Korean cinema loses its marbles in Save the Green Planet, a thoroughly surreal alien invasion movie that makes the high-octane frenzy of Mars Attacks seem as stuffy and pompous as Close Encounters Of The Third Kind. Shin Ha-Hyun plays Byung-Gu, a social misfit who stumbles across an intergalactic conspiracy to enslave the Earth. Is he completely mad? Or is his plan to kidnap Kang (Yun-shik Baek), the corrupt CEO of a Korean chemical firm and torture him until he reveals his alien identity our last, best hope?
Taking its cue from the Takashi Miike School of Asia Extreme madness, this Korean sci-fi fantasy follows Byung-Gu and his plump, trapeze artist girlfriend (Jeong-min Hwang) as they defend the Earth from the invading Andromeda aliens. It's a deliriously silly adventure. The aliens are, we learn, sensitive to antihistamines - which means rubbing bee sting ointment on their eyes, feet and, erm, private parts is the most effective method of torture. Other techniques include the use of 200 volts of electric current and, best of all, a metal studded appendage coated in lubricant that's designed to be inserted into some rather painful body cavities. It's sci-fi Jim, but not as we know it.
"ENERGETICALLY INVENTIVE WITH A SUPRISINGLY POWERFUL STORY"
Supercharged with a fast-paced editing style that threatens to make the jump to light speed at any moment, this crazed enterprise just about stays afloat through its skilfully ambiguous set up. As Byung-Gu's demented commentary blurs the line between reality and fantasy we're left, like the cops on his tail, uncertain whether this troubled boy is "a genius or an idiot".
Whatever the answer to that conundrum, this energetically inventive, off-the-wall outing conceals a surprisingly powerful story about bereavement, corporate corruption and one man's sense that the whole world is going to the dogs. You just have to wade through a couple of hours of violent beatings, DIY crucifixions and an ingenious method of heart resuscitation to get there.
Korean language with English subtitles.
Save The Green Planet (Jigureul Jikyeora!) is released in UK cinemas Friday 24th September 2004.
Save The Green Planet (Jigureul Jikyeora!) (2003)
