The Fake

A gritty Korean anime parable concerning the double-edged sword of faith, Yeon Sang-ho's The Fake is generally compelling if also unremittingly bleak. From his latest stint in prison, Min-chul returns to his humble village to find that not only are his neighbors being relocated to make way for the construction of a dam that will flood the entire community but they are also now under the sway of Pastor Sung, a man of the cloth, who in turn is being manipulated by slimy con-man Elder Choi into squeezing the very last government-provided coin from the villagers in exchange for the promise of a joyous afterlife. A chance altercation with Choi in a tavern sets Min-chul snapping at the criminal's heels like a mad dog, leading him on a mission to expose the faker. But Min-chul's own checkered past and exceedingly ill manners ensure that his protests are met with deaf ears, and when Min-chul's daughter falls in with Sung and Choi this sets off a vicious chain of events that will end in torrents of blood and tears. Not unlike his alienating anti-hero, the filmmaker is sometimes a little too brusque in his indictment of organized religion, but he balances this with gentler moments, such as a storeowner's quiet insistence that his departed wife resides in Heaven. The Fake is at its best when following Min-chul's uphill battle to expose the criminals, a “Boy Who Cried Wolf” variant with all the simmering violence and expletives of a live-action Asian crime epic. Boasting a lovely texture—particularly in the autumnal-toned outdoor landscapes—this should appeal to more mature viewers. Recommended. (J. Cruz)