WTF Korea?!?: Chawz

* Well, it's a Sunday update for once.  Take the good with the bad. *

It's the South Korean version of Razorback!  Today's film is Chawz, a movie I'm still trying to figure out.  Is it a Horror film?  Given the body count and story, I'd say 'yes.'  Is it a Comedy?  Well, we have comic-relief characters and pratfalls, so I'd say 'yes' again.  Is it an Environmental film?  Given that the film vilifies Poachers and human action, I'd say 'yes' to that as well.  It's really hard to pin down...which could be good or bad, depending on how you feel.  On the plus side, it's not Save the Green Planet!  So what is the movie about?  Well, as you may have guessed, it's about a giant, killer boar- this time in South Korea.  The movie is kind of a mixed bag of Horror, Comedy and wackiness.  As a bonus, it's poster is not exactly accurate, featuring characters that look nothing like they do in the film.  Truth in advertising!  To find out whether or not to watch this film (on Streaming, btw) or not, read on...

Over the Credits, we learn that Hunters brought down the Boars' food supply, leading them to hunt humans. Okay.

After that, the off-screen Boar kills a guy after defiling a grave.  When the Police find the body, pratfalls ensue.  No, really.

In the main plot, a Cop is transferred from Seoul to a small village.  Holy Hot Fuzz, Batman!

The second death occurs when a young woman is attacked by the Boar, escapes, gets hit by a car, dumped back by the drunk drivers and then killed.  The pay-off...never comes.

While the movie is obsessed with random B-Plots and side characters, they finally realize that murders have occurred and investigate.  Hurray.

Here's something random: this weird Witch lady shows up a bunch of times, but does nothing.  Thanks?

After the Boar finally shows up officially, a bunch of Hunters show up to take it out.  To action, camouflage-clad comrades!

They manage to kill the beast.  Movie over.

Yeah, right.  Did anyone fall for this?  If you did, turn in your Get to Watch Movies Badge!

Yeah, that's more like it.  Kudos for the set piece too.  A bit obvious, but obvious works here.

In a bit right out of Jaws (homage maybe), the group goes out to hunt the beast and engages in stories.  Sadly, they don't also compare tattoos like in The Return of Swamp Thing.  No film is perfect though.

I won't SPOIL the big climax of the film, since this is...interesting.  I'm not sure how good it is, but it is interesting.  The End.

Here's my review of Chawz in one word: odd.  The good: a neat premise, a cast of characters that are interesting and a good plot as whole.  The bad: confusing tone, oddball pacing and not the best CG.  I could probably just end there, but maybe I should elaborate.  First, I liked the plot.  It was mostly Razorback (only they reversed the grandfather dying with the granddaughter dying), but it was still good.  It was interesting to see the monster be killed in the same kind of location that the monster in Razorback was too- the comparisons pile up!  It's a shame that the Granddaughter isn't as cute as the blond from that movie (also from The Road Warrior).  The characters are very weird and wacky, but I can't say that they were stock.  The bad parts involve those same characters- they feel like they belong in another film.  They're characters right out of a super-wacky, South Korean Comedy without monsters.  It's jarring at times and I'm not sure how I feel about it.  The bottom line is this: this is a confusing Horror-Comedy.  It won't be for everyone, but it certainly is...interesting.  That's both the most clear and most vague way that I can say it.  Take us away, random psychic dog...

Next up, a review of films that have been occupying my Instant Queue for months.  First up, I learn not to tease a Dwarf if I know Stella Star.  Stay tuned...