Parasite, directed by Bong Joon-ho, has been touted as one of the most intriguing releases of the year. After all, Joon-ho, critically acclaimed director of films like Snowpiercer and Okja, won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival for the film. With the film now out on wide release, audiences can finally experience what all the buzz is about.
Parasite tells the story of the Kims, a close-knit, poverty-stricken family barely able to make ends meet. After son Kim Ki-woo—portrayed by Choi Woo-shik—becomes a tutor for the affluent but naïve Park family through fraudulent documentation, the rest of the Kim family gains employment and status in the family under the guise of being highly skilled professionals.
The film does an exceptional job tackling class warfare in a way that is unique, riveting and incredibly entertaining. It is artfully crafted and each actor’s talent is obvious in every single shot.
Film, at its core, is about visual storytelling and Parasite was clearly made with this in mind. Like in his previous films, Joon-ho tells much of this story through repeated imagery and visual allusions to famous literature, most notably Mansfield’s short story “The Garden Party.” Rather than use dialogue to explain the conflicts between the families, Joon-ho utilizes set design, shot types and lighting to build meaning and push the story forward.
This is especially true regarding blocking, a term that describes how characters and the camera move on set. An exceptional amount of detail is revealed based on where characters are and how they move within the frame. These are subtle visual cues that manage to make a point without saying a single word.
Without the burden of exposition, the dialogue in Parasite feels very authentic and manages to give each character a unique voice and purpose. The depth of all the film’s characters is a major part of why this film works so well. While it would be easy to follow stereotypes often associated with economic class, both the Kims and Parks are portrayed as being intelligent and goal-driven.
This also plays out well in the film itself regarding how these two families interact with one another. There’s a certain level of respect between families that exists regardless of the obvious social and economic differences between them. Even when characters outright hate one another, their feelings and subsequent actions are disturbingly understandable.
In addition to excellent characters, the script also does a terrific job at shifting tones. There are many comedic, tense and dramatic moments in the film that all work wonderfully in their own right. However, what makes Parasite excellent is the fact that it seemingly transcends genre without ever becoming too jarring for the audience.
Stepping back from the script, Parasite makes phenomenal use of lighting. Lighting serves essential story functions throughout the film, allowing entire ideas to be transmitted through the way characters and locations are lit.
In fact, the film’s main shooting location, the setting of the Park’s extravagant villa, was built entirely from scratch for this production. The size and locations of the windows of the house allowed for the best natural lighting possible.
Between all the film’s technical successes and interesting characters, the story itself is incredibly dynamic. As the film progresses, it becomes almost another film entirely, slowly and organically changing its tone to something entirely different.
Parasite is the best film to come out this year so far. Its story is executed perfectly, striking a balance between being hilarious, thought-provoking and suspenseful. Parasite’s premise is also grounded enough to be relevant and concerning. It’s simply a masterpiece.