Parasite: A Modern Masterpiece
January 25, 2020
Parasite, the highly-acclaimed South Korean film about classism and poverty, is one of the best films made in recent memory. The story follows the poor Kim family as they slowly infiltrate the rich Park household, becoming tutors, housekeepers, drivers and therapists. Quickly, however, the movie moves away from its initial premise and starts to jump between and subvert every genre possible in a roller coaster of plot twists and unexpected events. The movie’s message, that the rich are completely blind to the suffering and competition between the poor, is conveyed successfully through the film in one of the best critiques of capitalism that film has ever produced.
The film starts off fairly lighthearted as the Kim family begins their plot to simply get a few working-class jobs in order to provide for themselves. The family pulls off elaborate, Mission Impossible type plans in order to institute themselves within the Park house. Quickly, however, the tides turn as the secrets of the Park house reveal themselves and the Kims begin to realize what they have gotten themselves involved in. By the end of the movie, the Kim’s path is littered with violence and death, and their simple plan to provide for themselves turns into a scandal that rocks South Korea.
In many films, the sort of tonal shift that Parasite contains could alienate the audience and seem incredibly forced. However, Parasite pulls this shift off expertly, and the audience watches in horror as the two families fall apart.
The main characters of this film are the Kim family as a whole. However, the patriarch, Ki-taek, stands out as the person in the movie who undergoes the most change. Although the son, Ki-woo, narrates the film, Ki-taek and his fall from grace is the character whose story the movie is about. Ki-taek begins the film in the background, quietly working hard to do the best for his family. He works hard and is very reserved, guiding the Kim family through their daily struggles. He eventually becomes the Park’s driver when the plot is set in motion, and serves the family loyally. However, as the film progresses, Ki-taek’s discomfort and alienation from the wealth that surrounds him becomes evident, from the offhand comments the Park family makes about the way that he smells to their complete naive to the poverty that surrounds them. In the film’s shocking climax, Ki-taek breaks and takes out his rage and mistreatment on the Park family, finally letting go of his reservations and lashing out at those that have wronged him. Parasite is about how the rich ignore the plights of the poor, and Ki-taek’s eventual breakdown shows what the results of that ignorance can be.
One of the most interesting parts of the movie is the subtle foreshadowing that happens throughout the film. From the bugs scattering in the Kim’s apartment in the beginning (mirroring the Kims scattering in the Park’s house later on) to an offhand comment about how the previous maid always seemed to eat for two, Parasite contains many sly examples of foreshadowing of events that occur later in the movie. The blinking lights of the Park house that seem to be conveying Morse code is one of the best examples of this, and those that watch the film will look back on this detail in amazement.
The other extremely engaging component of the movie is the physical barriers that the camera makes between the rich and the poor in the movie. This runs throughout the movie and is very effective in conveying Parasite’s message. From the line in the window dividing Ms. Park and the old housekeeper in Ms. Park’s first appearance to the scene halfway through the film in which the entire Kim family hides beneath a couch with the Parks on top, there are many examples of the physical barriers that the filmmakers make to make the distinction between the rich and the poor very clear. This division helps subtly boost the movie’s message and convey the story.
One technical component in the film that stands out is the color difference between the scenes that take place in the Kim’s house and the slums and the Park’s neighborhood. The lighting and coloring in the slums are dark and drab, and do not seem appealing in any way. This is juxtaposed to the Park’s beautiful mansion in a carefully manicured neighborhood that sends a shock through the audience when it appears. The difference is so clear that simply seeing the Park’s large yard seems alien to the audience when Ki-woo first visits and helps convey the immense difference between the poor and the rich that Parasite seeks to comment on.
Another technical part of the film that makes Parasite stand out is the shot framing the filmmakers used to make dramatic scenes have the biggest effect on the audience. Often throughout the movie, the cinematographers shot the film with a clear intent to maximize suspense and make the audience feel the panic that the characters feel throughout the film. Shots like a noose slowly being placed around a characters neck, a hidden character in the corner of a shot who could easily be discovered, and a face slowly rising up behind some stairs are all framed to have the maximum impact on the audience, and create the suspense that the filmmakers are looking for.
Overall, I loved this movie. It is definitely one of the greatest films made in recent years and will resonate with any audience that sees it in theaters. The way that it jumps between comedy, thriller, drama, and horror while still being able to comment on classism and the wealth gap is astounding, and will leave audiences floored. The subtitles and language barrier only enhance the story, creating a movie truly deserving of all of the praise that it is sure to receive. Everyone should see this film and have the opportunity to experience this masterpiece.