Memories of Murder (Salinui Chueok)

Release Year: 2003

Director: Bong Joon-ho

Review: A film, by director Bong Joon-ho, based on the true story of South Korea's first serial murders.  In the film a series of women are found raped and murdered.  A team of investigators who are pressured by the mounting murders and an overbearing, curious, media begin to make mistakes.  Frustrations mount as they continue to fail to catch the murderer and desperation sets in.  

This is a solid murder mystery, but there isn't much new plot wise.  It follows the conventional movie arch that you would expect it to.  What makes this a good movie are the little things.  The emotions that the actors express are dynamic.  As the frustration mounts, so does the tension.  Song Kang-ho plays his part wonderfully, and the acting as a whole was fantastic.  There are several powerful confrontation moments that ride on the actors expressive delivery and they make the film.  While there isn't much surprising in the film, the way that it questions our assumptions of guilt is revealing.  It might be a straight ahead film, but it's very well made.
Rating: 4/5