Parasite(s) and where to find them

Rating: 9/10 (15 February 2020)

With "Parasite" Bong Joon Ho goes for another exercise of social commentary, not unlike his praised "The Host" (2006) - for those who cared for a monster movie dealing with social issues. It wasn't for everyone, though. Both films are 'so metaphorical' as "Parasite" protagonist Kim Ki-woo likes to put it. But different strokes for different people, no? Certainly, the metaphors aren't on vacation this time around, it's just that they learned to profess some subtlety. As back then, Bong pulls out all the stops in "Parasite," and while the former picture's literally Godzillish rendition matching its ambitions makes it borderline, the new approach is hard to skip. It takes on the shape of a pitch-dark comedy with coarse edges when it counts. One might as well let one's self get immersed in it, enjoy the ride and laugh along, relish its twists and turns before receiving a blow from left field. "Parasite" comes across as less pretentious, settles on the more down-to-earth (pun intended) side of things; it plants its seed with a much smaller dose of horror, is whimsical, ironic, even cynic at times; and it substitutes CGI for clever story-telling and cinematography measuring the highs and lows of the social ladder with visual precision. In short, ingredients for a less in-your-face, decisively creeping-up-on-you kind of comedy drama of caliber, falling into line with Bong's other early outstanding effort "Memories of Murder."
"Parasite" is an all-out visual genre mix of the first order, as much commentary about western society's underbelly and upper class as it is a ghost story drawing from a long Asian tradition. Things are in play that have always been lingering deep down underneath and come back to haunt us, metaphorically - and literally. In that sense the film is as much a thriller as it is fun stuff and dead serious drama, a bit like an attempt at squaring a circle, and yet it works.
"Parasite" is also the ultimate staircase film, to name just one striking image. This owes itself to the implied fairy-tale lore that at the end of the staircase - society's equivalent for the romantic rainbow - you'll find a pot of gold, right? It's just that stairs work in both directions, and climbing them up or down is less romantic. Bong Joon Ho makes staircase construction his art and builds them vicious circle-like. Consider this circle squared.