The blurred lines between thriller and horror can confuse the feathers of some movie fans. In the case of Bong Joon-Ho's Oscar winner parasiteThe distinction can prepare the viewer for what to expect. At first glance, the dark trailer and the creepy title suggest that it will be a classic horror film with monsters and ghosts. But when I saw the film, I surprisingly laughed at it instead of being afraid of it. While my brain is pretty broken from watching too many horror shows, I can say that objectively parasite is not overly conventional scary except for a few bloody moments. And yet it's pretty daunting. That's because the film is really more of a psychological thriller, where the horrors are slow fires, as opposed to crazy fears of jumping.
If you've somehow ignored the film out of fear, you may want to rethink your stance after winning the Oscar for Best Picture. If so, you need to know the following before clicking "Rent"! (And for your information, we're not going to wipe out big turns in the plot.)
Why Parasite fits the psychological thriller genre
According to an article from the Burlington County Library System, psychological thrillers "emphasize the unstable or delusional mental and emotional states of the characters and focus on the absurd depths of the human mind." These elements are quite obvious parasitewhere delusional but sympathetic people commit terrible crimes to survive.
The main actors in the film are the Kims, a poor family looking for work. Although they are not qualified for their jobs, they cheat their way into working for the wealthy parks. They even resort to poisoning and insult other employees. When their secret is almost revealed, the Kims are tortured and firmly believe that they can get away with their wrongdoing. Her desperation crumbles into madness at the film's bloody climax at the parks birthday party for her son, where several bloody murders take place. parasite Carefully decomposes the frayed mental states of his characters to understand what realistic powers can drive a person on a psychopathic path. This is definitely scary, but it's a more subtle and deep kind of horror.
Why parasite is also a social thriller
parasite is not only a psychological thriller, but also a social one. The mental aspect of the film determines the political. We understand exactly why the Kims are so scared and desperate. It all comes down to fear and the stigma surrounding poverty.
parasite is strongly reminiscent of Go outdirector Jordan Peele thinks is a social thriller. Peele claims that no matter what happens on screen, society is the real monster. Instead of racial prejudice, economic inequality is the worst parasite – how it drives people who have died who survive the daily horrors of poverty in order to find a way out by all means. This desperate hunt for financial stability eventually leads to the bloody showdown between the Kims and the von Moon-kwang family.
Despite all the bloodshed in Act 3, the film shows most insidiously how the rich ignore and dehumanize the poor. parasite illustrates the physical poverty, particularly the bugs in the Kims' homes, the flood that causes sewage to spurt from their toilet, and even the smell that Mr. Park attributes to Mr. Kim.
But no matter how clean and polished the parks are, you can feel that they are a bit lazy. They live in blissful ignorance and use their money to stand out from the poor. They quietly express contempt for those who have less, and yet the impoverished suffer the most. The Kims are not saints, but it cannot be said that they are not faced with their fair share of struggles parasite, And their struggles are psychologically and socially scary.
