Seong-hun Kim's Tunnel is a tale of perseverance, survival, and hope, telling the story of Jung-su, an ordinary man, who on his way home for his daughter's birthday unexpectedly finds himself in the fight of his life. Blending tropes of survival horror, disaster films, and introspective drama, Tunnel is an engaging experience about a man who finds himself trapped under thousands of pounds of rock, dirt, and concrete after a poorly constructed tunnel collapses with him inside. Tunnel is a well made film, with Seong-hun Kim exhibiting the type of claustrophobic environment our main protagonist finds himself in, with the cinematography and sound design playing an important role in establishing the true horror of being in this type of situation. A film with a surprising amount of scope, Tunnel begins as what appears to be a tight, straightforward piece of survival horror only to unfold into an expansive story touching on shortcomings of the government, the media's unquestionable thirst for a story, human error, and the importance of humanities' empathy towards one and other. Tunnel portrays both the media and government in less than positive lights, exhibiting how the media's desires are always rooted in the best possible headline while simultaneously showcasing the slog of government, a governing body that must always examine every situation void of the importance of the individual. Both the media and the government's interest in Jung-su are rooted in some form of selfishness, with the true empathy shown in the Tunnel being the individual rescue workers who work day and night attempting to do the impossible for the sake of human life. Though one could certainly argue that the film's length evokes the feeling of hopelessness and misery one would associate from being stuck underground for 35 days, Tunnel does overstay its welcome towards the end, with the film's narrative unable to completely support its 2+ hour running time. Tunnel is a serious story of survival, but Seong-hun Kim peppers his film with a lot of humor throughout, a film that takes advantage of the uncomfortable nature of such a struggle of survival, bordering on absurd humor to criticize the intentions of the media and government trying to save Seong-hun Kim. Seong-hun Kim's Tunnel is a thrilling experience that may be a tad overlong, a film that never pretends situations like this are anything but difficult, showcasing both the positive and negative aspects of human nature and society.
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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