In 1997, a 19-year-old boy leaves for Bogota, Colombia, a strange land, turning his back on Korea to the IMF. The boy was ready to return to Korea whenever he had the chance, but he fights for survival between his incompetent father and his helpless mother.
The movie "Bogota: The Land of the Last Chance" (hereinafter "Bogota") is a story about Kook-hee (played by Song Joong-ki), a protagonist who has to survive by becoming a stranger in a faraway country, intertwines with various human military images in the Korean community.
The film captures the process of a boy who was white like a blank sheet of paper, starting to dream of a dangerous desire for success beyond survival, and gradually changing in the form of a crime drama and a growth drama. In particular, Bogota has a special space as a background, and the charm of the colorful screen and exotic scenery is considerable.
In addition, it is fun to see Song Joong-ki, who stands at the center and front of the narrative and leads the story. Song Joong-ki, who played a variety of looks from his teens to his 30s, adds vitality to his work by subtly changing his style according to each era and situation, and his speech, expression, and gesture.
The movie 'Bogota: Land of Last Chance' ⓒ Plus M
Although they trust each other on the surface, Song Joong-ki created his own national play by portraying the changes in the protagonist who was used as a chessboard word in a society where only blind selfishness was prevalent, and finally led the game through various events. Through this work, he ambitiously and successfully brings out the many faces he has.
However, the movie leaves such a regret that there are no advantages other than these attractions.
First of all, the narration of the main character Kook-hee, which is so frequent that it feels like there are more lines than lines, gives the audience fatigue and reduces the depth and attractiveness of the work. Directing that seems to rely entirely on narration for the flow of the narrative feels rustic beyond clunky.
In addition, the conflicts and resolutions that occur when the interests of each protagonist collide are also typical and flat, making it difficult to feel tension and interest.
The movie 'Bogota: Land of Last Chance' ⓒ Plus M
Above all, "Bogota" simply sketches the survival of a character stained with blood, sweat, and tears, and does not convey a deep message or resonance beyond the screen. The biggest achievement of the film is only Song Joong-ki's transformation in exotic scenery, and eventually, something hot cannot be reached and is scattered empty in the air.
The movie 'Bogota: The Land of Last Chance'. Directed by Kim Sung-je. Actors Song Joong-ki, Lee Hee-joon, Kwon Hae-hyo, Park Ji-hwan, Cho Hyun-chul and Kim Jong-soo. For ages 15 and up. Running time of 107 minutes. Released in theaters on December 31, 2024.
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