South Korea has been one of the most exciting countries for years when it comes to interesting series or movies. Many films often go unnoticed because they are never prominently released or promoted in Germany. A sci-fi film from 2023 is loved by critics, yet hardly anyone has seen it.
Which film is it? On August 9, 2023, the film Concrete Utopia – The Last Uprising premiered in South Korean cinemas. In this science fiction film, a devastating earthquake strikes South Korea, turning the capital Seoul into a massive ruin. Only one skyscraper remains standing, where several survivors seek shelter.
Although the film features a well-known lead actor, it did not have a regular release in German cinemas. It could only be seen on events and festivals on the big screen. As a result, the film has largely gone under the radar, although critics agree on how good it is.
Post-Apocalypse and Human Nature
What is Concrete Utopia about? The film depicts the beginning of a post-apocalyptic world and focuses on the one skyscraper that still stands in Seoul. Concrete Utopia deals with the moral dilemmas that could arise in such a situation. This theme is also familiar from films like Snowpiercer.
The survival instinct clashes with humanity, which is tested in the post-apocalypse. This creates conflicts between the surviving residents of the skyscraper and the survivors of the city who are seeking a safe refuge.
Lee Byung-hun even stars one of the most famous Korean actors, whom you last saw in the second season of Squid Game. Park Seo-joon is known from the film Parasite.
Critics Agree
How has the film been rated? Concrete Utopia is one of the best science fiction and survival thrillers of all time, at least according to critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a perfect score of 100% based on 61 reviews.
- Kevin Wright praises the film’s portrayal:
The film shows the best and worst of human nature, often exhibited by the same people.
- Sarah Marrs especially appreciates the actors and the set design:
Driven by Lee Byung-hun’s performance and truly outstanding production design, Concrete Utopia finds its own niche in the recent flood of socially satirical thrillers.
- Dennis Harvey praises the grim view of the future:
It is not a particularly optimistic view of a possible dark near future, but it is entertaining.
The few users who have seen the film are not quite as enthusiastic. With just over 100 user reviews, the user score stands at 71%. The negative voices find the social critique not as pointed and are also disappointed by the euphoric reviews praising the film. Other users, however, agree with the critics and praise the great story
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Where can you watch the film? Unfortunately, the film is not available on any subscription service, but you can purchase the film physically or digitally from well-known platforms. On Netflix, there is another film, Badland Hunters, that plays in the same universe. Another recommendation from South Korea can be found here: Before Parasite, the director created a masterpiece about a true crime from South Korea
