Wow. Parasite is a revolutionary film that pushes the boundaries of an important conversation we’re having today. The movie brilliantly outlines the class divide and how the 99% are starting to feel more ignored and unseen.
Parasite centers around the rich Park family and how the wealth gap threatens the symbiotic relationship built between the Park family and the poverty stricken Kim family.
The film is filled with breathtaking cinematography and is a moving work of art. Parasite directly outlines the class struggle not just plaguing South Korea, but also around the world. The main house is just beautiful and even in the darkest places we’re able to find beauty. But when we move into the poorer areas it’s dark and dingy. We can see that in the similar message Parasite shares with Joker and shows us there’s a class problem going on globally. There was so much hype surrounding this movie that in the back of my mind I was thinking it would let me down in some little way, but it never did.
Tension builds so brutally in the film that as the movie wears on there’s a constant feeling that one more thing is just going to break the camels back. You can’t help but see every scenario piling up. You feel this sense of dread that’s only leading up to something big, and something massive happens to conclude the movie.
We can see through the film the real class divide that is going on around the world. There’s one scene where the rich find a rain storm absolutely beautiful, but the Kim family sees it in a way that the storm can flood their house, and ruin everything they own because they’re living so far below everyone else.
Parasite is a movie that’s genuinely hard to watch at some points because of its hyper realism. You feel for these characters and although they may take extreme measures you can sympathize with their motives. That’s what makes it so realistic and powerful. This ability for us to relate to the Kim family and feel everything they do in their desperate nature to just scrape by and provide support for the family in any way they can.
That’s the whole point of the message is that the 99% and the lower classes feel more and more pushed down and ignored that they feel like they have no other choice but to take these extreme measures. That’s what I love about this film is that they’re able to show us how the Kim family (living in extreme poverty) can be shoved aside and paid no attention to just because of their class status. It’s heartbreaking, but an important story to be told.
The performances are outstanding and some of the best work I’ve seen. Kang-Ho-Song as Mr. Kim is spectacular and really provides everyone in the family with a sense of hope. Park-So-Dam as Jessica is my favorite aspect of the film and is electric. She steals every scene she’s in. Park-So-Dam is simultaneously stone cold, but also the glue that holds the family together.
Parasite is one of the most important movie experiences a person could have. It details the class divide in a hyperrealistic way that makes everyone understand what it’s like. Bong Joon-ho creates a masterpiece and a movie I will remember forever.
I give Parasite an A+
