Review: Chemical

Review by Joseph Ochieng
Director: YJ Kim
Actors: Eunmin Kho, YJ Kim, Juhyun Son

The narrative is about a jilted lover seeking reunion with his ex-girlfriend. The Implied silence at the beginning of the film creates suspense and enhances the mood. A blank screen with the words of two characters having a conversation stirs questions in the viewer’s mind. Are they insurgents, are they chemical doctors, and are they scientists? After a few seconds, the two mates are revealed talking matters love over a drink.

Costume design matches with the initial moments of the story. The silent conversation on a blank screen superimposes the dark clothing of the characters when we meet them for the first time. The plot twists and we realize that the two friends are involved in a discussion about love, its intricacies, and characteristics. How the director wields his creativity to relay the message is strategic. The film pace changes from slow at the beginning to a quick montage in the middle revealing flashback sequence and the thoughts of the characters.

Transition to the significant events in the story is primarily enhanced by fading to black. In the second part, Eunmin is introduced. Her boyfriend calls her, and she agrees to meet him. During the date, the man pours the chemical in Eunmin’s drink. The pace increases again when Eunmin’s thoughts play before her eyes, in a fast montage. The visual effects help enhance the mood of the bar scene. The reality is contrasted with Eunmin’s thought through color correction. The director has succeeded in getting his audience glued to “Chemical” from the point of hitting the “play” to the final minutes. The fading to blank screens enhance act breaks, giving the viewer a moment to internalize the previous acts, and prepare for the next events. However, the fact that dialog propels the plot is the main undoing of “Chemical.” Subtlety and suspense could still be achieved through the thought-provoking actions in the flashback sequences.