South Korea's entry in the International Oscar race is the story of the coup that occurred after the assassination of the the President of the country in 1979. While the film has fictional elements and name changes the film lays out what happened when the military took over
Feeling more like a Hollywood film like ALL THE PRESIDENTS MEN or one of the top historical recreations, 12:12 does not have the typical cinematic rhythms. It's a film that feels like it is marching through history. The result is a gripping film that pulls us along. I completely understand why people in Korea were monitoring their pulse rates during the film. This is a solid political thriller.
At the same time I never connected 100% with the film. The issue is that despite the fact that the film makes every effort to give background and lay out who is who, there are nuances of Korean history and society that were lost on me. Yes, I could follow along with what was happening, but at the same time I felt that I was not getting everything I should. Don't get me wrong this is a great film, it just didn't fully connect with me.
Quibble aside- this is recommended
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