The President's Last Bang (2005)

80% of critics liked it
(30 reviews)
72% of users liked it
(667 ratings)

South Korean filmmaker Im Sang-su (A Good Lawyer's Wife) tackles the assassination of President Park Chun-hee (Song Jae-Ho) in his political satire The President's Last Bang. Im focuses on the internecine bickering and jockeying for position that took place among the dictator's closest advisors.… More South Korean filmmaker Im Sang-su (A Good Lawyer's Wife) tackles the assassination of President Park Chun-hee (Song Jae-Ho) in his political satire The President's Last Bang. Im focuses on the internecine bickering and jockeying for position that took place among the dictator's closest advisors. Park was in the midst of a brutal crackdown on student protestors, angry workers, and others whom he saw as a threat to his regime. As the film opens, KCIA Chief Agent Ju (Han Suk-Gyu of Shiri) is getting rid of a hooker and her overzealous mother while President Park prepares for a banquet at his safe house with disgruntled KCIA Director Kim (Baek Yun-shik of Save the Green Planet!), Chief Secretary Yang (Gweon Byeong-Gil), and Chief Bodyguard Cha (Jeong Weon-Jung), who has already offended Ju and Kim with his malicious "office politics," and two charming young ladies, a well-known pop singer (Kim Yun-Ah) and a co-ed (Cho Eun-ji). Kim has just had an unhappy doctor's visit, and been told he's suffering from a bad liver and chronic fatigue. Apparently pushed to the breaking point, he enlists his underlings, Ju and Colonel Min (Kim Eung-soo) in a deadly plot. Im insists that while some of the dialogue was necessarily invented, his film tells the story of what actually happened on that historic night in 1979. Park's relatives, still politically active in the country's right wing, sued the filmmaker and successfully kept him from using archival footage of the president in the film's final cut. The President's Last Bang was selected by the Film Society of Lincoln Center for inclusion in the 2005 New York Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 42 min.
Directed By: Im Sang-soo, Lim Sang-soo
Genres: Action & Adventure, Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: Sep 2, 2005 Wide
On DVD: Apr 4, 2006
Studio: Kino International

Critic Reviews

Janice Page, Boston Globe
what the film lacks in depth it makes up for in Hong Kong-style punch, with vivid cinematography and powerfully choreographed action.
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
Although a tad long-winded and plodding, it's vigorously acted and persuasive, leaving the viewer to suspect that Im's account, drawn from historical records, could be pretty close to the truth.
G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle
Im Sang Soo is, film by film, challenging the way modern South Koreans think and behave.
Derek Elley, Variety
A virtuoso slice of sustained black humor.
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer
The President's Last Bang is as funny as its title promises. I can think of no higher praise.
A.O. Scott, New York Times
This tight, sober and strangely comical new film from South Korea tells a tale that may sound far-fetched, but that is all the more crazy for being true.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
I found it muddled and un-engaging.
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
A little light in the extras department but fans of the film will be pleased to have it on a reasonably good-looking Region 1 disc.
Laura Kelly, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
In the end it's probably best to say, glad I saw it, but not sure I got the most out of the experience. My advice: Do a little history homework first.
Robert W. Butler, Kansas City Star
The President's Last Bang has been extremely well made, and its cast deftly walks the thin line between reality and parody. Perhaps the players do it a bit too well.
Sean Axmaker, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
... the way it brazenly mixes matter-of-fact brutality with the deadpan comedy of the fumbling execution and slapdash cover-up is inspired...
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
The off-kilter humor is a welcome contrast, and the performances are strong, particularly by Baek as the increasingly unhinged patsy.
Ted Fry, Seattle Times
The President's Last Bang comes off as all too ridiculously believable.
Sean Means, Salt Lake Tribune
The gallery of Park's cronies and sycophants are presented as buffoons, but as the violence starts, the narrative thread gets hopelessly tangled.
David Noh, Film Journal International
It's riveting and unsettling, but, as powerful as it is to watch, because of its basic, panoramically broad conception, it may not really stay fixed in the memory.
Jules Brenner, Cinema Signals
In the end, the film develops an amusing entertainment out of dire circumstances.
Scott Foundas, L.A. Weekly
This meticulously well-made picture is disarmingly funny at times ... but also subdued and straight-faced, with one eye planted on 1979 and the other on the violent student demonstrations looming in the distance.
Andy Klein, Los Angeles CityBeat
A few elements of the film are lost in the translation...[but] for all that, The President's Last Bang is entertaining and swift-moving.
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central
An alchemical brew of balls and technical brilliance.

Read all 19 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Justin Y

Based on the assassination of Korean President Park Chung-hee, The President's Last Bang creates some controversy about the portrayal of the President himself.Without question, the plot for this film is interesting and will grab a lot of people's… More
Based on the assassination of Korean President Park Chung-hee, The President's Last Bang creates some controversy about the portrayal of the President himself.Without question, the plot for this film is interesting and will grab a lot of people's attention. Unfortunately, the storytelling may only cater to certain people since the pace of this film is really slow. This is not an action movie by any means. It is more of a crime drama with a bit of dark humor. About 95% of this film takes place a couple of hours before the assassination, the assassination itself, and the few hours after the assassination.It is the hours before the assassination that is a let down. The first 30 minutes of this film is a little political, boring, and at the same time may be a bit hard to grasp. It isn't until the 40 minute mark that the movie really picks up. The moments right before the assassination will hold your interest and so will the assassination itself. Not long after, the film drops back down into more of the political stage again.As for the assassination itself it isn't a fancy shootout, but is rather a realistic execution. The only downside is that there isn't enough background in the beginning to show who is in on it. You don't really find out until the assassination is actually taking place.The acting and cinematography are probably the best aspects of this film. Suk-kyu Han and Yun-shik Baek both lead off nicely with the supporting cast following behind.The political aspect of this film is only for certain people, but it is still a decent watch if politics is not for you.
El Hombre I

An unabashedly leftist take on a dark period in Korea's history. Set almost entirely on the day of President Park Chung Hee's assassination in 1979, the film is an all out attack on his regime, and paints the former president as a drunk with an unhealthy obsession with the… More
An unabashedly leftist take on a dark period in Korea's history. Set almost entirely on the day of President Park Chung Hee's assassination in 1979, the film is an all out attack on his regime, and paints the former president as a drunk with an unhealthy obsession with the Japanese. Politics aside, The President's Last Bang is an almost flawless work with cinematography that's a feast for the eyes and sound that's a treat for audiophiles. The dark humor is razor-sharp and distributed wisely, if unexpectedly. An almost mean spirited satire worthy of mention alongside Kubrick, Mamet and Altman. <a href="http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/?action=view¤t=President_iw.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/President_iw.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]"The President's Last Bang" takes place on October 26, 1979. South Korea's reigning president has been in power since 1961. He is keeping the country under his thumb by cracking down on dissent and demonstrations. The official ideology of… More
[font=Century Gothic]"The President's Last Bang" takes place on October 26, 1979. South Korea's reigning president has been in power since 1961. He is keeping the country under his thumb by cracking down on dissent and demonstrations. The official ideology of anti-communism has evolved into a long standing corruption. All of which is taking a physical and mental toll on the director of intelligence. And this comes to a boil at a party being given in the president's honor at a KCIA safe house...[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"The President's Last Bang" was inspired by true events.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]The film gets off to a slow start and is occasionally confusing. There are plenty of characters to keep track of, mostly through their job titles. Once it does get moving and events are put into motion, it does all come together for an effective political thriller that occasionally plays as black comedy. [/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font]
Panta O

The President's Last Bang (그때 그사람들) is a movie which gives you a real punch from the start and then you wonder what happened - is someone still counting or you're on the floor and dreaming! The film focus… More
The President's Last Bang (그때 그사람들) is a movie which gives you a real punch from the start and then you wonder what happened - is someone still counting or you're on the floor and dreaming! The film focus is on the few hours before and after former Korean President Park's assassination on October 26, 1979. Controversial aspect of the film initially was the portrayal of the former president as a cowardly libertine, having late-night drinking parties, pawing young women, and in particular having much admiration for Japanese culture, to the point of occasionally speaking Japanese himself! The original title of this movie in English is "The People of Those Days" and refers to a famous Korean song of a similar title - "The Person of those Days". According to official sources, this song was performed by Sim Soo-bong during the party the night of Park's assassination (in the movie Sim Soo-bong is summoned to perform Japanese enka songs). I have to say that I really enjoyed the director's Im Sang-soo work - exceptionally unique and invigorating! If you have a chance to watch it, please, do it!