I have to admit that I watched 3-Iron back to back with Gothika, so I guess my view of 3-Iron must be viewed in that context.
Gothika - well, if you really have nothing better to do, then it's not such a bad film. The acting is great, as is the photography. Halle Berry does a good, professional job - and as I really like Bernard "gis a job" Hill, it's great to see him in another big budget movie, complete with Geordie accent. The main problem with the plot is that is is completely unbelievable. Whereas films like "Sixth Sense" and "The Others" allow and invite the audience to suspend belief, and just go with the film, Gothika fails to do this on all accounts. I'd give it a 4/10.
So on to 3-Iron. It's just great. Common wisdom suggests that for any book or film there can be only 1 of 13 plots. In current films from the USA, it seems there are only about 5 plots. Watching 3-Iron as as a non-Korean speaking Brit is a pleasure - they seem to have released other plots, and have the skill to combine them with the existing 13.
A minor point that helps is that although the film has English sub-titles, it really does not need them as it speaks for it's self. Again, as a non Korean film expert, there's no need to even bother about the performance of the actors - I've no idea if they are "Big in Korea", but they all give great performances.
What you eventually make of the film is completely personally - are these real situations? Are they played by ghosts? Are they scenes acted out of our own minds? In any event, it really doesn't matter. At the moment (2004/2005) it seems the Koreans are on a roll, and I can't imagine anyone with a true love for popular cinema could fail to draw thought, benefit and pleasure from a film of this quality.
Anyway, if you don't agree, feel free to slug it out via the site or email! Yours in film, Roger
Gothika - well, if you really have nothing better to do, then it's not such a bad film. The acting is great, as is the photography. Halle Berry does a good, professional job - and as I really like Bernard "gis a job" Hill, it's great to see him in another big budget movie, complete with Geordie accent. The main problem with the plot is that is is completely unbelievable. Whereas films like "Sixth Sense" and "The Others" allow and invite the audience to suspend belief, and just go with the film, Gothika fails to do this on all accounts. I'd give it a 4/10.
So on to 3-Iron. It's just great. Common wisdom suggests that for any book or film there can be only 1 of 13 plots. In current films from the USA, it seems there are only about 5 plots. Watching 3-Iron as as a non-Korean speaking Brit is a pleasure - they seem to have released other plots, and have the skill to combine them with the existing 13.
A minor point that helps is that although the film has English sub-titles, it really does not need them as it speaks for it's self. Again, as a non Korean film expert, there's no need to even bother about the performance of the actors - I've no idea if they are "Big in Korea", but they all give great performances.
What you eventually make of the film is completely personally - are these real situations? Are they played by ghosts? Are they scenes acted out of our own minds? In any event, it really doesn't matter. At the moment (2004/2005) it seems the Koreans are on a roll, and I can't imagine anyone with a true love for popular cinema could fail to draw thought, benefit and pleasure from a film of this quality.
Anyway, if you don't agree, feel free to slug it out via the site or email! Yours in film, Roger