3-Iron (2004/2005) (AKA Bin-jip)
It's hard to imagine a film more
wondrously and subtly beautiful than "3-Iron." This
Asian delicacy is so enchanting, so warm, and so spiritual
that we are easily swept away by its exquisite charm.
Often wordless, the film is continuously absorbed
in a story that is unlike any other you have ever
witnessed. It is impossible not to be drawn deeply
into the film.
The story centers on a young drifter,
a motorcycle riding 20- something Asian man who spends
his time putting flyers for restaurants on residential
doors. But to tell too much of this story would ruin
its gentle surprises. Suffice it to say that the film
becomes a romance and then swirls into a metaphoric
treatise on the brutality and horror of modern urban
life.
But "3-Iron" is much more than just
this as well. The film is a Zen Buddhist masterpiece.
The clever and well-thought out plot begins to demand
that the viewer question the very nature of existence
itself. Violence and dismay continually encircle our
protagonist(s) and we are forced to question the appropriate
response to the influx of such negative influences.
The uncovering of the hostility and vulgarity of human
nature is something that is disturbing and disquieting
in this movie. How modern society reacts to kindness,
gentleness, warmth and humanity is the important discovery
here. This is a film that will make you consider your
life deeply. This is a film that can change your life.
This is isn't just a film, it's a cinematic epiphany.
Jae Hee is remarkably perfect for
the role of the young drifter. His face angelic and
able to express much with a smile, a nod, a glint
of the eye. It is he who makes the film work so perfectly.
His innocent doe eyes reflect an inquisitiveness and
kindness that make his character not only likeable
and cute, but also trustworthy and honest. We feel
secure with him. Through Jae we discover the magic
of the world, the safe haven it can contain, the beauty
with which it is filled.
His romantic interest Seung-yeon
Lee is also perfect for her role. She too evokes innocence
and wonder but with the inner weariness and sadness
her character must convey. Watching these two remarkable
actors on screen creating a story with almost no words
spoken between them is the stuff of cinematic legend.
These are performances that will resonate for thousands
of years, long after modern media storage devices
have ceased to function. The fact that this film could
one day be lost, even if it is thousands of years
from now, only adds to the sorrow and the wonder of
it all. The fleetingness of life only makes this film
more profound and consoling.
In its third act, "3-Iron" goes
off on a tangent that seems to be far too over-the-top
and detached from what has come before. But ultimately
writer/director Kim Ki-duk brings the story full circle
and, with full use of our patience, send us reeling
back to his ultimate theme in a way that is wholly
original and wholly satisfying. We walk away from
"3-Iron" with a head full of mystery and awe, full
of joy and warmth, full of fulfillment and enlightenment
in a way that few films ever before have been able
to cohere for us. This is an awesome film, a film
full of magic and majesty, of intrigue and subtle
surprise, of warmth and humor and one that ultimately
reminds us that our lives, and our world, are of our
own making.
There is always happiness and joy
in the world. "3-Iron" reminds us that it is our fundamental
duty to find the path that leads us there without
getting caught in a web of hostility, violence, greed,
and unhappiness. This is one of the most wonderful
and important films ever to be made. Do not miss it.
Note:
In sparse Korean with subtitles.
The film was nominated for several
awards at film festivals and won several at Venice
where it premiered in September of 2004.
The film premiered in Korea in October
of 2004. The US premiere was at Sundance in January
of 2005. Sony Pictures Classics began a limited arthouse
run of the film in the US at the end of April in 2005.
Viewed in Austin in May of 2005
at the Arbor theater, which seems to have finally
figured out how to check on their theaters without
bothering their patrons.
