The Plot movie review: A look at why the Korean remake of Soi Cheang’s 2009 thriller Accident misses the mark. Spoiler alert: It’s overcomplicated and lacks substance.
Introduction: Revisiting a Classic
Soi Cheang Pou-soi’s 2009 thriller Accident is a masterclass in simplicity. Its premise was so effective that it could unfold almost anywhere. The real surprise? It took 15 years for an international remake to emerge, and it’s not from Hollywood but South Korea.
Plot Overview
In the original film, Louis Koo Tin-lok plays the leader of a gang that stages elaborate assassinations made to look like accidents. When a team member dies on the job, he becomes consumed by distrust and paranoia. Enter The Plot, Lee Yo-sup’s Korean reinterpretation, starring Gang Dong-won as the troubled architect of death, Young-il.
The Team and the Target
Young-il’s team comprises an ageing femme fatale (Lee Mi-sook), a transvestite (Lee Hyun-wook), and a rookie (Tang Jun-sang), all reeling from a teammate’s death. Their next target? A prominent political figure, whose daughter wants him permanently sidelined. As media frenzy escalates, Young-il suspects a mysterious insurance broker (Lee Moo-saeng) of conspiring with his team.
Simplicity vs. Complication
Accident’s success lay in its stripped-down simplicity and intense execution. Cheang’s direction smouldered with palpable paranoid intensity. The Plot, however, complicates its premise, with more ostentatious accidents, confusing flashbacks, and peripheral characters, all set to a pounding score.
Lost Subtlety
Cheang internalised his protagonist’s growing unease. In contrast, Lee lacks command of aesthetic subtleties. The Plot ends up a glossy mess, mired in chaos.
Hidden Commentary
Buried deep within The Plot is a strand of social commentary about the public’s distrust of institutions and the rise of fringe conspiracy theories. If Lee articulates anything substantive on this subject, it’s purely accidental.
Conclusion: Gloss Over Substance
The Plot is a flashy but overcomplicated remake that loses the essence of Accident’s original simplicity. For fans of the original, this Korean version might be a disappointment.
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