Bong Joon-Ho's most uninspired film to date.

Rating: 6/10 (3 October 2019)

Before I attempt to justify the reasoning for my rating, I must provide a disclaimer professing my appreciation for Bong Joon-Ho's past work. "Snowpiercer" was the film that marked him on the map and allowed me to discover his other films, which turned out to be every bit as great as Snowpiercer was. I'm a huge fan of his, and I was extremely thrilled to hear of his unanimous Palme d'Or win. He's a great filmmaker and has the experience to show for it, and I'd say winning that award had been a long time coming for him. However, after my boundless anticipation for this film, and finally getting the chance to actually watch it, I was inevitably itching with a feeling of disappointment.
I've read many reviews of this film, all of them flooded with unworthy praise. Many people have stated that this is one of the best films of the past decade, filled with "metaphors and allegories which need you to think beyond a certain level as they are manifested throughout." Others have stated that the film takes numerous twists and turns, and unfolds in "satisfying, unexpected ways," leaving the viewer wondering what's gonna happen next. The former sentiment's mention of "metaphors and allegories," and the way they are presented in this film, have been done countless times over the course of mankind's brief existence, and class conflict has been a recurring theme in anecdotes for centuries even before Marx introduced his theory, yet people still find this elementary concept somehow elusive. There's only one dramatic moment that could be deemed a "twist" in the film, which ultimately wasn't that surprising given the endless amount of times this corporeal narrative device has been used since the dawn of storytelling. Besides that moment, everything is utterly predictable. I don't understand how people can act like the film is some unprecedented feat which challenges themes never challenged before. Seemingly every Hollywood blockbuster thriller presents a concept not that dissimilar from the concepts utilized by Bong Joon-Ho for this film.
Additionally, "Parasite" suffers from glaring screenwriting issues, the most blatant one being an over-reliance on convenient narrative tools to artificially move the story forward, rather than letting it flow naturally. I'm not going to spoil what exactly happens, but as an example, there's a certain set of stairs in the film that acts as the focal point for the story's progression. Characters make uncharacteristic mistakes that are beyond the realm of believability, which sacrifices the film's sense of authenticity and causes the tension to feel forced. Using gimmicky writer's tricks like this can make or break a film, and if anything, it shows a sign of sheer laziness from everyone involved in the screenwriting process, Bong Joon-Ho obviously included.
Creativity is another criterion that I exceptionally value when judging a film, and "Parasite" lacks in that department as well. Simply put, it's a perfectly capable film made by a perfectly capable director. Nothing more, nothing less. On the absolute surface level, it's a supremely entertaining movie, and if you're typically non-analytical and you prefer shutting your brain off before watching a movie, then this might actually be a great popcorn flick for you. But as far as the artistry goes, there's nothing to really be had with this film. Bong Joon-Ho's prowess behind and in-front of the camera was to be expected: The performances, the cinematography, the quirky lines of dialogue, etc. But with the exception of the expected, every aspect of this film is totally unchallenging and risk-averse.
All in all, I'm still content with Bong Joon-Ho's Palme d'Or win, more so for the excellence of his early work than for the film that actually got awarded. Do I think there may have been some politics/hidden agenda involved behind the scenes at Cannes? Possibly, especially considering the flak he got two years ago due to "Okja" and its affiliation with Netflix. Regardless, in the grand scheme of his filmography, I'd rate "Parasite" towards the bottom rung in his otherwise exemplary résumé. And if you're curious, I'd rate "Memories of Murder" and "Mother" at the tippy top, which shouldn't come as a surprise.