Sea Fog (2014)

"Haemoo" (or "Sea Fog" in its English title) is a movie that will be better enjoyed if you watch it without knowing anything about its plot. The story is surprising and full of nice (well, interesting) plot twists, and the viewer will not know at any moment what may happen next.There is an economic crisis in South Korea, and captain Kang Chul- joo decides to take a dangerous assignment: bring illegal immigrants from China into the country. He needs money and he doesn't want to lose his ship and his lifestyle. And then..."Haemoo" does a great job in being various things at the same time: a gripping thriller, an action movie, a critic of South Korea's society, an analysis of the situation of weakness illegal immigrants find themselves in..., and delivers a very strong story with great acting, amazing direction, and an ambiguous and threatening mood.The only points that could be criticized is some repetition of situations, and a couple of decisions the characters take that make not much sense (or better yet, are too fast too unexplained). An unnecessary (but not bad) short coda could also have been cut out.

Haemoo is one of those few films, where to reveal too much while discussing it, would completely ruin the intensity of the story. If you're anything like me, you'll go into the film assuming it will be similar to 'A Perfect Storm', and you will instead find yourself in the middle of something else entirely. Kang (Kim Yun-Seok) is not only a man at the end of his tether, but the captain of fishing vessel Jeonjiho, a bucket of bolts and disrepair, in need of immediate overhaul. The owner, who he reports to, wishes to sell the vessel, though Kang's bond with his ship, which is stronger than any he has with the people in his life, leaves him desperately trying to keep that which has been in his family for generations. Unable to afford the hefty price of buying the vessel, he agrees to illegally transport Chinese-Korean stowaways, from a prearranged location at sea, to the mainland.Dong-Sik (Park Yoo-Chun), the youngest and newest member of the Jeonjiho, is one of only a couple crew members who initially expresses issue with this plan, though the lacking quantity of fish, and the need for money, causes everyone to unanimously agree. When moving the illegal immigrants onto the vessel, the beautiful Hong-Mae (Han Ye-Ri), falls into the ocean, Dong-Sik jumping in to save her, thus beginning a strong bond that ties them together.The inexperience the Jeonjiho crew have in transporting stowaways, alongside the lustful attraction several of the men have towards a number of the women, results in the build up of tension, as several crew members try to take advantage of the situation. Despite the dangerous conditions, and the threat of being boarded by security, Haemoo explores how sometimes, the greatest threat when you're out at sea, are the people around you.Themes concerning love, friendship, trust, greed and fear are interwoven into the plot, the tension slowly escalating with such precise execution, that viewers will literally find themselves inches from the screen, hanging onto every action. Though there are occasional sex scenes, and moments of violence, the film is neither bloodthirsty, nor extreme in their depiction, these instead being used to heighten the story-line.The acting is especially convincing, and it is the talents of the crew that especially increases the level of panic, fear and dread that grips the film. Despite characterization being only in short supply, the emotional depth and poignancy surrounding the leads engages us, especially as the film begins to traverse into darker territory.A very dark, sophisticated and powerful dramatic thriller, Haemoo shows humanity at its best and worst, and though the theme of hope is continually in a state of flux, I certainly hope you watch this film; if not for any other reason, then for the wide variety of emotions Haemoo is guaranteed to offer.

Holy hell, Haemoo (or Sea Fog) knocks it out of the park. South Korea proves that it still has the ability to pump out some absolute gems.I'm not gonna say much about this except that it's about a crew of South Korean fishermen who take on a group of illegal Chinese immigrants on their boat. The film makes you think that it's going to be one way, and it does something completely different. That's all I will say because anything more will spoil the incredible surprise I experienced. If that core concept sounds interesting, see this film. Try to avoid other peoples comments and reviews, as they may not be as into the film as I am and find nothing wrong in spoiling things. Also, it's apparently based on real events, and I recommend you not look that up either, as it will obviously spoil it.Kim Yun-seok gives an incredible performance here. He really steals the show, but that's not to take away from the great performances that the rest of the cast gives. It's just that he is so great at portraying the character and the changes he goes through that he will blow you away.This film is so damn good. It really surprised me, and I would put it up there with all the rest of the must watch South Korean films. If it sounds interesting, or you like South Korean movies, check this out immediately.(Side note, that damn ending was so good.)

It is a really interesting time for Korean cinema. Chan-wook Park and Joon-ho Bong, South Korea's leading auteurs have successfully transitioned into the English language with Stoker and Snowpiercer, introducing a larger audience to their respective cannons. South Korean cinema is flourishing. Haemoo's success on the festival circuit and its selection as Korea's entry for the foreign language Oscar is probably due in a large part to Joon-ho Bong's credit as producer and screenwriter.Haemoo (Sea Fog) is based on a stage play which is in turn based on a real event that occurred in 2001. Judging by the collective gasp in the VIFF screening I was in, I assume most were not aware of what event it was based on. All I will say is that the incident is shocking and traumatic; this is not a film for the squeamish.The film centers on Captain Kang and his fishing crew. He is about to lose his boat due to lack of finances so in an act of desperation he agrees to the job of smuggling Chinese-Korean immigrants into the country. His crew is not told until they are at sea.First time director Sung Bo Shim competently handles the film, employing a straight forward, no bullshit approach to storytelling that would make Clint Eastwood proud. The set pieces are solid, especially the ship itself, although the film would have benefited from a cinematographer who wasn't afraid to take a step back. The camera is often too close to the action and three uses of shaky-cam are three too many.Haemoo has its flaws but it's properly paced and well told. The audience at the screening seemed to love it, simultaneously applauding loudly at the finish. I look forward to seeing what Sung Bo Shim does next, preferably with a slightly larger budget.