JUNG_E
If anime had a baby with Blade Runner and Isaac Asimov…
Cast of Characters:
Yun Seo-hyun – Kang Soo-youn
Yun Jung-yi/JUNG_E – Kim Hyun-joo
Kim Sang-hoon – Ryu Kyung-soo
Lee Se-yeon – Um Jee-won
Director – Yeon Sang-ho
Writer – Yeon Sang-ho
Producer – Kim Yeon-ho
Distributor – Netflix
Not Rated
The Rundown: In the 22nd century, Earth has become desolated to the point it’s no longer habitable, with the humans now being forced to live in man-made shelters in space. Over time, a couple of the shelters have declared themselves the Adrian Republic and began a civil war with the remaining shelters, who have named themselves the Allied Force.
Decades after the start of the war, an AI tech institute by the name of Kronoid have begun developing robotic clones to assist in the war, using the brain of a comatose Allied Force mercenary, Yun Jung-yi (Kim Hyun-joo), as the basis for their AI prototype code-named JUNG_E. With the project being led by Jung-yi’s now adult daughter Yun Seo-hyun (Kang Soo-youn), the AI developers look to bring an end to the ongoing civil war through their lab leader’s heroic mother.
Initial Thoughts: JUNG_E comes to us courtesy of South Korean filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho, who’s best known for his thrilling action zombie horror flick Train to Busan from 2016. This time around, the post-apocalyptic, sci-fi actioner finds Yeon trading in his inspiration of George A. Romero’s zombie classics for Ridley Scott’s philosophical sci-fi epic Blade Runner, as he, too, attempts to explore the nature of humanity within the confines of spectacle-heavy genres like action and science fiction.
It is unfortunate that, despite Yeon’s name being attached to this, JUNG_E will most likely be known more for showcasing the last onscreen appearance of Korea’s “first world star” Kang Soo-youn, who died in May 2022 after suffering a brain hemorrhage.
As for the film itself, which is now premiering on Netflix, Train to Busan is more than enough to have piqued my interest in this. Yet, even though it’s not without its merits, JUNG_E is, sadly, held back from being the deeply thematic, emotionally resonant action spectacle it could have been.
The Good: From an action standpoint, Yeon displays the same skill-set for crafting exciting action set pieces he brought to Train to Busan. JUNG_E is bookended by two standout sequences, particularly the film’s climactic battle aboard a train that makes for a thrilling final 15 minutes. While such moments are few and far between here, when Yeon does kick the action into high gear, he wisely stages his sequences with wider shots and longer, fluid takes to help create a greater sense of the action taking place.
JUNG_E opens with an intriguing premise that, like the aforementioned Blade Runner, introduces themes of humanity, morality and identity. One interesting subplot involves a program that allows humans with terminal illnesses to transfer their consciousness into prosthetic bodies, of which the type you’re able to afford determines what rights you’re granted. For example, if one is unable to afford Type A, which guarantees all rights, or Type B, which limits basic rights, there’s still Type C. It’s free of charge, but with virtually no rights afforded to you, you can forget being treated as a human, and, on top of that, your consciousness also gets sold to companies for the purpose of clone manufacturing. It’s through these ideas that the film seeks to provide more than just explosive action.
And yet…
The Bad: Despite the interesting themes and the electrifying action of the film’s opening and closing, everything throughout the middle of JUNG_E falls flat. The film has all the right ingredients, and there is a great movie somewhere within this, but it just is never able to come to fruition. Yeon seems content to just acknowledge the philosophical themes and thought-provoking ethical questions, as if that alone should suffice; however, without any substantial exploration of said themes or answers to the questions posed, the film is unable to generate any emotional impact.
Even more disappointing is that Kang Soo-youn does her best with a fine performance that is unfortunately stymied by an emotionally stunted character. Bits and pieces of Yun Seo-hyun’s backstory provide opportunities for depth and complexity, but they are left on the table, thereby placing most, if not all, of the responsibility in elevating the character square on the shoulders of the late actress. Kang makes an honest effort to bring what sense of genuine conflict she can to Seo-hyun, but the underdeveloped material she’s given limits her from making any sort of emotional connection with the viewers.
Sure, what few attempts at emotional heft are fine, thanks to what Kang is able to bring to them, but, ultimately, it only leaves you wanting more. What you’re left with here is a film that wants to have its cake and eat it too. It wants to be both a riveting action flick and a deep, nuanced exploration of humanity, yet it fails to deliver enough action to satisfy as a fun popcorn spectacle, and fails to deliver enough substance to satisfy as a thought-provoking morality tale.
The Ugly: As Kim Sang-hoon, Ryu Kyung-soo gives an over-the-top performance that’s more cringe than entertaining, playing the director of Seo-hyun’s AI project as a cartoonish, petulant man-child. Given the serious tone established by Yeon, it’s an out-of-place portrayal that comes off as terribly distracting, and even worst, annoying.
Of course, the film tries to explain Sang-hoon’s behavior midway through the film. It’s a character turn that normally would serve as an okay enough excuse, if not for the third-act when the film completely contradicts Sang-hoon’s character by turning him into an intimidating, murderous monster. Sure, the readjustment makes him more in line with the film’s tone, but it goes against everything the film had previously established about the character.
Consensus: While it certainly boasts some dazzling action set pieces and an intriguing set-up, Yeon Sang-ho’s JUNG_E fails to capitalize on its ambitious premise and themes, resulting in a disappointing effort from the talented South Korean filmmaker.
Silver Screen Fanatic’s Verdict: I give JUNG_E a C- (★★).
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