Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: SEOBOK [Fantasia Film Festival 2021 - Virtual]
The aspect of what miracles can come out playing with the human genome can provoke some valid discussions. The interpretation of what life is meant to be and how it functions in relation to greed or connection is explored in the genre film "Seobok" from Korea. The set up involves a young man who has never seen the outside walls but seems to have certain powers being transported to a new facility. The reasoning of this is a little flimsy but it places him out into the world and in danger where he becomes a target. Like legendary stories (i.e. the animated "Akira"), the aspect of family, conscience and rage plays heavily into the story. While the film is not as schmaltzy as others in the genre , it tries to pull the heart strings while offering up some significantly well produced action scenes but it doesn't always work. The progression tends to go from intimate scenes you might see in an indie to CG enhanced moments that work. At times they are nicely balanced and, at others, they miss the mark (mostly in the drama).
The aspect of corruption always plays in the background but like so many stories of late, it tries to keep them vague (likely to not offend too many viewers or distributors). That said the blind ambition and recklessness of the characters including doctors becomes more than slightly silly. The one relationship that should ground Seo Bok does but even that you don't get a reason why that person in the reverse would act in certain ways she did (and to give away her relationship would spoil too much). The more central story is the former cop who is protecting Seo: Min. There seemed to be a drug angle at the beginning (which disappears and is replaced with something else) but the texture of hs pain is well acted. This is the main performance that keeps the film on track. Seo Bok, the boy also know as The Specimen, does his job aptly but the filmmakers obviously thought a stilted approach/performance might be more effective. But, in the end, it makes the conclusion, although textured, a little flat. "Seobok" does approach an interesting concept with "Akira" overtones but alot of the peripery characterization makes it not as effective as it could be, which is both tonal and resonance based. B-
By Tim Wassberg
