The Bong Joon-ho directed satirical thriller ‘Parasite’ is a jaw-dropping, gasp-inducing, and eye-opening masterpiece that will have you on the edge of your seat from the beginning till the very end. This Oscar winning film’s brilliant portrayal of economic disparity, societal differences, and the blind entitlement of the privileged class will leave your stomach in knots. The story of Parasite revolves around two families- the Kims and the Parks. While the Kim family lives in a semi basement apartment in Seoul, with not even enough money to afford a wifi connection, the Park family lives a life of comfort and luxury in their airy mansion. The film takes a twist when the jobless and penniless Kims slowly start to make their way into the lives of the Park family. Using fake identities, they all land jobs in the park household. As worlds of both of the families completely intertwine with each other, all hell breaks loose. The difference between their economic status and their way of looking at life gets clearer with every passing scene. The title of the film, which is used as a metaphor, suddenly starts to make sense as it perfectly portrays the relationship between the two families, with the Kim family becoming a parasite that lives inside and feeds off of their host (the Parks).
This movie brutally yet beautifully showcases the difference in social status and economic unevenness between the two families. While the Kims lose their house and all of their belongings in a flood, the park kid sleeps peacefully in his waterproof toy tent. The Kim family has to climb on a toilet to access the network, while the park residence has a network running even in the basement. Parasite is full of such scenes, which work as an eye-opener to the sad reality of our world. This movie’s reality and relevance is scarily too real and prevalent all around us.
The story shifts between different genres throughout the film. It starts with laughter-inducing scenes, and then soon progresses from a dark comedy to a suspense thriller that has you biting your nails and pulling at your hair in anticipation of what would happen next. Towards the end, the movie takes a rather heartbreaking turn, which leaves you confused about what to feel. The most shocking thing you will find about this film is the fact that every character becomes a victim, as well as the villain at some point. Throughout the film, you will not be able to decide who you are truly rooting for.
If this film were to be a book, it would be every English teacher’s dream come true due to its symbolism and endless metaphorical references. Little things in this movie, like stairs, noodles, body odor, and a stone, are expertly used as metaphors to convey very deep messages. Parasite is a must watch as it not only provides you with great entertainment but also gets you thinking about the true reality of the world around us while giving you a vicious insight in the lives of the rich and poor.
The cast also delivers great performances that have you sympathizing with their characters, even when they are committing heinous crimes. With Bong Joon-ho’s direction, the cast’s amazing performances, beautifully captured visuals, a great background score, and the most brilliantly written story, Parasite promises you a once in a lifetime experience that will have a very long-lasting impact on you. It will generate the loudest laughs and the strongest emotional reactions. It is one of the most thought-provoking films that you’ll ever see as you will find every scene and dialogue having a deeper meaning. It is a film that needs to be watched with your eyes and minds open. If you haven’t yet watched this amazing piece of art, you are missing out on a lot. So, head over to amazon prime and watch it as soon as you can.
