No Other Choice (2025) Dir: Park Chan-wook

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Described as a 'state-of-the-nation satire', this comedy directed by Park Chan-wook; one of the best South Korean filmmakers ever, was high on my cinema watchlist from the moment it was announced. I had absolutely loved Park's 2022 romantic thriller 'Decision To Leave', as well as his infamous 2003 revenge film; 'Oldboy', so my anticipation for this latest film was extremely high.

I was already aware of Park Chan-wook's genius cinematic vision for his films, but even so, I was once again blown away by the phenomenal editing and camerawork that this film provided. The film had some of the most beautiful uses of crossfading I've seen in a long time. It was superbly executed, and extremely creative. I love the fact that, not only do Chan-wook's films look great, there's always meaning and intent behind those memorable shots.

The film was, to my mind, a masterpiece of comedy, building tension, subverting expectations, and smart dialogue. It featured an amusing yet nuanced narrative, which acted as both entertainment and societal critique, without ever venturing into the avenue of preaching. If there's one thing about me, it's that I love a film with anti-capitalist messaging, and this film was full of it, as well as criticisms of artificial intelligence, the impact of involuntary redundancy, among other important themes. It was all very effectively done.

The immensely talented Lee Byung-hun, in my opinion, has been extremely overlooked this awards season, despite producing a truly sublime performance in this leading role. He was able to produce so much humour with his highly animated facial expressions and vocal intonations - he had me grinning and laughing time after time, during the more comedic moments of the film. Equally, though, he was able to evoke a deep sense of empathy and sympathy within me, with how he conveyed his character's desperation and struggle.

I was also very fond of Son Ye-jin's acting, in her key supporting role. She stood out hugely for her own facial expressions too, and her chemistry with Lee was exceptional. I really enjoyed how she played the final thirty minutes of the film - she truly excelled when the more complex aspects of her character really came to the fore. I should also say that the likes of Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, and Kim Woo-seung, all deserve mentions as well, for their respective supporting performances.

Overall, I thought this was yet another modern masterpiece from one of the best filmmakers working today. People who don't watch foreign-language cinema are seriously missing out on films like this, and filmographies as excellent as Park Chan-wook's. If you like films such as 'Parasite', then I can't recommend this one enough. It is truly a sensational work of comedy and social commentary.