This film is not for the faint-hearted.
And by that, I am not referring to those who cannot stomach blood spilling scenes or grotesque skin-crawling psychotic murders, but those whose hearts cannot take the starkly truthful ending of tragedies, especially when it is a remake of a true story.
The plot of this Korean crime drama begins with an introduction of a wholesome family. Kyung-bae Han is a celebrity news anchor who has a son, Sang-woo. His wife, Ji-sun, fits into the mold of the perennial worry-plagued parent who displays her concerns about the health of her overweight son through the rather harsh enforcement of strict diets and stringent exercise regimes.
All seems to go well until Sang-woo goes missing one day and his worried parents receive a sinister phone call from the kidnapper. This sparks off a never-ending series of phone call threats, baits and traps that the mysterious kidnapper effectively use to mentally torture Sang-woo's parents. Eventually, the police are called in.
Unfortunately, the kidnapper always proves to be two steps ahead. Handicapped by the muffled voice of the kidnapper in the phone calls, the short duration of these calls that prevent them from being traced, and the lack of substantial motive or evidence, the investigation is slow-moving and ineffective.
The inefficient and mentally exhausted investigators also impede the progress of the case. Eventually, the disheartened parents reach a melting point in their mental and spiritual health.
Suffice to say, do not expect a happy ending in this movie.
If you are anticipating a typical gunfight action-packed thriller, then this film is not for you. Despite the incongruous title, 'Voice Of A Murderer' appears to be an empathetic documentation of a true story that occurred in 1991.
Rather than the usual formulaic generic movie that preaches the overtly optimistic mantra that having the end in mind can serve as a heady dose for one to be strong and get by, this film realistically portrays the pain and sorrow that any parent would experience with a missing child in the hands of a sadistic kidnapper.
The audience does not just wait for the next move by the police and/or the kidnapper, but also shares the nostalgic reminiscences of regretful parents haunted by endless 'what-if' and 'if-only' questions in their emotionally spent minds.
However, one cannot help but wonder whether the film director, Jin-pyo Park, had intended more than to simply document the true events back in 1991.
With the bleak portrayal of a strict mother breaking down in regret, the disintegration of a once career-obsessed father, and the disgruntled police officers who are not fully committed to their work, it seems as if Jin-pyo Park had meant to subtly make a social and personal statement.
Perhaps the lesson to be learnt is to cherish what you have before it's gone. HOOKED
hooked's rating: 3.5/5
Images courtesy of:
http://lunapark6.com/voice-of-a-murderer.html
http://filmjournal.net/koreancinemahouse/
|
