Monday, February 24, 2014

Movie Monday: Hwayi, A Monster Boy (화이, 괴물을 삼킨 아이) Review

     Hola, restizens! You may wonder what is happening over here? Movie Monday?? Alright lemme explain a little. Movie Monday is a corner for reviews of movies I've watched recently or way way decades ago. Friendly reminder: it may contain spoilers so you decide whether read it before or after watching the movie. Also keep in mind that I'm not a movie-expert. I'm just a movie enthusiast, especially those with blood and major plot twists. Thus, I really enjoy thrillers, horrors, mysteries more than dramas. Dramas often leave me shrugging my shoulders.

"Father, why do you raise me?"
IMDb: 7.3/10
     First movie I'm reviewing is Hwayi (A Monster Boy). This movie is directed by Jang Joonhwan who was also successful with his impressive movie in 2003, Save The Green Planet!. Fans have waited his comeback ever since, so he answered the demand with Hwayi (A Monster Boy), a collaboration with Park Joosuk in writing department. As for actors, just look at the line ups, it has veterans like Kim Yoonseok (Seoktae), Cho Jinwoong (Gitae), and Park Yongwoo (Detective Changho). Not to mention other potential actors like Yoo Jingoo (Hwayi), Jang Hyunsung (Jinsung), Kim Sungkyun (Dongbum). And potential eye candies like Park Haejoon (Bumsoo) and Yoo Yeonseok (Director Park Jiwon).

     The story starts with a daytime subway crime by a notorious gang--the innovatively named Day Goblins--who nearly get caught in a ransom drop. A cop on the scene is shot and left for dead, and the Goblins get away. The victim of the kidnapping, a little boy, stays with the five Goblins, and years later, he’s a seemingly well-adjusted. The five Goblins, who later Hwayi called as fathers consist of; Seoktae, a cold but charismatic leader; Gitae, a stammering driver specialist; Jinsung, an ideal planner; Bumsoo, a guns specialist; and Dongbum, a cold actionist. Hwayi has been brought up in a unique way, learning skills from his 5 fathers instead of going to school but has adapted to life, not knowing his past.

     One day, the group is commissioned to kill a man named Im and his wife. While the rest of the group feel something odd about this particular contract, Seoktae is adamant to carry out this job with Hwayi in tow. During the job Hwayi discovers a photograph of a child in Im’s house. Eventually, Seoktae hands his gun to Hwayi and he is forced to pull the trigger. He becomes ill after committing his first kill, and realizes that the boy in the photograph looks uncannily familiar.

     I should stop here otherwise you'd slap my blabbing mouth for spilling too much spoilers.

     This movie gave me so much feels. Poor Hwayi, he is too young to experience such crimes that caused the death of his parents. Gotta admit that at first I kinda underestimated Yoo Jingoo to play this role since Hwayi portrays a psychologically complicated teenager. Like, imagine yourself being raised by five scary criminals. I'd be scared shitless. BUT! Guess what? Jingoo played the role in a super fantastic way. He got mad acting skill over there even though he's just 16 year old! Please grow gorgeously while picking more interesting roles, Jingooya~!^^

     As for goofs, I found one scene where Jinsung was about to send Hwayi studying art abroad--well the main intention was to send Hwayi to a safe place where he couldn't follow his fathers crime--to Singapore. Jinsung made a new identity for Hwayi, as a Singaporean by giving him Singaporean ID card and passport. Look at the ID card below...

you see something weird on the ID card?
     Haha yeah, you can see it's written that his new name is Wong Hang Xuan and his race is Javanese. Weird? Of course, should've been "Chinese" written as his race, or make some Javanese name like "Budiono" or "Susilo". Hehehe. And Jingoo's face on the ID card actually looks kinda like a Javanese....girl with pixie hair. Lmao.

     I'm ending the first Movie Monday now. Please let me know what you think about this movie or this review on the comment section below! Or if you have movie recommendation (no drama please! lol) or request, just write me! Thanks for reading, see you in the next Movie Monday! \m/

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