Director: Jang Joon Hwan.

Starring: Yeo Jin Goo, Kim Yun Seok, Jang Hyun Sung, Cho Jin Woong, Kim Sung Kyun, Park Hae Joon, Park Yong Woo, Lee Kyoung Young, Yoo Yeon Seok.

Running Time: 126 Minutes

Certificate: 18

Synopsis: Hwayi (Yeo) has been raised by a gang of 5 master criminals, each with their own special trait. Now, at 17, Hwayi is expected to become a lethal killer, but is it possible that 17 years of training is not enough to combat morality and decency?

Jang Joon Hwan has been on a 10 year break from feature length films since his mesmerising and brilliant SAVE THE GREEN PLANET, one of the films that, along with the likes of MEMORIES OF MURDER, A TALE OF TWO SISTERS, and OLDBOY, ushered in a new breed of Korean cinema. It is therefore with much trepidation but intrigue that audiences will come to HWAYI: A MONSTER BOY, as we wait to see what Jang Joon Hwan has come up with, but also question why he has stayed away for so long.

Jang’s break is both a blessing and a curse. The cinematic landscape of Korea has changed a lot over the last decade, especially with pioneers such as Park Chan Wook, Kim Jee Woon, and fellow classmate Bong Joon Ho. Those three each got to grow and adapt in their roles while also sculpting what we’ve come to expect from Korean films. Jang seems to have jumped forward, which very much allows him to reinsert himself along with more prolific filmmakers, but does beg the question whether his style is now molded by what has come before.

HWAYI: A MONSTER BOY mixes so many different elements, it’s amazing that the film isn’t a mess. In fact, it’s quite the taut thriller. A simple premise is used as both an entertaining plot but also a character study and exploration of nature versus nurture (something that has come up numerous times in this year’s London Korean Film Festival). Hwayi achieves great sympathy thanks to a strong performance by Yeo Jin Goo, and although he also shows moments of terrifying presence, his character is never afforded a true transformation. Meanwhile the head of his five father family, Seok Tae (Kim Yun Seok), has a scary pair of eyes, but is also played too sedated. His blankness is meant to be part of the character, but there’s not enough to truly understand why he is such a dominant force as opposed to the other 4 father figures.

Speaking of which, it must also be questioned as to whether 5 father figures were needed to get the film’s point across. Two or three would have yielded similar results, and allowed for more precision, as the film also inserts a numerous amount of twists and subplots. Most interesting of these is one in which Hwayi must face a metaphorical monster, which is realised on film as a huge CG beast that you kind of wish would turn out to be a real monster.

HWAYI: A MONSTER BOY certainly comes across as a film that will be a grower, where repeated viewings will allow fans to analyse the role of each character. After a single viewing though, this is an enjoyably dark action thriller with some stunning set pieces and moments of high tension. You’ll relish as the five fathers squirm in front of the young Hwayi, who has been trained by each of them, essentially making him the worst deadly of all, and when the entertainment is done there is some great character psychology to analyse. It also gives a lot of future promise for Jang, and we can only hope it does not take another 10 years to see him resurface.

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