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R-Point Redefines Foreign Fear! (Review)

It seems a rarity to find an Aan ghost tale that doesn’t revolve around giant wet spots on walls, or 12 year old girls with x feet of hair. When I do happen to stumble upon one who’s focal scares haven’t been figuratively beaten to death over the last few years, I tend to make serious mental note; such an occurrence is that uncommon. nce you’re reading this, it may be needless to say I recently stumbled upon one of those eyebrow raing gems…R-POINT, a Korean chiller written and directed by Su-chang Kong opens with a chilling distress call from a misng platoon presumed killed in the line of duty. South Korean military officials asgn Lieutenant Choi (Woo-seong Kam) and eight other soldiers to investigate the mysterious R-Point, and locate the misng men, be it dead or alive. Lieutenant Choi is a cold but calculated leader, and Woo-seong Kam does a fantastic job of milking the role for all it’s worth. Kam get’s plenty of support from a rambunctious group of talented supporting actors, who come face to face with some of their greatest fears while exploring R-Point.

Initially, strange stones bearing haunting inscriptions are the worst of things, but it’s not long before certain tuations escalate, and eerie passages are the least of their concerns. Gradually, each member of the rescue team is haunted by some form of vible apparition, most commonly ghosts of the other men within their unit, and the men of the misng platoon for which they seek. As these vits become more frequent, they also become far more dangerous. It’s soon apparent to the LT that he and his men are as likely to escape R-Point as the last group that went misng.

http://youtu.be/Jcrj0_1F5dg

Sometimes it amazes me the genius that exists within this market that I’ve sadly (and obliviously) overlooked. R-POINT is a perfect example of charismatic storytelling that should not be overlooked. Kong’s script is an animated character study with acute attention to detail, a deep sense of humanity and an intensely melancholy sense of atmosphere. The characters all manage to establish themselves as unique, memorable individuals and as a viewer, it’s easy to take a liking to characters that leave an impreson. The dialogue is terrific, and incorporates an edgy brand of humor that acts as a believable mask for the tenon experienced by the group. The picture is really a terrific blend of emotions brought to life, and made tangible on screen.

On the technical front, this crew did an outstanding job. Genre familiar Na-yeong Nam puts some fine-tuned editing skills to work, while Jung-hoon Kim did an excellent job with the visual effects. I’ve already praised Su-chang Kong quite a bit, but I’ll venture into redundant territories and say it once more - incredible display of fine-tuned talent! One final nod to a stellar cast, and I’m off to alleviate the day to day stress with a cold drink.

DVDetails

Before I depart let me note that the DVD is packed with all kinds of interesting bonus featurettes, and commentary - however given my lingual limitations (I‘m currently unilingual), there’s a bit left to be dered. A few Tartan trailers are also included.

Grade: B+