The Tower Korean Movie Review 2012

I tend to scape catastrophe movies, just because American ones made me loose faith in them. Of course there’s a parallel universe in Korean cinema, where we must fight our prejudices almost constantly. I’m glad that’s the case with The Tower, since there’s a whole new world to discover.

The Tower is a movie that had a lot of hype the year it aired. Breaking blockbuster records due to the September 11th anniversary. But the thing is, it has nothing to do with it.

For those that are a little older, this movie will have glances of “The Towering Inferno”, aired in 1974 (I though it was from the eighties). It’s theme is very similar, saving great differences like casting performance and film style and editing. It’s obvious that in these areas, technology and time have worked wonders.

If we put one versus the other, the first one has nothing to do with this one. But the script is basically the same although they start from different points of view.

Synopsis of The Tower – 2012

During Christmas Eve, a huge party is organized on the recently inaugurated “Tower Sky”. That is the name of a luxury skyscraper that comes to change Seoul’s skyline. It’s a big event that, as usual, has everyone gathering for the occasion.

The headmaster of the building doesn’t pay attention when an operator warns him the water pipes that feed the entire fire alarm system are frozen. This is the starting point of the unfortunate events chain that will have us pretty entertained.

During the party, something unexpected happens (well maybe not for us, since we’re here to watch an action movie) that provoques many people to end up trapped in the upper part of the building. After that, the fire that will shut down the exits. People will only be able to be rescued through emergency services. That’s when the movie finally starts.

Until here, I have two issues: the uncountable amount of movies of this genre that I have seen and the capability of the director to keep surprising us, despite that. The script is nothing out of the ordinary, although performances are superb. The events, won’t surprise us completely, but they choose an attractive way of revealing them. This turns the scale towards the good result.

Starring in The Tower 2012

You have so many known faces, I can’t describe their parts in detail but I’m pretty sure you know them:

• Sol Kyung Gu (Cold Eyes, Voice of a Murderer, Hope)
• Son Ye Jin (A Moment To Remember, Chilling Romance, Personal Taste)
• Kim Sang Kyung (White Christmas, May 18, Memories of Murder)
• Kim In Kwon (Born To Sing, Masquerade, Almost Che)
• Do Ji Han (Basketball, Incarnation of Money, The Neighbors)
• Park Chul Min (Chilling Romance, The Suicide Forecast, No Breathing)
• Song Jae Ho (Miss Ripley, I Miss You, Sunday Punch)
• Lee Ju Sil (Hello Schoolgirl, Foolish Mom, History of the Salaryman)
• Kim Sung Oh (My PS Partner, The Man From Nowhere, When A Man Loves)
• Lee Han Wi (Going by the Book, 200 Pounds Beauty, 7th Grade Civil Servant)
• Cha In Pyo (The Flu, Sent From Heaven, Dae Mul)
• Jung In Gi (The Five, Cheongdam Dong Alice, Two Weeks)
• Ahn Sung Ki (Unbowed, May 18, My New Partner)
• Jo Min Ah (Children…, Can’t Take It Anymore, Scandal)

I could continue naming actors, they’re all well- known and extremely good.

Conclusion

Another difference I find between the Asian and the American movies, is that in Americans we find that everyone is just and incorruptible. Here we will find that things are very different. I don’t know if this is a mirror that sees the truth (which I think it’s really sad), or they are just trying to add some drama to the whole situation.

Is not the best action movie out there, that’s for sure. But it’s a well made movie that will entertain you. Bring up the pop corn and enjoy!

Oh! And, something important, you can watch it on Netflix!

Images: Hancinema