Cyberpunk Review » Save the Green Planet

January 26, 2006

Save the Green Planet

Year: 2003

Directed by: Jun-hwan Jeong

Written by: Jun-hwan Jeong

IMDB Reference

Degree of Cyberpunk Visuals: Very High

Correlation to Cyberpunk Themes: Medium

Key Cast Members:

  • Lee Byeong-gu: Ha-kyun Shin
  • Kang Man-shik: Yun-shik Baek
  • Su-ni: Jeong-min Hwang
  • Inspector Choo: Jae-yong Lee
  • Rating: 9 out of 10

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    Overview: Here’s another movie that ranks really high on the weird shitometer scale - yet another cyberpunk movie from the tour-de-force of cyberpunk movies that Korea has become. Save the Green Planet is one of the only movies that has just about every movie genre represented. You’ll find everything from Gilliam-like comedy to graphic horror, to action, to scifi-thriller here. And of course, we get a large dose of Japanese-like Cyberpunk torture visuals in this terrific Korean production.

     

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    The Story: Save the Green Planet is about a completely strange guy and his even wierder ballerina girlfriend - our antihero is convinced that a certain CEO is really an alien in disguise. He has determined its his job to root the alien out and kill him if necessary, just like all the other “potential” aliens he has found in the past. After capturing him, He cuts the CEO’s hair off, as the aliens use hair follicles to communicate. He has other reasons for requiring foot torture and chest ironing. After all, good torture must always have a reason, right?

     

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    The Bottom Line: Its hard to go too much further into the plot for fear of giving key aspects of the movie away. Suffice to say the ending is terrific and fully open to interpretation, and actually has interesting similarities to the ending of Brazil. On top of this, Save the Green Planet is expertly shot, and wonderfully edited. The pacing is simply superb. It’s really hard to imagine that this is Jun-hwan Jeong’s first movie.

     

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    You gotta love the dolls everywhere. This guy makes them for his job.

     

    Fair warning: Be warned though. This is a truly weird movie that his NOT for the squeemish at heart. While not a “true” Japanese cyberpunk movie in that, um, its Korean, and doesn’t totally take the “no boundaries” idea, it’s pretty darn close, and certainly merits mention in that sub-genre of cyberpunk. So much so that if you find real Japanese cyberpunk movies to be too much for you (And BTW, Tetsuo 2 doesn’t count, as this movie really doesn’t break ground and isn’t that good besides), Save the Green Planet is a decent entry to at least experience a similar pacing and mindset. Got to Page 2 for more screen caps.

     

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    Page 2: More Screen Caps–>>

     

    ~See movies similar to this one~

    Tags: cyberpunk movie review Jigureul jikyeora

    This post has been filed under 9 Star Movies, Horror, Japanese Cyberpunk, Awesome Cyberpunk Visuals, Alien Movies, Surreal Cyberpunk Movies, Cyberpunk movies from 2000 - 2009 by SFAM.

    Comments

    […] Just a note on my Japanese Cyberpunk reviews. I’ve decided that in order to review these properly, I need to show some of the truly graphic shots. So far I’ve done this with I.K.U. and the just-updated Tetsuo, and I will certainly do this with Rubber’s Lover (review not up yet) and others as I review them. Why? Many reasons: […]

    February 1, 2006

    syntheticdarkness said:

    i think this was an amazing film with a great message, it was hilarious, sincere, dramatic and heart warming.

    SFAM said:

    Hi Syntheticdarkness, Welcome!

    Agreed - Save the Green Planet really hit on all cylinders. The Brazil-like ending was especially terrific.

    April 14, 2006

    Sebastian said:

    I watch a lot of asian cinema and this movies is just FUCKED UP. Its a terrible movie, unless you are into gore fucked up movies.

    SFAM said:

    Hi Sebastian, welcome to cyberpunkreview :)

    But I’m afraid I totally disagree with you here. Just in the crafting aspects alone, Save the Green Planet is absolutely top notch. It’s one of the few movies I’ve ever seen that can incorporate everything from horror, romance and comedy and still seem like a coherent movie.

    June 3, 2006

    Edaine Nightroad said:

    thanks for the comment on my site. Hope its ok for you to let me add your site on my blog. Anyway, the movie is korean and its very unconventional for their country to release movies that arent action oriented, horror or “dramery” [drama-comedy]. Though some parts of the movie are freaking weird, the movie as a whole is really refreshing beginning for the korean movie industry. I recommend you also try Old Boy, a korean flick based on a Japanese Manga comics. An American version should be made any time soon, but its always best to check out the original source.

    SFAM said:

    Hi Edaine, please do link my site. And there are bunches of great Korean movies - Old Boy is certainly one. Although this site stays discussing cyberpunk movies, so good Korean cyberpunk movies that fit that include Natural City, Wonderful Days, 2009 Lost Memories, and Yesterday (still to be reviewed).

    June 5, 2006

    Glam Creature said:

    Twitchfilm site has an article about new Park Chan-Wook’s movie “I’m a Cyborg, But That’s Ok”. But according to the article, that’s not really cyberpunk movie, it’s drama about woman which is mentaly ill and she’s imagining she’s cyborg.

    http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/006011.html

    Glam Creature said:

    sorry, correction, the movie doesn’t give an answer is she really cyborg or not, so here we have new cyberpunk- related movie from
    South Korea.

    SFAM said:

    Hi Glam, nice find. Although, I just read that review - it seems to indicate that she is not: “We’re yes dealing with a young woman (Young-Goon, played by Im Soo-Jung) who believes she’s a cyborg, but this is not science-fiction, it’s merely a sort of gimmick to get to the point. That loving someone is about understanding their personality, entering what they call their own reality.” That said, many allusions are made to similarities about whether or not there are aliens in Green Planet. I’ll certainly give this a go whenever it comes out on DVD though.

    July 6, 2006

    Adam Doub said:

    Ok, so it’s a terrible movie… I know, but it should be included. What about Crash And Burn (1990)

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099313/

    Or the ever ridiculous Stuart Gordon film Robot Jox (1990)

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102800/

    Jesse said:

    Absolutely LOVED Save the Green Planet.

    Im kind of surprised that it could be considered cyberpunk. I never thought about it.

    It takes some true cinematic genius to balance the cluster f*ck of genres this film incorporates. Top notch work here.

    July 7, 2006

    SFAM said:

    Hi Adam, Crash and Burn has definitely been brought up before - I need to get this. Although, I’m not sure I remember seeing Robot Jox mentioned before. Thanks! I’ll check this out.

    And Jesse, while I agree the Green Planet is a tad of a stretch, visually it definitely fits with many extreme japanese cyberpunk movies. Also, thematically it fits in the sense that the lead character whigs out due to technology’s impact on society. And yeah, it’s an AWESOME movie - incredible considering it was a directorial debut.

    SFAM said:

    Adam Doub - I just checked out your Myspace site - very cool! Hope to see you in the Meatspace forums discussing cyberpunk music.

    July 28, 2006

    Adam Doub said:

    I was unaware that such a thing existed :) But I will definately contribute.

    September 10, 2006

    luaP said:

    Hi
    Ich höre nur gutes vom Film.
    Hab heute durch zufall was drüber gelesen.
    Ich werde mir den FIlm demnächst als DVD holen.
    Ich finde Asia Hk und Vietnam Filme meist sogar besser als Hollywood produktionne z.B Battle Royale sind die Schauspieler 16 und ich glaub nicht das das europäische Schauspiler so hingekriegt hätten
    Allso Die Allieons sind unter uns:D BYe

    December 9, 2006

    David B. Taylor said:

    I myself am too a filmmaker who loves the underworld of great cinema outside of the tinsel of Hollywood Exec’s remaking an idea from the thirties. I salute you great people and I salute these great films.

    January 11, 2007

    natalie said:

    allieons are real.

    September 7, 2007

    Evan T. said:

    I dont know. I saw this movie after having read all of the great reviews on here. The first thing I noticed, is it was hardly graphic in its depiction of violence. Not, say, on the same level as something like Ichi the Killer. While it WAS a great movie. A very well produced movie with great plot, visuals, and character development, it just didnt seem very cyberpunk AT ALL. Aside from the mannequins, which is an obvious reference to the cyborg doll factory. I mean it was about an alien hiding out as a human. No network, no neon, no lightcycles, no nothing, just some aliens that looked suspiciously like humans in funny costumes. Anyway, I loved the movie, I just dont understand how it could be considered more cyberpunk that Westworld. ;)

    April 21, 2008

    Ripper Crust said:

    The torture in this movie is actually very well done in my opinion, showing all you need to see with out being over the top. Over all it’s a great movie and I love it. Flows from one genre to the other fairly easily and with a very captivating story as well.

    May 5, 2008

    belarus_12 said:

    im goin to rent this movie !!
    and btw, why doesnt soylent green hasnt been reviewed?!!?! its an awesome scifi cyberpunk movie!!!

    June 29, 2008

    Artur said:

    Well it’s a great movie, all I won’t write nothing more than there is already written so I won’t :P The torture :P the violance :P the visuals the character development the tension the plot, it’s truly amazing.

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