Who is the Real Parasite?
A few moments into the movie, you start realizing that you are in the hands of a master storyteller, as without any exposition you are familiarized with all the characters and thier surroundings. Director Bong Joon Ho has dabbled in murder mysteries, dystopian science fiction, as well as monster movies but this time he takes a very grounded and personal tale which makes you laugh, empathise, grin, and sit at the edge of your seat. By winning the Palme D'or at Cannes and hosting sold out screenings, Parasite had placed Bong Joon Ho in the cadre of the new masters of cinema. The best way to to enjoy the movie is to go cluelessly into it, but what i can say about the plot is that it is flawless in writing and is edited to perfection. Not a single scene meanders and the story is tightly focused on the characters. Which brings me praise Kang-Ho Sok, who plays the father of the Kim family, making us sigh with his disappointment and smile whenever he takes pride in his family. The cinematography in Parasite is a highlight as you get to see the grimy trinkets of Kim family's semi-basement house and polished expanse of park family's uptown villa. The background score selection is appropriate and perfectly blends in, while enhancing the drama. While Parasite might be a suspenseful drama on surface level, it has layers to it in terms of metaphors and messages. It communicates class divide, makes us question the moral compass of the characters and ourselves, and makes you question: who is the real parasite in the movie?