Warning: Possible Spoilers
While 'Save the Green Planet' does a nice job of combining humor, horror and science fiction elements it is, in its heart, a frustrated lashing out against society and extreme revenge fantasy against every shitty boss you've ever had.
The twist-turney ending and perpetual question of whether Kang is actually a malign alien or not is enjoyable but somewhat predictable. The systematic torture of Kang takes center stage and is the most meaningful part of the film. This is Jeong's pop-punk MTV inspired "screw you" to the establishment. As Kang's trials become progressively more brutal it does not matter if he actually is an alien; there is nothing alien about his pain. And just as MTV, pop- punk, and alterna-Hot Topic culture are run by Kang-centric business outfits, Lee Byeong- Goo's unhinged fury is driven by a counter culture that ultimately let him down. His efforts are not an altruistic attempt to save the earth, but a misguided jaunt in bully comeuppance.
'Save the Green Planet' is a film where genres cross but never successfully mix. The detective angle, science fiction intrigue, comic falderal, and gory horror are all handled excellently, yet are isolated in specific microcosms within the film. The film is certainly satisfying when broken down to its individual elements and influences but fails to coalesce into the brilliant genre crossing stew it could have been.
While 'Save the Green Planet' does a nice job of combining humor, horror and science fiction elements it is, in its heart, a frustrated lashing out against society and extreme revenge fantasy against every shitty boss you've ever had.
The twist-turney ending and perpetual question of whether Kang is actually a malign alien or not is enjoyable but somewhat predictable. The systematic torture of Kang takes center stage and is the most meaningful part of the film. This is Jeong's pop-punk MTV inspired "screw you" to the establishment. As Kang's trials become progressively more brutal it does not matter if he actually is an alien; there is nothing alien about his pain. And just as MTV, pop- punk, and alterna-Hot Topic culture are run by Kang-centric business outfits, Lee Byeong- Goo's unhinged fury is driven by a counter culture that ultimately let him down. His efforts are not an altruistic attempt to save the earth, but a misguided jaunt in bully comeuppance.
'Save the Green Planet' is a film where genres cross but never successfully mix. The detective angle, science fiction intrigue, comic falderal, and gory horror are all handled excellently, yet are isolated in specific microcosms within the film. The film is certainly satisfying when broken down to its individual elements and influences but fails to coalesce into the brilliant genre crossing stew it could have been.