Memories of Murder (2005)

Movie: Memories of Murder (15)Rating: 5/5MEMORIES OF MURDER is one of those many South Korean classics I've got to watch, but very late. I should've seen this quite earlier. After all, the film is a perfect masterpiece of its own genre. No doubt why and how it has attained the cult status. The film stays true to the genre, and that's why it can be called the best South Korean action-crime drama.Bong Joon-ho is known for experimental movies. And most of them have impressed the viewers. This film is no exception. Packed with powerful performances from Song Kang-ho and Kim Sang-kyung apart from a powerful script and an even powerful screenplay, the film has all the ingredients of an ideal entertainer. The film makes us feel a lot. Song Kang-ho lives the character he plays, and you can't separate his reel and real life characters. Kim Sang-kyung plays his natural best. He's got some terrific acting talent and displays it perfectly. Rest of the actors do a good job.The cinematography is excellent in many portions. The film is definitely worth watching in the highest quality available. The music is very melodious, and the one in the end will stay with you for long. Certain scenes have the excitement increased due to the powerful BGM. The action bits are decently done too.Undoubtedly, MEMORIES OF MURDER is the best and a masterpiece of its genre. You would've never seen a film like this. Song Kang-ho and Kim Sang-kyung won't let you just watch the film, they'll make you involved in the screenplay, and that's the biggest victory of the film.

Simply put, this is a well-made film. The story is gripping and realistic (and real), the characters are interesting and the actors engaging, the themes are explored in depth, the visuals are striking and original, the music and sound design are immersive, and the 2 hour runtime is expertly paced. It's a tense and thrilling story, a detective mystery with gray morality and no clear resolution, so it will leave you feeling unsatisfied and even scared at the world around you, but it feels real and humane.The central conflict is between two detectives solving a murder case. The older one wants to get fast results and isn't afraid to manipulate the evidence to get a conviction, whereas the younger one is more idealistic and wants to be sure of the killer's identity. But ideals are hard to cling to in the real world, as the movie shows.'Memories of Murder' has great photography. It layers its shots so that there is always something going on in the background, movement and detail and even some kind of mini-story, so I suggest you watch with a close eye.David Fincher's 'Zodiaz' is a very similar film, and a good one, so to fans of either one I recommend the other.

The movie was well scripted and genuine to the audience. The story is all about investigating the rape and murders in a specific region. It depicts how police investigate, superficially and unprofessionally, in those rural regions. If someone is a Sherlock Holmes fan, then they will be utterly disappointed. If there is a Sherlock Holmes in reality and sees this movie, he would be plucking his hairs for the way police investigated the case. The movie just illuminate the pathetic investigation all through the story. But then again the story was real and you don't wonder why the serial rapist/killer is not caught at all. If there was a studious investigator in reality, he would have finished the case a long ago with his meticulous scientific inquiry. Nevertheless, I really recommend the movie for how the depict the reality of investigation and how they approach the criminals. I definitely recommend to those psychopathic serial killer movie lovers ;)

In October 1986, a young woman is found raped and murdered in a ditch near a field. Soon after, another woman is found raped and murdered in a field. Local detective Park Doo-man, not having dealt with such a serious case before, is overwhelmed; key evidence is improperly collected, the police's investigative methods are suspect, and their forensic technology is near non-existent. Detective Seo Tae-yoon is sent from Seoul to assist them; their methods clash and he is unable to convince them they are dealing with a serial killer until his predictions of another murder come true. He realizes that the killer waits until a rainy night, and only kills women wearing red. A female police officer realizes that a local radio station is always requested to play a particular song during the nights the murders are committed.