“Brave Citizen” Theatrical Poster
Director: Park Jin-pyo
Cast: Shin Hae-Sun, Lee Jun-Young, Park Jung-Woo, Park Hyuk-Kwon, Cha Chung-Hwa, Lee Chan-Hyeong, Bae Hyeon-Jun, Cha Woo-Min, Lee Joong-Ok
Running Time: 113 min.
By Paul Bramhall
High school power struggles have always been present in cinema, and they usually take the form of an underdog going up against one or more characters who are best described as bullies, worst as violent psychopaths. Korean cinema is no different. Whether it be Kwon Sang-woo taking on a gang of classroom thugs in Once Upon a Time in Highschool, or Jang Hyuk going up against the villainous vice principal in Volcano High, there’s something cathartic about seeing those that take advantage of their status or strength get their just desserts. Those productions fit the classic archetype of the genre, but its 2023’s Brave Citizen that may be the first to frame the story from the perspective of a teacher going head-to-head with the resident school bully. A stand-in teacher at that!
Sure there’s been stories that go for the ‘teacher pushed over the edge’ angle, Miike Takashi’s Lesson of the Evil being a classic example, however for his latest outing director Park Jin-pyo has different ideas. A director that falls into that distinctly Korean category of disappearing for years at a time, Jin-pyo looked to be a regular fixture in Korean cinema during the 2000’s, debuting in 2002 with the controversial Too Young to Die (controversial only because of its portrayal of sex between a 70+ years old couple!). During the rest of the decade he’d helm weighty dramatic Continue reading
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