Park Chan-wook's 'Decision to Leave' explores decay across cinematic reality
One year ago, Park Chan-wook's film 'Decision to Leave' made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival. This detective noir centers on Hae-jun, who becomes infatuated with Seo-rae, a Chinese immigrant responsible for the deaths of her two husbands—Ki Do-soo and Im Ho-shin—and her terminally ill mother through fentanyl. Following Seo-rae's tragic suicide, which leaves Hae-jun heartbroken, the film delves into themes of decay, illustrated by images of decomposing bodies and infected wounds, intertwining her crimes with her affection. Hae-jun perceives himself as complicit in the murders. The theme of decay continues as he sacrifices his 'heart organ' during her beachside suicide near Manchuria. Critics suggest it may not measure up to Park's previous films like 'Oldboy' (2003) and 'The Handmaiden' (2016).
Key facts
- Park Chan-wook's 'Decision to Leave' premiered at Cannes Film Festival one year ago
- The film is a detective noir exploring decay across aesthetic, narrative, and structural levels
- Seo-rae murders two husbands (Ki Do-soo and Im Ho-shin) and kills her terminally ill mother with fentanyl
- Decay imagery includes rotting corpses, mould, and wounds viewed through monitors, phones, or X-rays
- Seo-rae's crimes are synchronized with her love, triggering Hae-jun's obsession and belief in being an accessory
- A second murder results from Seo-rae poisoning Sa Cheo-Seong's mother, leading to Im Ho-Shin's death
- Hae-jun sacrifices his 'heart organ' during Seo-rae's suicide on a beach near Manchuria
- The film concludes with fog over the sea, possibly symbolizing decay
Entities
Artists
- Park Chan-wook
- Alfred Hitchcock
Institutions
- Cannes Film Festival
- ArtReview
- Asymmetry
Locations
- Cannes
- France
- Ipo
- Manchuria
- China