Natural City Page 2: More Screencaps (Spoiler at bottom)
Ria’s Motivations: Also, there is a discussion of Ria’s motivations at the bottom of this page. This is essentially a spoiler, so only read at your peril.
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Discussion of Ria’s motivations: This whole movie takes on more meaning when you really begin to understand R’s solution to ensure they stay together. In order for R and Ria to be together, R tries to save up enough money to get passage on Muyoga, the flying VR hotel. In reality what this means is R wants to become captured in his own dream world with Ria - which if he gets there on time, presumably her "essence" can be entered into the VR program. Ria knows that whatever happens, she will be dead in a few days - her life will cease to exist. While Ria will still be dead, she will at least die knowing that her essence lives on in R for the rest of his days as he sits in a vegetative state, similar to those in Avalon. This is a very different approach to meeting her end than Roy Batty does in Blade Runner. Roy Batty fights for his essence to continue, fearing that nobody will remember him, whereas Ria, who knows her essence will be lost, at least takes solice in the idea that R will remember her. Unfortunately for them, Korean melodramas never end so happily - Ria dies knowing her existence is lost forever. Worse than this, Cyon, who was rescued by R, would have traded places with Ria, as Cyon has NEVER had anyone care enough to remember her.
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Comments
January 6, 2008
Palette said:
I had a strange feeling with this movie, mainly because its singular narrative, that as you said, it seems to be typical of a korean drama. But was not really a bad feeling, it was like I´ve been a little stunned.
One of the many aspects that have impressed me is the way that we can see how really R is in-love with Rea. That means, of course, serious implications about love that can be “philosophically” discussed, but even more interesting I think it is the question about if that is just possible (I mean, if THAT kind of relationships is part of the human future or not). In effect, I think it is, and also that have some connexions with tue virtual reality issue.
I would see the movie again… precisely I came to this review wondering if you had seen this movie, and in that case what do you think about it. I´m glad knowing you like it.
January 27, 2009
Bax said:
It seems a lot of people dislike this movie on the first page, but I loved it. It seems a lot of people get worked up about it “being” like Blade Runner or “being” like “Ghost in the Shell”, while some on the tracker I got this movie from actually get pissed if you call it “The Korean Blade Runner”. Well for me ANYTHING that is like Blade Runner is made of win as Blade Runner represents that side of cyberpunk that doesn’t romanticize itself, the part that would have been called “cybernoir” if Gibson’s branding hadn’t reached it first.
As for the cons, aside from some awkward musical accompaniments, I think there were times though it got a little too carried a way with the action, and the final battle scenes were a bit obvious (”I’m sorry hot-chick-that-wants-my-cock-so-badly, but I have to stay and activate the self-destruct sequence that will inevitably lead to my own demise”). Then again I was surprised that R died in the end, which you know if this was an american movie he would totally walk out with Cyon and be all “now I know what real love is” and shit, but it didn’t end that way which makes me respect the movie more.
Any way, I think if they toned down the action and focused more on the characters there would have been a chance that the underlying philosophical and sociological questions would have risen to the surface in the dialog, and perhaps would have made the film’s story really ground breaking. Otherwise, the plot was good enough to make me occasionally guess incorrectly what was going to happen next.
Finally, I must say the Koreans know their drama. The scenes with Ria were so heart achingly sad, and to me those scenes where the high points of the movie, as well as those with R showing his blatant disregard for human life, just as human life had complete disregard for the dolls. And all of this happening while Cyon envies the couple in the background while being forced to be a “doll” on multiple occasions sets up a striking contrast.
This is definitely going on my list of favorites.
March 22, 2009
Joe said:
Review is extremely well written and I agree with all the author’s comments. A beautifully-shot, well-acted movie. Also very sad.
Thank you for screencaps.
Author is fortunate. Korean women must be the most beautiful on the planet. Rin Seo (Ria), Jae-un Lee (Cyon), Ju-hye Ko (Ami) and the kick-ass warrior cyborg (real name?) all are incredibly gorgeous.