Tunnel (2016) [Film Review]

Tunnel; or, No Easy Way Out

     You're saving urine in the empty bottles, right? Urine is sterile, so you can drink it.

Did it ever occur to you how much are you drinking or how much food are you eating during the day? Are you saving the battery in your cell? How often do you think about your loved ones? Would you help out a person in need in a life-threatening situation? A 2016 Korean summer hit Tunnel makes you think about such issues, and even more, as it presents a one man's survival drama and the politically-charged rescue operation.

Release Info

Directed by: Kim Seong Hun Starring: Ha Jung Woo, Bae Doona, Oh Dal Su

Language: Korean Original Title: 터널 Runtime: 127 min

 

Synopsis

Lee Jung Soo (Ha Jung Woo) is a successful car seller who is on his way from home to work. Taking a gas at the station takes a little bit longer, an elderly employee gives him two bottles of water; finally, Lee Jung Soo resumes his journey. He drives into a newly built tunnel leading from Seoul to Hada. All of a sudden, the whole construction collapses right in front of his eyes as he’s still driving through it. From this point on, the rescue team led by Captain Dae Kyung (Oh Dal Su) steps in in order to save Lee Jung Soo, who is trapped inside his car under the slide of dirt and concrete. However, due to a series of horrendous mistakes and political pressures, the government actually considers aborting the rescue operation. This is unbearable not only to trapped Lee Jung Soo, but also his wife, Se Hyun (Bae Doona).

Daylight: Korean Edition

After seeing the trailer for Tunnel first, I was prepared for a rehashed remake of a not-so-memorable disaster flick with Sylvester Stallone. Thankfully, as soon as the film started, I realised my mistake. As it can always be expected from Korean productions, even such a disaster film as Tunnel is not at all about epic action and larger-than-life heroes. In fact, it is about careful insight into human drama and objective examination of an extreme situation. Yet, don’t feel disappointed! There is still action and it neatly blends together with the story. The whole collapse sequence, though done mostly in CGI, is impressive and Captain Dae Kyung’s wild drive in reverse through the tunnel kept me on the edge of my seat, not to mention the brilliant third act as Lee Jung Soo survives the aftershocks caused by nearby explosions. Nevertheless, as I have stated earlier, the film is primarily a one man’s survival story.

Very much as in Bear Grylls’ Ultimate Survival, Lee Jung Soo has to ration his water and food (daughter’s birthday cake) in order to make it until the rescue arrives. Surprisingly, things spin out of control very quickly for our protagonist. Meanwhile, on the surface, the absurdity of the situation hits the politicians. Is it worth spending millions of dollars every day in order to save one man? Well... get real! Of course, it’s worth it. This is the only moment in the entire film where my suspension of disbelief shatters completely. In real life, no sane politician or party would voice such objections due to possible re-elections. Still, I understand that politicians were made outright hypocritical villains of the story, because the characters of Lee Jung Soo’s wife and Dae Kyung needed their own drama and obstacles to overcome.

Se Hyun has to deal with social ostracism when the public starts believing in her husband’s death. Even she is full of doubts after Lee Jung Soo’s phone finally goes dead and ruthless politicians are pounding on her door. In turn, Dae Kyung has to cut through a lot of red tape in order to keep the rescue mission going. He is the only one who makes an effort to save Lee Jung Soo and firmly believes he’s still alive, though it’s been weeks since the collapse. Lee Jung Soo himself undergoes a life-changing experience underground and, at one point, attempts to get out of the tunnel on his own.

In terms of performances, all of the three main actors give their best. Ha Jung Woo authentically portrays the survivor in a trap, whereas Bae Doona complements his performance as a wife desperate to have her husband back, but (a word of warning for the fans) there's not a lot of her in this picture. Oh Dal Su is a joy to watch as he fights degenerate politicians, journalists, and administrative workers in order to get things done. Also, the music score by Mok Young Jin and Vitek Kral deserves an honourable mention as it conveys some great action cues as well as soothing, slow-paced themes.

Recommendations

Highly recommended to anyone who is into disaster/survival films. Although the film lasts slightly over two hours, it doesn’t feel that much. A very well executed story with great three acts will keep you engaged, not forgetting about a decent cast. Tunnel is a fine entry in the disaster genre and a definite highlight among the rich set of 2016 Korean cinematic hits.

Overall score: 8/10