3-Iron (2004)

Great film.

This is the first film I watched in 2023, and even though I didn't expect too much from it, the bar was set high.

I've read some reviews and noticed quite a bit of variety in interpretations of "3-Iron". Which I think is very cool and confirms that Kim Ki Duk did not give the viewer a clear explanation of his vision.

The story itself is a bit weird but very engaging. If there is anyone in the world who would react to a stranger in their house like the FL, I would be surprised, but that's the whole point of this film. It wasn't meant to be just another ordinary story with the probability of happening in real life. This is an unbelievable picture of "love at first sight". The main characters communicated without words. They didn't say anything to each other throughout the movie. This made Lee Seung Yeon and Jae Hee's acting stand out in itself. They didn't need any words to play their roles perfectly and show a lot of emotions. It also gave the impression of watching this film as something more private for the viewer. Interestingly, only characters who were or could be an obstacle to the relationship of the main characters had spoken.

I have to mention that the music fits perfectly with the story presented in the film. I checked the translation of the text (song: Natacha Atlas - Gafsa) and it also really fits the presented relationship.

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for the first couple of minutes, I was a bit confused about what was going on but when I start to understand it became pretty awesome.
the first thing I liked was the way he entered the houses it was a smart move
the second thing was the silence, the two main characters completely fascinate me without saying a word
the idea of the film was very fresh and artistic for me, I never watched any film with the same content.
I loved the way the character tries to pay for his stay by doing the little things he could.
the romance was absolutely great they just fell in love and no word was needed for them to express their feelings the sweet and deep body language was better than any words, after all, it is the actions that matter the most
and I love the way it showed sometimes you can feel but don't see and just because you don't see it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist and the other way around the things you see might not be the things that actually exist.
just like the film said: its hard to tell the world we live in is either a reality or a dream

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I don't know what they call this genre of films because I'm not that knowledgeable when it comes to that field (though I'd love to be) but it's no ordinary film.
Don't get betrayed by the synopsis or the posters. It's not about a married woman cheating on her husband. It's about the invisible thin line between dream and reality, between the real and the unreal, between what our mind creates and what happens, between what we want and what we can do and between the beyond and the scientific.
I'm not going to mention the names of the characters, because I didn't even notice them having any. During the whole film they uttered no dialogue. And you wouldn't miss that. You might not even notice.
There's no plot here if you care for any. There are two people, getting dragged by life first then abandoning it to their own realm. There's a world that they only see, they only understand and they only feel.
Production and acting is superb.
This might not be everybody's cup of tea but it's worth the try.

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A Must Watch Kim Ki-duk Masterpiece

I don't often refer to a film as "haunting," because I think it's an overused term. To me, a haunting film is one that relentlessly stays with the viewer for hours, or even days, after a viewing. Its memory refuses to diminish and it demands rumination. A good movie isn't always haunting, and a haunting one isn't always good, but there often is a correlation.

Such is the case with 3-Iron, from acclaimed director Kim Ki-duk (who sadly recently passed away). This enigmatic and in some ways maddening motion picture has the power to haunt every viewer it reaches. This film is very much in line with the director’s previous films, being a complex exploration of human relationships and communication, as well as the violence so often inherent in these aspects of our existence.

One of the most striking aspects of “3-Iron” is the way Kim generates tension between the calm, ambient existence of the two protagonists (Tae-suk (Jae Hee) and Sun-hwa (Lee Seung-yeon)) and the violent noise of the outside world. This tension is laid bare by the fact that neither of the protagonists utters a word until the final scenes of the film. By eliminating dialogue, Kim forces his characters to interact on a non-verbal level, and it intensifies the manifestations of their emotions. The whole film is filled with small gestures, and a gentle form of communication which is innovative and at times simply delightful. Both actors give outstanding performances, and the range of emotions they convey with mere looks and actions is quite incredible.

This silence, combined with the gentle soundtrack and Kim’s dreamy, gorgeous visuals, gives the parts of the film which focus on the strange couple a haunting and beautiful air which is joyful in its innocence, yet sad because the viewers are all too aware that their self-imposed isolation will not endure. Kim constantly reminds viewers of this by shooting the outside world in harsh colors and shadowy darkness, portraying a world filled with selfish, vicious characters.

In the end, Kim offers some form of hope, though typically, this is left very much up to the viewer to interpret and to draw meaning from, as the film’s final act takes a decidedly surrealist turn, with events that may or may not be real, and a climax which is incredibly moving, whilst leaving much to the imagination.

This, for many viewers, will be the main problem with the director’s films, as his decision not to impose any kind of real moral judgment on his characters, or to offer any concrete answers to the questions raised, can be frustrating. However, for those who enjoy films which stimulate and probe, Ki-duk Kim’s works can almost be seen as philosophical tracts which beg for deeper meditation in a way which is hugely rewarding in an age where most films simply spoon feed viewers their plots and secrets.

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Actions speak louder than words

And boy do they ever in this show! the main characters say next to nothing, I think the female lead screams once and says " I love you" that's it ( and it's not in the same scene). The male lead says nothing at all. This story is told in actions, small, nuanced ordinary actions which take on profound meaning as the story progresses.

This is the story of an unconventional life, the male lead has carved out a strange, transitory existence of going from empty house to empty house and living a miniaturised life in the space of one night or so, before moving on to the next empty house until he meets a woman in a not so empty house and they embark on his journey together.

This story evoked feelings of sadness in me, I felt sad for the male lead living this kind of life, I'm not gonna
lie I really felt that he was living a reckless life; I felt this especially when he hit the golf ball and it went through someone's windscreen and injured them, and he didn't take responsibility.
When he went to jail, I got the sense that he was mentally unstable; ultimately he was practising to become invisible so that he could live with the woman he loves and her husband without the husband's knowledge.

The love story is heartwarming as there's a sense of two lonely and despairing people meeting and bringing happiness to each other.

The acting was good seeing as they had to rely on facial expressions and actions.

I liked the music, especially the song which sounded like it had Indian influences, that was wonderfully evocative.

I TRULY appreciate how good this movie is, It's so artistic and unusual; however ultimately it's not really my cup of tea, personally speaking.

Overall score 8

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10/10

...Because he stole my imaginary golf ball...

This movie has a very soothing and calming feel to it even though it contains so many heart racing events. The two leads have no lines through out the entire film, but they really didn't need any with the amazing soundtrack and the wonderful acting. Their expressions really said it all.

For those who are watching because of the mature tag; The mature tag is there because of violence not because of sex.

Do not fear the violence though, they do not display it carelessly so even a softy like me could watch it without a problem. There will be some exposure to blood though so sensitive watchers have been warned.

I recommend this movie to people who enjoy the art of film. It has a very slow pace and as I said before, most of the scenes have no dialogue, therefore this type of motion picture might appear boring unless you find the beauty in it.

ENJOY!!

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Most symbolic yet satisfying Movie I have ever watched

This movie gained all the respect possible from me. The Main Characters NEVER spoke...at all...yet the story line and the feelings beween the characters were beautifully & perfectly expressed.
Yo...I enjoyed it so much, I say the director and script writer(haha wait...there are no lines...u get my point) have to be one of the best in Korea...
Definetly a great movie I recommend everyone to watch.
Aparently I gotta write 500 words about this movie but it was way to amazing to put into words and explain. Like the characters in the movie, the movie should be shown and not told.

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