Save the Green Planet! 4K 2003 Ultra HD 2160p

Story Movie

Lee Byung-gu has been caring for his comatose mother for five years and is trying to find out the reasons for her condition. In the process, he decides that he has uncovered an alien conspiracy aimed at destroying life on Earth. A few hours before the lunar eclipse, after which events will become irreversible, he must meet with the Prince of Andromeda, reaching him through his earthly agents, led by the sinister Kang Man-sik, who can easily withstand a 300-volt electric shock and other adversities.

Review 4K Movie

The year 2003 was truly epic and memorable for Korean cinema, with a decent number of films attracting attention not only in their home country but also around the world. This undoubtedly created the impression that Korean cinema would rapidly enter the global film market with enormous success. Unfortunately, this did not happen, but the example was not lost, and this film by director Joon-hwan Chang is undoubtedly the brightest representative of Korean underground cinema, which, being an arthouse production, gained such enormous popularity among viewers that it became no less than the brightest representative of the pop culture of its time. In fact, in the same year, Park Chan-wook's Oldboy and Bong Joon-ho's Memories of Murder achieved similar success.

Without a doubt, the film turned out to be simply the most amazing, and to be honest, I haven't had such an impression and pleasure from watching Korean cinema in a very, very long time. This is especially due to how skillfully and effectively the director of the film, Jang Joon-hwan, juggled numerous genres on screen throughout the entire film. It creates the impression of a suspense horror film literally overflowing with bloody and violent violence, but at the same time, it definitely develops the project within the framework of a science fiction thriller and even a satirical comedy with a pronounced dark humor.

That is why, throughout the film, black humor coexists with deep personal and social drama, and rivers of blood, broken bones, severed limbs, and other violence organically coexist with very subtle satire about the victims of powerful corporations, who are essentially ordinary people wanting to find their place under the sun or simply survive. The creators of the film draw a very subtle allegory about aliens, not only with large conglomerates and profit-hungry corporations, but also explore the theme of society as a whole, more precisely reflecting how cruel and harsh we sometimes are to people who are less fortunate or who are at least somewhat different from us. The creators of the film deliver a harsh verdict on all of humanity, but it is precisely this that makes us think about the question, “Is it really worth saving humanity and giving it a second chance, or is there no hope for humanity to improve at all?” Each of us comes to our own conclusion, but the creators of the film do not remain neutral and develop the story further.

By making us hate the main character throughout the film and changing our worldview by reflecting his motivations in flashbacks from his past, this film immediately reveals its true message that no one is born a murderer or a madman. A person becomes one in the course of their life. After all, while some people are made stronger by life's difficulties, others are broken by them, and more often than not, we are to blame for the animals that people sometimes become. This is because we do not fully realize how much our actions or words can change another person's life, and sometimes even the failure to take certain actions. It only reflects the fact that everything in this life has consequences, and sometimes they are far from pleasant.

But when you realize this, it's already too late. When we, as people, change others with our cruelty, and then, without understanding our own guilt, we only condemn them.

At the same time, the creators of the film managed to completely fool the viewer with how unexpectedly the film ends and how much this ending turns everything we thought we knew throughout the film upside down, and this is undoubtedly the main merit of the film.

The cast of actors, each of whom masterfully coped with their task, makes a separate impression. So much so that I simply don't want to say anything bad about them. Especially the lead actor, Shin Ha-kyun, who undoubtedly played the best role of his entire career. Throughout the film, you willingly hate his insane character and feel a strong aversion to him, but in a surprising way, after seeing flashbacks from his past closer to the end, you feel the complete opposite and even feel sorry for him. The impression of his stunning performance alone maintains consistency throughout the film and allows you to admire such a talented actor.