He Perished as He Wished. 4.5 / 5
Directed by Park Chan-wook.
A detective investigating a man's death in the mountains meets the dead man's mysterious wife in the course of his dogged sleuthing.
Releases in UK Cinemas: October 21st 2022
Park Chan-wook returns for his first feature since 2016's The Handmaiden with a sharp and expertly crafted mystery in Decision to Leave.
Park Hae-il once played a suspect in Memories of Murder but now he returns on the other side of the law as the lead detective in this twisted drama. After investigating a man's death Hae-il falls for the widow played by the sensational Tang Wei and what follows becomes a story of obsession, desire and unsettling attraction.
This stands as the contender as one of the most beautiful films I've seen all year. What Chan-wook does with the camera paired with Kim Ji-yong's cinematography and Kim Sang-bum's editing is just masterful. Every shot, transition, and scene is planned so precisely to convey just enough information at the right time, holding you in its grasp.
As you begin to piece the puzzle together, it takes on a life of its own, rewarding your curiosity with the signature dark off-kilter style that Park Chan-wook pulls off so well. A mystery box of a film that begs to be explored, Decision to Leave's complicated plot is a heavy watch the first time around but its intensity stays with you for days after inviting you to return to learn more.
Written by Jack Aling Read his latest reviews at: letterboxd.com/TheJackAling