Kim-duk Kim is a master of character,
silence, atmosphere, and moods. His movies are all about complex yet different
character studies and each one of them has a unique feeling. And most of the
time his main characters does not speak much but the visual expressions speaks
ample tones. The Bow is one of his seemingly very simple yet deeply complicated
movies. While The Bow may not fall in to his best of works the entire movie
brings a whole different flavor. And yet again the viewers are transformed in
to a place surrounded by water just like his earlier masterpiece Spring,
Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (2003) but this time it’s the sea and a
boat.
The story surrounds and old man
and a 16 year old girl who lives on a fishing boat. It seems like the girl was
found by the old man at the age of 6 and since then she have not left the boat.
It is apparent that the old man wishes to marry her when she turns 17. But
things turn unexpectedly after a young man arrives and the girls become fond of
him.
The Bow is entirely shot on a
boat. And the only sounds you hear are the water and the squeaking sounds the
boat makes often. But there is mild yet beautiful energy given with a calming
sound track in most of the time synchs with an instrument the old man plays to
relax. There are very few characters other than the old man and the girl.
Giving similarity to Kim’s earlier movies these characters has no names. They
are merely represented by an idea rather than identity. And there is a vast
silence between each scene and the main cast hardly mutters anything. In fact
the girl doesn’t say a single word the entire time. And yet the movie has many
things to offer and it has a steadily building up plot. The viewers are left
with wondering what’s next the whole time and the director manages to surprise
them. And it all ends with supernaturalism mixed controversial sequence.
The Bow is not a masterpiece but
it is definitely not mundane. Some may find it dull and uneventful but for some
it could be the exact thought provoking movie experience they were looking for.
Original title: Hwal (Korean)
Genre: Drama | Romance
Director: Ki-duk Kim
What is the name of the actress?
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