RESURRECTION OF THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL

Directed by Jang Sun-woo
Screenplay by In Jin-mi & Jang Sun-woo
Produced by Huh Chang-kyung
Cast: Lim Eun-kyeong, Kim Hyun-sung, Kim Jin-pyo, Sing Jin & Ta Kang

2002/124 mins/Color/DTS
1.85:1 anamorphic/Korean/Korea/NTSC Region 0

Taking its basic idea from Hans Christian Anderson's fairy tale, 'The Little Match Girl' but turning it into a modern cyberspace action film, RESURRECTION OF THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL is without a doubt one of the most entertaining film in years!

Chinese restaurant delivery boy, Ju would like to be like his friend... a professional pro gamer. He spends most of his night at an electronic game arcade. Ju also happens to have a crush on the girl who works there, Hee-mee. One night, he comes across what seems to be her and buy a lighter from her... as she suddenly disapear, he calls the number on the lighter thus login on a virtual reality game called RESURRECTION OF THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL.

As reality and cyberspace interchange, Ju is given the mission to "save" the girl, who happens to be the alter-ego of Hee-mee, from the claws of evil thugs, old horny guys and others in order to lead her to a peaceful death! The people behind the "game" called the System tries to stop him from doing so because they think he might actually make it! Yet he makes some "friends" like Lala, a Lara Croft-like lesbian who in real life happens to be famed Chinese transsexual, Jin Xing.

I don't want to tell you too much about this great film which features layers and layers of messages about society, power, technology, government... or the system as they call it. There is much more behind all this then a simple action movie.

Director Jang Sun-woo worked four years to make this ten millions US mega production, one of the most expensive in Asian cinema history! Involving storytelling, great acting, over the top action scenes, superb fx and kick ass fights makes this yet another blockbuster coming from Korea!

The DVD, while it ain't an official release, is simply amazing. First the film is presented in a flawless 1.85:1 anamorphic aspect ratio. The colors are amazingly well rendered, there is absolutely no signs of compression or artifacts. We get a DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks, i've listened to both and they are loud, responsive, make great use of directional fx and have a pounding bass... nothing to complain about here either. My problem with Korean DVDs, is that the extras never have any English subs which is a shame really! There a commentary track with the director, a cool documentary, a 40 minutes making of segment which takes a look at the press conference, behind-the-scenes, fx and more, really interesting even though I couldn't understand what they were saying! There's also a videoclip from the song played in the film by the band, 3 trailers which are extremely cool. The cover is reversible, the film is separated in 20 chapters, comes in a keep case and features great looking 3d animated menus!

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Review by Kim Dubuisson. All Right Reserved. 2003. ©