Highly effective blend of genres

Rating: 8/10 (9 November 2019)

I can't remember watching a film that covers as many genres as 'Parasite' (Gisaengchung) and does it so successfully. This is a highly entertaining film that starts off as a comedy/drama and gets darker as it goes along, becoming a rather sinister mystery thriller with some highly effective horror elements. Most films that try to cover multiple themes end up messy but 'Parasite' never felt in danger of that.
At a time when the film industry seems to be increasingly short of original ideas, something as fresh as 'Parasite' is always welcome. The comedy genre in particular just seems to be made up of the same recycled jokes - this film is funny while being completely different to anything else out there at the moment and that alone is quite an achievement. 'Parasite' is great, highly recommended for those growing tired of the usual stale Hollywood productions.