What Is A Safe Place?
This is a worth to watch. In terms of storyline, shots, editing, and selection of cast. It shows a different dimension between each roles's perspective in deducing the culprit. The shot cue between shots also trying to tell between each person within the same event timing, so it's very fast paced. Sung-min here is really a good actor, the look of him knowing the fact he knows the culprit but are forced to maintain silent for the protection of his family.The ending is perfect, as it packages the whole concept of what is considered a safe neighbourhood. Will you want a neighbourhood, where all the homes are busy with their activities or someone whom will still keep a lookout of their surrounding in case of something happens. Which creates the irony, what is a safe neighbourhood, is a quiet and serene place; a safe place?
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The Witness dives into the exploration of Bystander Effect, a situation when individuals are less likely to help a victim or interfere in a situation when there are other people present. Why? Because they assume someone else will help, that there are others, who can take that responsibility on themselves. While Sang Hoon's actions were frustrating, they were also perfectly understandable. Everyone likes to think that if they were in a similar situation they would help. Let me enlighten you: you wouldn't. Most likely I wouldn't. It's easy to be a hero sitting safe in front of your laptop. That's why, even though the male lead's inaction has terrible consequences, I can't really condemn him for his weak and cowardly behavior.
That said, the creepiness and intensity the first half had, slowly died and the movie started to be more entertaining in nature. It wasn't just the killer lurking and hiding in the shadows anymore. The confrontation was approaching, but when it actually happened... It was lacking. I don't think they gave enough reasoning for Sang Hoon's behavior towards the end, but I kind of accepted it because... fun?
The performance of the cast was amazing. The paranoia in Sang Hoon and the desperation in Jae Yup were clearly visible. We haven't seen that much of Tae Ho, but that was the smart choice. The more of him we saw, the less intense and interesting the movie became.
Overall, it's a fun watch. Even though the first and second half give different quality and might even seem like parts of different movies, the ending scene quite well brings us back to the tense and eerie vibe we see at the beginning.
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