review by Ronan Doyle
The Day He Arrives 2011
Watched Apr 24, 2012
Ronan Doyle’s review:
Hmmm. Hmmm. In echoing the atmosphere and emotion of neorealism it finds quite a deal of success, though there's a serious lack of grace to the technical aspects that detract seriously from that very effect. Primarily static shots with little cutting I approve of, but opting to shift angle by zooming abruptly into the scene is one of the best ways to pull an audience right out of a character's head. There are some seriously interesting things at play in the cyclical narrative structure that I was both bemused and delighted by, and the strength of the performances holds everything up. Because it's stuck with me and I have an itch to see it again I'm being generous in my rating; it's dull in places and visually problematic, but it's undoubtedly and inescapably fascinating.
I hated the zooming. Why,why? Made no sense. Good little film otherwise.
I read a bit about it after seeing In Another Country, apparently Hong chooses to use it as an alternate form of editing that keeps a sort of continuity to the scene. I appreciate the intent, but good grief it's irritating. Looks incredibly amateur, I'm very put off checking out more of his work now.
http://academichack.net/reviewsOctober2005.htm#Tale
He takes you out of his characters because he doesn't want you to identify with them--they are their own entity, self-constructed, open to examination.
Edit:
Anyway, theory aside, key to enjoying Hong is whether or not you find him funny. I for one find him hilarious: he taps into a very particular Asian male mindset that is both ridiculous and generally ingrained, real and laughable in equal measure.
I must say I don't find him very funny, I did get some laughs out of In Another Country but not out of this. Then again they are the only two of his I've seen. I do agree with what you say about his characters, the structure of the films certainly seems to support that intent, but for me the zooms are overdoing it. I feel it detracts more than it adds.