In a very strange coincidence — or a concerted act of counterprogramming — the smallest superhero movie in recent memory hit Netflix on the same day that the biggest superhero movie ever made exploded into theaters. And while “Psychokinesis” was inevitably subsumed into the endless shadow of “Avengers: Infinity War” (the most ambitious crossover event of all time!), this exuberant Korean import is convincing proof that the genre doesn’t always have to be about saving the world, or guarding the galaxy, or stopping a purple space Brolin from snapping his fingers and erasing half of humanity.

When enough spandex is involved, high stakes can be Kryptonite for good storytelling. Even in the monolithic Marvel Cinematic Universe, many of the best…

Psychokinesis is director Sang-ho Yeon's follow up to his masterful Train to Busan, and seeing him take on a superhero movie was an exciting prospect. Such as the film is it's ok, it probably had the huge weight of expectation on it, not just a director following a tremendous film, but also because of the nation putting out some of the freshest film making today taking on a stale genre. There will be an amazing South Korean capeshit film one day, but this one marks a decent first step.

It's a really slight and charming film and explores the typical concept of great power and great responsibility from an interesting lens. Superheroes are often born of either vengeance, or an…

Though director Sang-ho Yeoh has been working for years in the format of animation, he truly made a remarkable splash with Train to Busan, taking on the walking dead genre with biting social commentary and an interesting blend with Korean melodrama. Of course with such success, one would be curious on his next project, on whether he would continue under the live-action medium or return to the less restrictive animation genre. With his recent collaboration with Netflix in producing and releasing Psychokinesis, such a curiosity is answered.

A partnership for the director and the streaming titan seems like a perfect fit in that Yeoh has proven himself to be an imaginative filmmaker, witnessed through the details and choices he has…

"Psychokinesis" es el paupérrimo y decepcionante acercamiento de Yeon Sang-ho al cine de superhéroes. Este segundo largometraje fuera del anime del realizador surcoreano es el fallido capricho que se le permite, que no tolera, al que ha debutado por todo lo alto. Aunque en verdad es mejor no recordar "Train to Busan" (2016) porque el descenso de calidad es tan abismal que provoca lagrimones, y ya ni hablemos de comparar porque eso incita al suicidio. A veces, en estos casos, me consuelo a mi mismo pensando que la historia daba para más, pero es que en esta especie de cruce entre "Hancock" (Peter Berg, 2008) y "Chronicle" (Josh Trank, 2012) ni para ese alivio da.
"Psychokinesis" tiene demasiados defectos. Aparcando…