A moving though contrived dark satire

Rating: 7/10 (25 January 2020)

The aptly named Parasite is a movie with a message, one that permeates through every frame and colors the interactions between characters. The class struggle between the upper and lower echelons of society (in this case the rich and their servants), is a common concept in most Asian societies and placing this dilemma at the heart of the plot is, in my opinion, its undoing. Although the idea itself is worth exploring through a work of art, it lacks the striking, bizarre and mystifying elements that make other thriller flicks appealing.
Perhaps my misgivings about the movie are mainly a consequence of my expectation that the plot would contain some major twist and supply a mind-blowing climax in the tradition of the classic thriller. Although the tale does end on a violent note, it is far from being unpredictable and even a fairly attentive viewer could foresee a similar denouement halfway through the film.
More of a satirical drama than a wild ride, Parasite moves at a rather sedate pace, and the clever con tricks that prompt a chuckle in the first act turn predictable and even lose credibility, with most supporting details seeming artificial and contrived.
The characters, though well portrayed by a talented cast, suffer the ubiquitous flaw of being agonizingly one dimensional, merely tools in the hands of the director, designed specifically to bring about certain sequences of events. Barring a single incident in the climax of the film, the characters seem to lack a will of their own, the overarching concept of class inequality embodied so perfectly in each person that they appear more like an ensemble of caricatures.
Yet praise should be doled out where it is due, and no element of the film deserves more praise than its cinematography. Despite the shortcomings of the plot, the wonderfully filmed scenes make up for them to a certain extent, the symbolic staircases, architectural secrets (wink wink) , floods and lavish garden parties yielding a veritable visual extravaganza. The score ebbs and flows beautifully with the pace of the film and complements each scene powerfully.
In summary, despite deserving some credit as a timely black satire, if a good old crime thriller is what you're looking for, Parasite is certainly not up your alley.