Review: Controversy is no stranger to Kim Ki-Duk, a man normally in the news more for his thoughts and views than his art and craft. Recent events have seen him critical of his home nation, and their apparent lack of interest in his work; his belief being that Koreans were perhaps not sophisticated, or patient enough for the brand of low-fi, methodical cinema he offers on some what of a periodical basis. Or maybe, if Real Fiction is any indication, he just believes he’s misunderstood, and under appreciated by his countrymen and women.

Now, a serial killer movie isn’t something you’d come to expect from the reigning king of subtle cinema, but this isn’t your usual killer thriller by any stretch, and what less could you expect from Mr. Ki-Duk? When the lead protagonist considers the targets for his killing spree, never do we think anything more than for him to go forth and do his bidding. But instead we’re given an insight into every person on the hit list that makes these people more than just victims; they become characters. This turns the dynamic of the film around, and it ends up more like COFFEE & CIGARETTES than FRIDAY THE 13th, made sequential by the aims of the killer. To remove the killer we’d have a series of short, very interesting stories. This concept, in itself, is a convention of the plot and a metaphor on the disposable nature of life; that all these people could have their own ways and means, beyond those that the killer tells us.

Conceptually Real Fiction is as ambitious a project as any other of the director’s arsenal, for it is shot entirely in real time; in one constant flow, using a variety of cameras. It also integrates footage from a Mini DV camcorder held by a character within the movie, to make the movie that extra inch more voyeuristic and personal. The real time aspect really adds to that voyeur overtone, since everything seems so organic and natural. Where shooting scenes one at a time gives everyone a chance to rest and prepare, this method of approach keeps everyone on edge, and not a single bad link in the chain is allowed; this really pushes the actors to bring their A-game, and the result is a naturalistic, and honest performance across the board.

The story surrounding the main character himself seems almost autobiographical of the director. I mean, I cannot comment on how long Kim Ki-Duk has had issues with his home nation; I’ve not been tracking him for so long, but this film reflects the position he finds himself in currently. An artist in the public eye who is bullied and put down by the people he’s trying to please. Within the film our “hero” is followed by a rather frail-looking young lady with a digital camcorder, and not only is she the main instigator in his aggressive turn but she documents every step of his decline. This acts as an almost direct parallel to the nature in which only Ki-Duk’s bad side is being highlighted by the press in Korea, and the aesthetic innocence and weakness of the girl behind the camera works as a metaphor for the manner in which the media can do no wrong, and how he’s made to look like a monster for fighting back.

Some how Real Fiction works both as an interesting movie, and a screw you-vehicle. This is probably accredited to the subtlety OF the screw you’s, as the manner in which the film works is that everything is weaved together through both narrative and social commentary. Cleverly Ki-Duk has made his own commentary (or his scrutiny against the media, at least) the narrative structure of the movie. This was released in the same year as The Isle, and I can only assume that it was eclipsed by said film. Understandably so, I mean, The Isle is a fantastic movie, and definitely where the director found this auteur penchant for movies based upon action and not words. However, for a slice of more conventional cinema, Real Fiction is definitely worth a look, for it tackles the serial killer film with a confident, independent swagger.