Review: Burning (2018)

Burning (2018)

Burning is the kind of masterful film that stays with you long after it ends - its deep, contemplative layers slowly seep into your subconsciousness, imparting you with new meaning and emotion that you may not have picked up during the actual viewing. Normally, I am the type of filmgoer who will wait a decent amount of time before watching a film again, regardless of the film. However,  Burning is that rare exception that made me desire to rewatch it very shortly after finishing it so that I could once again observe the beauty of the shots, the compelling story, and try to, once again, uncover the treasures hidden with.

The film is somewhat difficult to discuss as its seemingly straightforward plot becomes much less so as the film proceeds, and to talk about it would be to ruin some critical developments and twists. This may not be all that surprising because the film, by famed Korean director, Lee Chang-dong, is loosely adapted from Haruki Murakami's short story, "Barn Burning". For anyone who is familiar with Murakami's work, you will have a sense of the multi-levels (...of everything) present in the story.

The film is about a young man, Lee Jong-Su (Yoo Ah-in), who runs into an old friend, Shin Haemi (Jeon Jong-seo), from his childhood home. Unlike reserved Jong-Su, Haemi is a highly extroverted, sexually active, and adventurous individual. Just as their relationship seems to be developing, Haemi goes away for an extended vacation and asks Jong-Su to look after her cat. When she eventually returns it is with a new friend, Ben (Steven Yeun - from Walking Dead fame), and it is quickly apparent to Jong-Su that the two are an item. Ben is a bit of an enigma to Jong-Su though; he is exceedingly wealthy for someone so young but Jong-Su has no idea what he actually does, leading to him calling Ben "one of the many Gatsby's in Korea". It is clear that Jong-Su holds some jealousy of Ben, likely on multiple levels. And I will leave the plot summary at that point.

Part of the majesty of the film is in its subtlety; how much is conveyed in the film without actually being said. All three of the characters have deep desires and longings (or as Haemi describes it from her African travels, the "Great Hunger") to find meaning in life that the viewer only begins to understand and relate to as the film plays out. There are important themes of class division and ennui in the film that tie directly into the plot. All three actors are excellent throughout - the nuances of Yuen and Ah-in's performances are vital to the story. Jong-seo is the real star though and she truly steals every scene she is in. Burning is a beautiful, melancholic and also suspenseful film that everyone should see, whether you are a fan of foreign films or not - you will assuredly not be disappointed with this one.