Confession of Murder (2012) d. Jeong, Byung-gil (South Korea)
Following the statute of limitations’ expiration, serial killer Si-hoo Park goes public with his heinous deeds by writing a bestselling tell-all; charming and cool, the murderer’s popularity skyrockets with a morbidly fascinated public. Meanwhile, as the cop who allowed Park to slip through his fingers, Jae-yeong Jeong continues to investigate the mysterious disappearance of his girlfriend, all evidence strongly suggesting she was the rising star’s final act of violence.
Dynamic performances and director Jeong’s hairpin script (based on the real life Hwasung case) keep audiences guessing where cards will finally fall, as the victims’ families cry for justice is drowned out by popular opinion and the law’s deficiencies. The mystery surrounding the killer’s motives and Park’s cat n’ mouse relationship with Jeong sustain the two-hour run time while several breathtaking action scenes, with nary a discernible CGI keystroke, provide a wow factor largely absent from modern Hollywood’s bloated big-bam-boom. (The opening foot chase sequence rivals that of Casino Royale for sheer kinetic energy, its urgency upped by the grounded, realistic approach as opposed to latter’s parkour gymnastics.)
An inspired piece of cinema, with set pieces ranging from exaggerated comic hijinks to naked shattering grief to fanciful satirical commentary on the nature of celebrity. Winner of the Thriller Prize at the 2013 Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival.
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