shiri' became the most successful Korean film ever. That's right - even more successful than that other one. Y'know. The one with, erm, that guy, doing the thing, with the stuff.

So, you might wonder, what is it about this movie that really connected with the good people of Korea? What's distinct about this film that makes it different from the thick-flowing stream of Western popcorn fodder? What does it have that we haven't seen before?

That's the basic line of questioning that was going through my noggin when I stuck the DVD into my machine - and the answer is underwhelming, to say the least. For what 'Shiri' is, essentially, is a blatant carbon copy of every no-brain action blockbuster to have spilled out of America in the last 20 years. Clearly, this film wasn't loved in its native land because it's different and original - it was loved because it's not. This is the movie that finally sees Asian cinema latch on to the bolshyness of an Arnie, Stallone or - dare I say it - Steven Seagal movie, and replicate it for its own audience. What a bloody sell-out.

Of course, that's not to say I completely disliked it. It's just that the plot - about a gang of North Korean terrorist-types hijacking a powerful explosive and planting it around the city of Seoul - doesn't do anything any of the 'Die Hard' movies haven't done better. It's got some nice touches, including the sub-plot about a double-crossing femme fatale and the football match-based finale (that final segment is nicely done, though I ended up just wanting to see the game and started getting annoyed when it kept cutting from the pitch and back to the story!).

What really kills 'Shiri' is that it's self-indulgent when, given how derivative and generic it is, it really has no right to be. Its 125-minute running time verges on the farcical, particularly as you could practically lop off the entire first hour and probably be left with a superior chunk of entertainment. In fact, I spent most of those first 60 minutes thinking I was going to get to use a joke in my review about replacing the "r" in the title with a "t". Fortunately, it's not quite as bad as all that.

By all means watch it and enjoy it, but just don't expect it to be anything different from your average Bruce Willis or Jean-Claude Van Damme action vehicle - and, if you're a Korean, don't believe the hype.

DVD Extras: Filmographies, Mark Wyatt's film notes, a standard 'making of' piece, an 'Asia Extreme' trailer reel, and a soppy music video entitled 'When I Dream'. Extras: 6 out of 10

It's Got: An incredible exploding woman.

It Needs: To dump the fish talk.

Alternatives: The Gingko Bed, Infernal Affairs

Summary: Your average everyday run-of-the-mill action movie - with optional subtitles. Overall Score: 5 out of 10

Review by Gary Panton

External Links

Official Web Site
Swiri at the IMDB

Comments

2 Comments

Mr. Panton,
I can see how you would draw your conclusions seeing that it seems your perspective was based entirely on you expecting the movie to be what you claim. Unfortunately that expectation and a subtitled movie do not make that great of a combination when it comes down to understanding. Apparently you were unable to grasp the key points of the story amidst the heaping helping of action and yellow letters. It's an understandable case of miscommunication.

For the record, the NK special forces planting CTX all over the city was a bluff. I can understand how you could miss that as well.

Comment by:- Abe | | 01 August 2004 | ip: logged

Mr. Panton,

I am thoroughly disappointed by your callow and superificial review. Obviously, you failed to grasp any inkling of the history behind the separation of Korea into North and South, and the barely suppressed turmoil still seeded into the lands. Koreans are a very political and nationalistic people. The history of the separation, barely 60 years ago resides deeply in the people's hearts. The war is NOT over, there is only an uneasy ceasefire. Guns and still pointed towards each other in the world's most heavily guarded demilitarized zone. Your comment, "bloody sell-out" not only insults this history but further displays your utter ignorance on the subject. Being able to treat a sensitive subject matter in a dignified fashion while combining action and love intrigue was the reason why "Swiri/Shiri" became popular in Korea and Asia.

To view another culture's cinema and automatically assume that it is a "blatant carbon copy of every no-brain blockbuster" displays your cultural insensitivity, not to mention your sense of western oriented superiority. Not having understood any of the underlying history and major plotlines - how could your statements regarding the originality of the movie be justified?

Perhaps it is your inability to understand the Korean dialogue (very artfully written), or the superificiality of the translated subtitles. Nonetheless, I urge you to do some research and look beyond superificial matters the next time you attempt to review any other movie.

Sincerely,

Your reviewer

Comment by:- Liz | | 18 August 2004 | ip: logged