In the thrilling tale of "Stare at the Witch Part 1," readers are taken on a suspenseful journey through a small, mysterious town. The story revolves around the arrival of a new neighbor who is rumored to be a witch. From the very beginning, the protagonist, Sarah, feels a peculiar sense of unease whenever she sees the new neighbor. This unease is magnified when strange occurrences begin plaguing the town, leading Sarah to suspect that the witch may be to blame. Amidst whispers and speculation, Sarah takes it upon herself to investigate the situation and uncover the truth. As she delves deeper into the mystery, she learns that not everything is what it seems in this idyllic town.
Speaking as a viewer who consumes way too much North American entertainment, The Witch Part 1 – The Subversion has similar tropes of a Hollywood superhero movie. The mass killing of the children at the top of the film reminds me of government targeting mutant children in the X-Men series. As the title suggests, this is only part one of the franchise, though I can’t imagine what more they can do with it, since everything seemed to wrap up in the end. Maybe if I had stayed in the theater long enough, I might have caught a post-credit scene that would clue me into the sequel. It’s highly unlikely though, Korean filmmakers are bit more original than that.
A special shout-out is also in order for Ko Min-shi as the loudmouth best friend Myung-hee , who had the audience in stitches with her quirky antics. A special shout-out is also in order for Ko Min-shi as the loudmouth best friend Myung-hee , who had the audience in stitches with her quirky antics.
As she delves deeper into the mystery, she learns that not everything is what it seems in this idyllic town. With each passing day, Sarah becomes more entangled in a web of secrets and dangers, and the line between reality and superstition starts to blur. The story ends on a cliffhanger, leaving readers eagerly anticipating Part 2 to find out what happens next.
'The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion': Macao Review
When Ja-yoon (Kim Da-Mi) escaped from a top secret government facility as an eight-year-old, she left behind a trail of bodies, an ankle-deep river of blood and all of her memories of the life which came before. Ten years later, she’s living as a normal, if unusually gifted teenager in a rural backwater. But when she appears on a televised talent show, it’s not just her perfect pitch which attracts attention. And soon, Ja-yoon finds herself pursued by figures from a past she no longer recalls. This YA spin on a Korean revenge movie suffers from a few pacing issues, and leans a little too heavily on exposition, but the action sequences are as thrilling as they are face-crunchingly visceral. And the deadly charisma of the key performers, notably newcomer Kim Da-mi as the teenage Ja-yoon, should ensure plenty of interest in further chapters in this story.
The brutalist corridors and clinical minimalism provides an ideal backdrop for the exuberantly gymnastic violence
As the title suggests, this is the first instalment of a proposed trilogy, and it would seem that Warner Bros, Korea have a potentially lucrative property on their hands; certainly within the East Asian region. Whether it can cross over to Western audiences, however, remains to be seen. This picture shares some narrative beats with dystopian adolescent series like Maze Runner, but is frequently more interested in cleavering chunks out of its peripheral characters than it is in developing them into fully rounded support. That said the film, with its female protagonist who can combine acts of extreme violence with a demeanour of adorable cuteness, could connect with a modern arthouse audience.
The film is written and directed by Park Hoon-jung, who started out as the screenwriter of films such as Kim Jee-woon’s I Saw The Devil and Ryoo Seung-wan’s The Unjust and whose directorial outings include the Korean box office success New World and the award-winning The Tiger. Park’s gung-ho approach to action sequences is given plenty of scope in this film, which bears more than a passing resemblance to Joe Wright’s Hanna.
It’s a visually striking piece. The aesthetic of the second half of the picture is a kind of industrial futurism – concrete-lined bunkers feature heavily – which contrasts with the folksy simplicity of Ja-yoon’s life with her elderly adoptive parents. The brutalist corridors and clinical minimalism, graded to accentuate a cyber-blue artificiality, provides an ideal backdrop for the exuberantly gymnastic violence which is the film’s main selling point.
It’s also an effective showcase for a star making central performance – unlike much of the rest of the film, which has a tendency to over-elucidate – Kim Da-mi maintains a mercurial unknowability. She’s a teasing question mark in a film which occasionally trips over itself to deliver answers. Also great fun is Choi Woo-shik (previously seen in Okja), putting so much luxuriant cruelty into the role of Gong-ja, a contemporary from Ja-yoon’s past, that the film’s energy dips markedly every time he’s off screen
Matching him in for lavish evil is Professor Baek (Cho Min-soon, a dual role), the genius creator and potential destroyer of Ja-Yoon and the children she grew up with for her turbulent first eight years. Baek is a twisted mother figure, who can’t conceal a swell of pride in her little monsters, even as they turn upon her.
Production Company: Gold Moon Film Production
International Sales: Warner Bros. Korea
Producer: Park Hoon-jung, Yeon Young-sik
Screenplay: Park Hoon-jung
Editing: Kim Chang-ju
Cinematography: Kim Young-ho, Lee Teo
Cast: Kim Da-mi, Cho Min-soo, Choi Woo-shik, Park Hee-soon, Kim Byung-ok, Choi Jung-woo, Ko Min-shi, Oh Min-hee
The Witch Part 1 – The Subversion opens with a bloodbath. A team of mercenaries have slaughtered an entire hospital ward of children, except for an eight-year old girl who manages to escape into the dark woods. Professor Baek, the woman overseeing the mass extermination, tells her death squad to let her go as she’ll most likely die in the woods. The next morning, a cattle farmer discovers the young girl, collapsed and covered in blood. He brings her into his house and calls the doctor, who says that she’ll live, though she’ll probably have no memory of the incident. The farmer and his wife decide to adopt the girl and call her Koo Ja-yoon.
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Reviews for "Witchcraft and Nature: Celebrating the Earth in Wiccan Traditions"
1. Jane - 2 stars
I found "Stare at the witch part 1" to be incredibly boring and uneventful. The pacing was slow, and the story seemed to drag on with no real direction. The characters were also quite one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it difficult to care about their fates. Overall, I was disappointed by the lackluster plot and underdeveloped characters.
2. Tom - 1 star
I couldn't even finish watching "Stare at the witch part 1" as it was just too confusing and nonsensical. The story jumped from one scene to another without any clear explanation or context. The dialogue was also incredibly clunky and awkward, making it hard to follow along. I was frustrated by the lack of coherence and felt like I was wasting my time trying to make sense of the storyline.
3. Sarah - 2 stars
"Stare at the witch part 1" failed to deliver on its promise of suspense and thrills. Despite the title suggesting a spooky witch theme, there was little to no tension throughout the movie. The scares were predictable and lacked originality, relying on clichéd horror tropes. Additionally, the acting was subpar, further diminishing any potential for a gripping storyline. Overall, I was left unimpressed and unsatisfied by this film's attempt at horror.