Save The Green Planet (2003)
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87% of critics liked it
(39 reviews) -
86% of users liked it
(7,176 ratings)
The genre-bending black comedy sci-fi thriller Save the Green Planet! marks the feature debut of writer/director Jang Jun-hwan. Shin Ha-kyun of Joint Security Area stars as Byun-gu, an eccentric beekeeper who, with the help of his tightrope walker girlfriend, Sooni (Hwang Jeong-min), kidnaps a… More The genre-bending black comedy sci-fi thriller Save the Green Planet! marks the feature debut of writer/director Jang Jun-hwan. Shin Ha-kyun of Joint Security Area stars as Byun-gu, an eccentric beekeeper who, with the help of his tightrope walker girlfriend, Sooni (Hwang Jeong-min), kidnaps a powerful and successful businessman, Man-sik (Baek Yun-shik). Byun-gu believes that Man-sik is an alien from the planet Andromeda, one of many hiding among us and plotting to destroy the Earth in a few days. Amphetamine-popping Byun-gu sees himself as the planet's last hope, and sets about torturing Man-sik with relish, trying to convince him to contact the "Royal Prince" and call off Armageddon. A battle of wits and wills ensues, with Man-sik trying to convince his captors that he's human and attempting to escape. Man-sik recognizes Byun-gu as a disgruntled former employee whose comatose mother suffers from a mysterious illness. It begins to seem that Byun-gu's true motivation may be personal, but he's still ruthlessly determined to get Man-sik to confess and cooperate, even if he has to risk killing him. Meanwhile, a disheveled detective, Chu (Lee Jae-yong), and his young acolyte, Inspector Kim (Lee Ju-hyeon), discover that the person who kidnapped Man-sik may have struck several times before, always with deadly results. The distinctly offbeat Save the Green Planet! was a box-office flop in South Korea, but it won some acclaim on the festival circuit. The film had its U.S. premiere at the 2004 New York Korean Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi
- Directed By
- Jun-hwan Jeong
- Written By
- Jun-hwan Jeong
- Genres
- Drama, Horror, Art House & International, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 2004 Wide
- Studio
- Koch Lorber Films
Critic Reviews
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Andrea Gronvall, Chicago Reader
Punk graphics and a snaking camera add zest to the story, which is alternately heartbreaking, suspenseful, and darkly funny.
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Derek Adams, Time Out
The film oscillates between wild humour, suspense, horror and pathos, sometimes all in one shot. It's quite something.
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Jeff Shannon, Seattle Times
Like any roller-coaster ride, it may make you queasy, but you'll never be bored.
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Murray Whyte, Toronto Star
Demented yet somehow humane, Save The Green Planet is a visually ingenious hybrid melding horror, black comedy, revenge thriller and science fiction into an unpredictable, cohesive whole.
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Jennie Punter, Globe and Mail
Entertaining, visually inventive and truly out-there.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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