Paula Hammond - Features EditorFrom Hotel Del Luna, to All of Us Are Dead, from Uncanny Counter, to Space Sweepers, the Republic of Korea has produced some of the most innovative, daring, and out-and-out cute films and TV series of the last few years. And one of the most talked-about K-dramas has undoubtedly been Squid Game.
This month, fans of Squid Game’s plucky Hwang Jun-ho (played by Wi Ha-Jun) will get the chance to see the international star in a new drama from debut director Kwon Oh-Seung.
Midnight is an old school thriller, with a slow-burn delivery, heart-thumping set pieces, and the scares and jumps in all the right places. At times, it’s hard to find such glamorous actors totally believable, but Wi Ha-Jun is surprisingly convincing as the psychopathic killer, who targets a young deaf woman (Ki-Joo Jin) in a twisted game of hide-and-seek.
One of the most refreshing things about Korean cinema, for non-Korean audiences, is that there are non of those tired old Hollywood tropes to endure. So that when the surprise ending comes–it is a genuine surprise. What’s more, while Western thrillers have become little more than endless bloodbaths, Midnight is beautifully filmed, superbly acted, and full of nuance, plot twists, and heart.
Released this month, Midnight is svailable from Eureka Entertainment on blu-ray or as a digital download for the first time in the UK as part of the new Montage Pictures range. The first print-run of 2000 copies will feature a Limited-Edition O-card Slipcase with new artwork by Grégory Sacré (Gokaiju).
Extras include:
Optional English subtitles.
Brand new audio commentary by film historian Kat Ellinger.
Brand new video essay on the history of Korean horror cinema by critic Travis Crawford.
Limited Edition Collector’s Booklet featuring new writing by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas (first Print Run of 2000 Copies only).
