The Long Dark Marathon of the Soul 2019: Save the Green Planet (2003), directed by Jan Jun-Hwang

The Trailer

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The Appropriate Tune: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

         One of the most popular debates the world’s got going, in science fiction circles and otherwise, is the existence of aliens. One side says that not only is alien life in general an astronomically low prospect, but that meeting an intelligent alien species is a nigh-on impossibility, given the incredible distance between Earth-like planets and the required level of development needed to devise the technology to traverse it. The other says that not only do intelligent aliens exist, but they are intimately connected with humankind; Using their alien technology to build ancient monuments like the Pyramids and Stonehenge, abducting us at night and anally probing us, mutilating our cattle and circling our crops, and all we need is one quick Naruto run down to Area 51. Are the aliens benevolent, using their advanced abilities for the good of humankind? Or are they the vicious, despotic sort? No matter what alignment they are, no matter which side of the debate you’re on, the fact of the matter is that someone needs to work security for the species. Someone needs to save the green planet that we call home, or at least make a movie about it. Conveniently, that’s where we’re at today.

        While returning home from an evening of drunken revelry, Man-shik Kang, CEO of a prominent pharmaceutical company, is abducted by a couple wearing trash bag ponchos and strange helmets. When he awakes, he finds himself strapped in a chair in a dank and murky room, no clothes, no hair, and seemingly no chance of escape. The man (who we later learn is named Byun-goo Lee) and his wife Sooni explain to him that he’s been captured because they know that he’s not human. Not because he’s a capitalist, which is the simplest way to determine inhumanity, but because he’s literally not human. Man-shik Kang is in fact an alien from Andromeda, and in seven days when the lunar eclipse happens the Prince of his species will arrive, bringing with him doom & destruction. Well Lee isn’t going to stand for that, so he’s going to make Kang admit that he’s an alien and make him call off the invasion by any means necessary, and he’s got a lot of painful means at his disposal. Never mind that Lee seems a little unstable, or that Kang and Lee’s history runs far deeper than it appears on the surface. Byeung-Gu Lee is here to save the green planet, and he’s not going to let anybody stop him. Not Kang, not the cops, no one.

        At first, Save the Green Planet seems like it might’s be Seoul’s contribution to the tired ‘torture porn’ horror subgenre, popularized by films like Saw, Hostel, and Human Centipede, albeit with a bit of a humorous twist. However, as the story unfolds you discover that this is more than Korea’s Misery. Although centered around aliens, Save the Green Planet deals in the things that are far too familiar: Mental illness, how we are affected by the loss of a loved one, taking or rejecting personal responsibility, revenge and even unconventional love. The film is far more nuanced than it seems at first, the best kind of bait-and-switch, and I found myself quickly and deeply empathizing with Lee and Sooni’s plight much more than I expected. I was even driven towards emotion at the climax, non-negative emotions to be precise, which has only happened with a few movies this Marathon. A sudden and unexpected surprise if ever there was one.

        Save the Green Planet is also one of those movies where I can’t think of any actual flaws, although that could be because I pulled an all-nighter to do this. The film’s just under 2 hours but it flies by, the acting is good, the score is excellent, Lee’s house is the perfect mix of beauty and darkness, it all just works. If I’m going to criticize anything, I’d say that the ending is arguably hit-or-miss,  making sense thematically while also undercutting the scenes before it. Also, while we’re given explanation for who the Andromedans supposedly are and what their plan is, I still found myself a bit lost on the point of it all. Not that I suppose it should make sense given it comes from Lee’s mind, but it was a bit of a head-scratcher, although it could have been lost in translation. Some of the jokier moments are a little broad too, but you’ll probably be too invested by that point to care..

        I went into this movie thinking it would be a pro-environmental movie since Boiling Point replaced Godzilla vs. Biollante, but what I got instead was this tragi-comic dramatic thriller about this guy who builds mannequins and pops pharmaceutical methamphetamine. What a trip! I really enjoyed it, so it gets a hearty recommendation from me. You might need a pick-me-up afterwards, but Save the Green Planet would be a nice treat going into Halloween.