A scene from the film by KMDB

Review:

‘Montage’ , which is the title of film, have two means. One is composite sketch of criminal’s face for criminal investigation , and the other is Cinematic methods ‘montage’. Montage used for making new mean in film by editing several short shot. In this movie, ‘montage’ indicated the reconstruction of the events last 15 years to catch the criminal.

In the movie, child abduction, which happened 15 years ago and have expired statute of limitation, was reenact the same way. Because of this, the detective(Kim Sang-kyung), who take charge of the affair at that time, and mother of victim (Uhm Jung-hwa) last 15 years and grandfather of victim (Song Young-chang) of current affair chase to the offender together.

The film ‘Montage’ mentioned status of limitations and personal vendetta by victim. In today’s society, war, disaster, hunger, and poverty is no longer our enemy. Our number one problem is crime. The society became more and more hardened, and criminal had aimed at children. These days, in nursery school, something bad happened to toddler. For example, teacher pick baby’s feet with a needle, toddler was hurl on the floor, teacher beat baby’s head against the wall, childcare center principal beaten the little baby to death. Parents also feel anxious by reported in the press about sex offense against child. Additionally, citizen had no protection of country against these criminals, even it seem that country didn’t punish the criminals. The movie was born in these society’s fear and anger.

The movie’s leading actress Uhm Jung-hwa gave about fifty million won in counterfeit money to criminal as police instructed. The criminal demanded money saying “You have got to trust me” and he led to the death of daughter. The victim would do anything in order to catch criminal during the past 15 years. There are scrapbook, which have newspaper at that time, and cassette tapes, which recoded criminal’s voice, at victim’s home. Strangely the victims always were ridden with guilt than attacker. They think in this way. ‘What did I do wrong?’, ‘Why am I doing that?’ ‘It is because of me’, etc . In the movie, the detective had been suffering from a guilty like mother of victim. In fact, what most abducted children do not come back alive regardless of where the behavior of the victim’s parents. The criminals demanded money after killing the innocent children, or they have the idea to kill the child before kidnapping. In the ending of the movie, the audiences can hardly contain their indignation about prisoner’s behavior.

The movie best expressed thriller genre’s characteristics, and the movie was led in the direction of the incident cannot predict every moment. There are a compelling storytelling and tight plot and unexpected reversal in the movie. However, the reversal of the movie was forced to stray from the main theme. At this present, I doubt thriller are certain to need reversal. Anyway, despite unpleasant reversal, I share main character’s sense as an audience at the climax of the movie. It is not so bad.

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Writing By Audrey park (audrey@moviescramble.com)