Director: Park Chan-wook

Stars: Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran

Park Chan-wook’s dark comic state-of-the-nation satire adapted from Donald E. Westlake’s 1997 novel, “The Ax” features great set-pieces but does not quite congeal into a satisfying whole. Byung-hun is Mansu, a conscientious manager at a paper factory. An introductory sequence introduces us to Mansu and his comically perfect life; his beautiful adoring wife Miri (Son Ye-Jin), teen son (Kim Woo Seung) and cello prodigy daughter Ri-one. ‘I have it all’ he declares, hugging his family close to him and telegraphing the inevitable unravelling. This comes when he is laid off without warning. Miri is supportive and resolute, making suggestions how the family can economise, drawing the line only at their daughter’s cello lessons. Miri also goes to work as a receptionist for a handsome dentist. When a new managing job opportunity at a paper company arises, Mansu, after flunking the interview, resolves to despatch the other candidates, to ensure his success. Park has a lot of fun orchestrating the chaos as Mansu’s plans unravel in spectacular fashion, augmented by Kim Woo-hyung’s roving and zooming camerawork. In the film’s most riotous sequence, Mansu confronts a drunken rival Gu (Lee Sung Min) and Gu’s boho actor wife Ara (a scene-stealing Yeom Hye Ran), their exchanges playing out over blaring music. Lee Byung-hun is gamely go-for-broke as the increasingly desperate and unhinged protagonist, but the broadness grows wearying over an extended two-and-a-half-hour running time.

David Willoughby

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