It's not too often that a Korean blockbuster makes its way over to the US and creates a strong buzz and presence around the film. And it's safe to say that after randomly witnessing the trailer during the previews for another film, I was totally on board with what this cinematic package seemingly had to offer.
No Other Choice is a movie directed by Chenmuk Park. I think the themes and ideas are well encapsulated into the story with everything coming full circle by the end. There's some potent and relevant concepts that I believe will allow this film to stand the test of time as a cinematic package; themes dealing with the unforgiving nature of capitalism on the general workforce, complicated aspects of identity and duty that have to be maintained while in a family dynamic, or the rise of AI as a huge replacement in the workforce to what can already feel like a cut-throat capitalist society.
The film covers some harsh truths about discussions that are generally left unsaid and brings them all to the surface in a dark comedic style. And I really dug this presentation of the messaging involved here.
I found the cast for this movie quite amazing. We follow Bjong Han Lee ( the guy who played as the front man in the film tv series Squid Games) as the main lead for majority of the film and he carries a lot of the scenarios on his back as the acts play out. Everyone else here filled their character roles well enough, so kudos to the entire ensemble on board for this story.
Also, a big shout out to the visual department. There's a lot of clear and concise visuals that have multiple layers of meaning to them. A lot of the joint effort from the cinematography, visual effects, and editing help to methodically place some deeply rooted metaphors for the audience to figure out as the story progresses. And I thought all of it was well done to make for a smart enough story that finds a nice balance without getting too lost in the sauce with what it's trying to tell.
But then, I think one of the core flaws to this experience is the runtime, especially with knowing how the film concludes. Now, I found the entirety of act 2 to drag on longer than it needed to. There are segments that could have been refined to be shorter or perhaps entirely cut out in this 2hour and 19minute runtime.
Also, there are some absurd B or C tier elements involved in some pivotal moments to the story, which may or may not disappoint some viewers out there looking for a more well-rounded experience. This wasn't a major gripe for me, but just thought it's one I should point out.
My rating on No Other Choice ends up being 8 out of 10. This was a really fun cinematic experience. I definitely recommend checking out.
Bye for now!
Rating: 80/100