Film Review – Breath
May 02, 2008 in asian film, film reviews, korean film
Title: Breath (aka Soom)
Director: Kim Ki-Duk
Year: 2007
Genre: Drama
Format Reviewed: DVD
Who better to make a movie to convince that both there is something intrinsically good about saving life, no matter the cruelty that life may have brought, than Kim Ki-Duk? Breath is a distinctly Ki-Duk film, almost sharing enough elements to be called a spiritual successor, albeit in a much more confined setting, to Spring, Summer… Unfortunately for first-time Ki-Duk viewers, Breath probably won’t win you over on it’s own. In fact, it may be pretty hard to sit through if you aren’t a fan already.
This isn’t to say it’s a bad film or story. Certainly there’s something to be said about tastes in film, in that there are some that you can admit is a work of art, but may not enjoy. This makes it hard to review a movie in general. But relative to Ki-Duk’s past work it doesn’t live up to par (which is set very high to begin with). The story follows a woman whose discovered her husband is having an affair, and then takes to what is seemingly “getting back” at him by visiting a murderer on death’s row. She accomplishes something that just feels morally right by cheering him up and practically becoming his lover. By doing this, she keeps the inmate at peace and from committing suicide in his shared cell.
The setting is quite grim feeling, and the background music doesn’t uplift it much at all, save the protagonist’s seasonal songs which are a blast. I suppose one ought to think of the viewer as looking through the lens of the inmate, as many scenes at the start have obvious bars and a “looking from the inside” vibe. There’s a hint of black comedy in the inmate’s cell-mates and their antics. The woman’s background is quite interesting in that it reflects some of the feelings that the murderer’s victims may have felt. In this way, the inmate seems to review his life and becomes an anti-hero. But you could make an argument that every character in the film is an anti-hero. That’s just how Ki-Duk works.
So where should you go from here? I’d say if you are into meditations on life or are a fan of Ki-Duk’s other work, you should put this on your watch list. Otherwise, I would start with 3-Iron and see if you like that first.
Rating: 3 /5
