Sinkhole (2021)

Sinkholes are absolutely not okay. They are formed when the earth below the surface shakes, shifts and sinks, causing whatever is above to be pulled deep into the ground. They are almost impossible to predict which makes them scarier, It’s likely that you’re sitting on top of one right this moment. Just allow yourself to think of all of these possibilities for a few seconds.

Director Kim Ji-hood has explored no issue when it comes to disaster films, The Tower (2012) remains a favorite amongst many fans of South Korea action. In SINKHOLE , SINKHOLE a little uncommon mix between comedy and disaster, follows Park Dong-won (Kim Sung-Kyung) and his family as they relocate into a new apartment block, after more than a decade of hard work and saving.

After throwing a housewarming party with colleagues that included co-worker Kim Seung-Hyun (Lee Kwang-Soo), torrential rains opened the titular sinkhole below them. As a result of this, the entire structure got sucked under the surface. With the pool of water in the gap of earth increasing, Park is forced to unite with neighboring Jeon Man-soo (Cha Seung-won) in order to locate their relatives and an escape route before the elements take over.

The film by Kim is quite odd in its tone. The first 30 minutes has been heavily edited and includes numerous rows and humorous mishaps between Park and Jeon. There are even some weird in terminal sequences such as characters getting caught in automatic doors. There is also a bit of ominous warning regarding the events to come, including the interiors being tilted and the lack of running water. Still, it sets up an atmosphere that you do not see in a genre film.

The main event is where everything comes into 15 billion won (roughly $13 million) budget. All the CG artistry is set on full display. A full building gets blasted straight to the ground, turning the entire place into ruins. This sets the stage for the survivalist intrigue that follows. Props to screenwriters Jeon Cheol-Hong and Kim Jeong-han, they figure out some way to keep the conceit funny while still aggressive. That something is very rare.

While the characters are constructed within a pretty conventional framework, both Kim Sung-Kyung and Cha Seung-won form interesting leads. In particular Cha gets to showcase his comedic and acting skills, being able to balance the two for the last decade or so of his career.

SINKHOLE has already achieved the fastest Korean film to reach over 1 million viewers, and is projected to be among the top box office spectacles of the year. It’s unique blend of action and humor will be appealing to global audiences. Not to mention, do catch it before the much anticipated Hollywood remake.

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