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[HanCinema's Film Review] "The Starting Point" + Full Movie

Along with Bae Chang-ho, Lee Man-hee-I is among the main reasons to follow the Korean Film Archive channel on YouTube, with the oeuvre of the two being truly excellent. As everyone, though, Lee also has shot a few movies that are subpar, with "The Starting Point" being one of them, even if a number of individual elements of the film are still top notch.

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The movie begins with its most impressive sequence, where, in noir style, Seok-goo, a gangster, is trying to steal a briefcase from an office building. Unfortunately for him, the guard proves to be as dedicated as possible, and a rather brutal battle ensues, first in the stairs and then under a roller door, which ends up in tragedy and a botched job for the protagonist. A bit later, we see him being chastised by his boss, Lee, because he has regrets just for the murder and not his failure. Next, Lee sends him into a mountain resort to "clear his head" but before Seok-goo arrives there, his boss hires a prostitute, Seon, to kill him during his trip. The two of them, however, fall in love, the girl reveals everything, and soon the two of them are on the hunt by the killers Lee has sent.

"The Starting Point" is a truly uneven film, since the beginning and ending are filled with action, but the middle part, in the cabin in Mountain Seorak, unfolds like a type of social/romantic drama, essentially being totally disconnected from the rest of the movie, apart from progressing the story. Regarding the action aspect, Lee Man-hee-I's directorial abilities shine intently, with him taking advantage of both the office building and the mountainous setting to present a series of brutal and utterly agonizing scenes. The way he implements the stairs in both settings in particular is astonishing, with the choreographies being characterized by a brutal realism, and DP Seo Jeong-min capturing both the environment and the fights in truly great fashion. Also of note is Kang-Shin Sung-il's acting in these scenes, whose struggle, and the fact that is powerful but not all-mighty being expressed in a rather convincing way.

The cabin scenes, on the other hand, move in completely different directions. There is a doctor among the group who seems to know Seon from before, eventually telling his wife about her and she, the rest of the people amassed in the refuge. The way the rest of the group reacts to this "revelation" is a comment about how people were afraid of "what will people say" while Lee has also included a number of other comments, as in the case of the man who sees a radio for the first time, essentially implying that he is from North Korea initially. Some comedy, again deriving from the doctor and the creepiness he emits, a number of people dancing to remixes of American song in the night, a modern dancing scene inside the cabin, and the way the romance is shaped, inevitably leading to melodrama, conclude the elements of this part.

Moon Hee is also convincing in her role, with her transformation being among the best traits of the movie, as much as her agonizing looks as she sees the man she loves fighting one enemy after the other. Choi Bong as Lee is also great as the cunning villain, concluding a very well-picked cast.

In the end, however, "The Starting Point" looks like a film where Lee Man-hee-I started in one way, changed it completely in the middle, and then returning back to what he wanted in the beginning, with the mixture not working well at all, particularly due to the change in pace and overall style.

Review by Panos Kotzathanasis

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"The Starting Point" is directed by Lee Man-hee-I, and features Kang-Shin Sung-il, Moon Hee, Choi Bong, Lee Hyang, Lee Ryong, Lee Hae-ryong. Release date in Korea: 1967/06/01.

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