It's always nice when new disaster movie release, and especially if it's from some other country than the US. In The Tower, a new South Korean blockbuster, we're introduced to all the clichés from the American 70's counterparts, but with a healthy dose of typical, happy, wonderful local acting and extremely spectacular action slash destruction.
We all know that disaster movies are made after the same formula: a bunch of people stuck somewhere and then they die one by one. This is exactly what happens here, intercut with the heroic firemen of course! It's Christmas Eve in a 108 stories high skyscraper in Seoul (that's just a guess, the city... but I guess so) thousands of people are preparing for a nice evening of fake snow (from helicopters), performances, food and mingle with the rich and famous. But when one of the helicopters loses control and crashes into the building, setting off a deadly chain reaction of fires and explosions... well, of course: shit hits the fucking Kim. Or fan, I mean!
It's basically The Towering Inferno in South Korea. With some stuff from The Poseidon Adventure and even Earthquake. So it's nothing new at all, but the filmmakers knows thats. What they've made is a full-blown 70's disaster movie with modern technology, and the result is refreshingly entertaining and spectacular. The Koreans like some comedy, but here the comic relief just is a group of crazy Christians praying to god (and getting their wishes met in funny ways) and a few funny faces here and there from the supporting cast. Ji-hoon Kim keeps it straight and that's a wise decision. There's a lot of action and destruction, from fires and explosions to lots of water, climbing, jumping, a dangerous glass bridge going from the main tower to it's sibling, lots of elevators (including a terrible death for a dozen of victims) and of course crying and more crying.
This IS a South Korean movie. And it always needs crying.
So is there something to complain about? Well, yeah. But it's a common problem in the genre. It just exhausts itself towards the end. We've seen every kind of action, self-sacrifices, kids in danger, greedy politicans... so it just gets a bit too much. If it slowed down a bit, worked a little bit more on the human drama in-between the fire it would have earned a lot of quality. Now it's just a helluva lot of fun.
Another thing that strikes me - and it something that might offend Americans - is the constant 9/11 references. I welcome that, it's powerful emotions, powerful images, but some might not understand the use for it. First of all, we have the twin towers, we have machines crashing into them, there's people falling from the windows and smashes to the ground and in the end there's a couple of scenes that's almost identical to the WTC towers crashing down, including the debrise and dust rolling through the surroundings, wide shots of the city with smokes coming up... it looks fantastic and I would of course do the same if I was the director. I wonder if it might hurt the distribution in the United States?
Nah, I doubt that. Hopefully people can separate facts from fiction. This is just entertainment, and it happens to be a skyscraper on fire. Nothing else.
Anyway, I think this is one of the best modern disaster films ever made. I'm very fond of another South Korean movie in the same genre, Haeundae, but this one delivered even more disaster for the money. An fine addition to the genre. A must the fans!
"It's Christmas Eve in a 108 stories high skyscraper in Seoul (that's just a guess, the city... but I guess so)"
Probably is Seoul....I doubt that film would be set in Pyongyang....ahhahahhahahh
"But when one of the helicopters loses control and crashes into the building, setting off a deadly chain reaction of fires and explosions... well, of course: shit hits the fucking Kim. Or fan, I mean!"
Easy there young man!
Just because Kim Jong-un is a short dictator guy just like his fath....oh...I get it......ahhahhahahahhahahh....good one Fred.
"It's basically The Towering Inferno in South Korea. With some stuff from The Poseidon Adventure and even Earthquake. So it's nothing new at all, but the filmmakers knows thats. What they've made is a full-blown 70's disaster movie with modern technology, and the result is refreshingly entertaining and spectacular."
I haven´t seen this one yet, but the trailer promised me an entertaining, spectacular, evening, I´m glad this film seem to keep it´s promises.
"Another thing that strikes me - and it something that might offend Americans - is the constant 9/11 references. I welcome that, it's powerful emotions, powerful images, but some might not understand the use for it. First of all, we have the twin towers, we have machines crashing into them, there's people falling from the windows and smashes to the ground and in the end there's a couple of scenes that's almost identical to the WTC towers crashing down, including the debrise and dust rolling through the surroundings, wide shots of the city with smokes coming up... it looks fantastic and I would of course do the same if I was the director. I wonder if it might hurt the distribution in the United States?
Nah, I doubt that. Hopefully people can separate facts from fiction. This is just entertainment, and it happens to be a skyscraper on fire. Nothing else."
I hope not, they did make international, US trailers for this one.....I think US audiences can see this without too much focus on 9/11.
It´s been 10 years, I think most people have moved on......
"Anyway, I think this is one of the best modern disaster films ever made. I'm very fond of another South Korean movie in the same genre, Haeundae, but this one delivered even more disaster for the money. An fine addition to the genre. A must the fans!"
I haven´t seen Haeundae (2009) either....but these two on a double bill, could be great.
Good review and thanks.
Posted by: Megatron | June 09, 2013 at 23:29
Need to see this one badly. I just love good disaster movies, and i love South Korean movies so what can go wrong? Actually some of the best Movies ever was South Korean i think. Memories of murders, Oldboy. Those two are superb.
Posted by: tobe | June 10, 2013 at 06:09
Megatron, oh no. If they moved on there wouldn't be so much conspiracy theories :)
tobe, I agree. Memories of Murder is one of my top ten films!
Posted by: Fred Anderson | June 10, 2013 at 06:41
Fred: Well.....those guys, but they exist everywhere.....in every country.
But I do belive that the wounds have healed.
Posted by: Megatron | June 10, 2013 at 13:42
Oooh, this one sounds really interesting!
Posted by: Fredrik | June 21, 2013 at 08:01