Review: Never would I have imagined that a film with such a fragile demeanor would have the ability to be so incredibly riveting. When held under a magnifying glass, it isn’t too incredibly hard to pass the premise off as being simple and elementary. I would even be willing to go as far as to say that the script is probably an incredibly boring read, but fortunately, Director Kim Ki-duk managed to have the foresight to know that sometimes less is more.

Divided into sections that encapsulate each passing season, SSFW&S begins as its namesake does, with the arrival of spring. A handful of carefully planned shots quickly reveal to the viewer a setting removed from the commotion of modern life. On a body of water at the bottom of an ancient valley lies a tiny floating temple. Presently occupying said temple are two monks, one at the beginning of life, the other nearing its end. As the season progresses we learn more of their peaceful existence by following the two through simple moments in their regular routine. One particular instance shows us a candid glimpse surrounding the young monk and a playful encounter with childish ignorance. When his error brings about the disapproval of his elder, the young monk is taught a valuable lesson about the importance of life and the necessity of maintaining its balance. As the film progresses we find that this simple beginning does well to summarize the gentle yet firm disposition of the elder monk, as well as giving us some foundation for the future decisions that the young monk will eventually make. As you may very well have guessed, from here the film makes its transition from sequence to sequence; showing us the passing of seasons in nature, as well as in the life of the two monks. Each season starts simply enough, and as time and event move forward, a cinematic crescendo forms, leading our young monk towards a series of morals that form and mold him from a state of youthful naïveté to that of enlightenment.

With all the gentle subtlety of the premise, the true beauty of the film would not be possible without its picturesque setting. From the lush, dense forest surrounding the pond, to the powerful and ornate carvings of the entry gates, each minute detail committed to film is as rewarding to look at as the film itself is to experience. All the beautiful scenery in the world would be for not though, if it weren’t for the carefully skilled instances of cinematography found throughout. Taking a tip from its subject matter, each frame appears to have been arranged with Zen like precision giving the viewer yet another pleasing image to behold.