Pluto

The things these success-driven, elite kids engage in to bully one another in order to come out on top is completely ridiculous and implausible. It's like the Hogwart's of psychopaths. Nothing makes any sense either and there is no tension.

Film4 did well by showing a double bill of this with THE KING OF PIGS, a similar South Korean story of high school bullying, albeit an animated one. PLUTO seems to be a rather overlooked film judging by the lack of reviews and commentary about it on the Internet; that's a shame, because it also happens to be very good. Yes, it's long and slow, but it's never less than quietly gripping with plenty of great cinematic moments.

The plot is complex and non-linear and requires the viewer's complete attention to make sense of what's going on. It begins with some harrowing filmed footage before moving into a typical police procedural murder investigation with an obvious suspect. However, the majority of the storyline then plays out in flashback as we build up to the crime and see the reasons for it.

As is the norm for Korean cinema, PLUTO is a very well crafted production with exemplary direction and high class acting throughout. It's also an entirely dark film that plumbs the depths of human life and explores topics including bullying, stress, suicide, peer group pressure, and plenty more besides. The performances from Da-wit Lee and in particular Sung-Jun are really impressive with the latter underplaying it for all his worth. I'd recommend it for all fans of edgy, mature, international film-making.

This downbeat South Korean school drama reminded me somewhat of another film from that country, the animated movie The King of Pigs (2011). Both those films dealt specifically with the themes of bullying and the privileged cliques that exist in the South Korean school system. In this one it looks unfavourably at the system of ranking students, creating different classes of pupils; the film considers the possible violent outcome of this type of rigid system and the way that it can be manipulated by the students themselves. The story begins with the murder of a boy by an unknown assassin. Blame quickly falls on another boy whose phone was found at the scene of the crime. He is released and quickly entraps several of his school mates and from here the story alternates between the present and extended flash-backs that slowly unveil how we got to this situation.

This is a pretty gloomy film with no humour. It's title derives from the fact that the main character identifies with Pluto which was outcast as a planet because it was the wrong shape and too far removed from the central Sun. He himself feels like an outcast and is a loner who wishes to be part of the privileged group. It's no coincidence that events in the story are designed to culminate at the point of a total solar eclipse, the very moment the Sun is blocked out; the very moment the core group is wiped out. In truth, the set-up has more potential than is ultimately delivered. The central secrets of the story are not especially surprising and it does maybe lack a certain emotional core. Because of this it's difficult emphasising with the characters and caring all that much as to what happens to them. Still, it's a very well-acted film indeed and the cinematography is very fine with plenty of shots that capture the geometric almost prison-like shape of the school.

This was a very likeable little drama that i guess develops, rather naturally, into a thriller about competitive school children.

As a westerner, it's somewhat fascinating for me to observe this culture's image of its own high standards and how it intersects with the issues of class and relationships.

I don't know how much reality there is in this elite club but this was a stirring story of a character who eventually rebounded against the the high pressure he was constantly subjected too in a way that is frightening, but very satisfying.

From an asianwiki description plus its trailer, I was intrigued by this movie. I am a fan of Korean movies, and this for me is one of those that are exceptional. I could compare it to a movie called Bleak Night (2010), All About Lily Chou Chou (2001) and also Confessions (2010). I read from some other reviews out there that, as shown in the movie, "the pressure for entrance exams and the film's opening scenes of people praying and lining the streets to cheer exam takers are real, with Korea having high student suicide rates in reality." The movie ultimately shows how "the stress and expectations of society pushed these students to do horrible things. How bleak their world seemed even though they were only 17 (19 in Korean age); no loyalty, friendship driven by fear." The plot to me means a lot, it's very strong. I needed a second viewing in order to fully get what the movie gives. I agree that this film has more potential than how it's delivered, but a different direction could actually make the movie turn over-dramatic or feel unreal. It had a really nice atmosphere. There is also an added creepy thing, the torture chamber (before) within the school building that actually existed, which was one of the most important setting in Pluto. Plus, pretty Kim Kkot-bi is added as a minor character but stands out as well, like Lee Da-wit and Sung Joon. Yes, acting is really good.

Don't miss this one. I also recommend to re-watch the film as one may not fully understand it. I did not get at first what the metaphors in the movie meant, like the thing about Pluto being demoted, but after a re-watch, it became more clear. If you like the titles mentioned above, give this one a try.