The President's Last Bang

Although some critics' comparisons to the dark political satire of Dr. Strangelove are far too generous—The President's Last Bang is neither as funny nor as forceful as Stanley Kubrick's Cold War classic—director Im Sang-soo definitely brings a peculiar kind of manic humor to this fact-based riff on a failed coup d'état that rocked South Korean politics in 1979. The first half is a slow but revealing lead-up to the explosive assassination of "democratically" elected President Park Chung-hee, handled with great flair and buckets of bloodshed as Korean CIA chief Kim (Baek Yoon-shik)—who's grown tired of the decadent administration's lax leadership and weekend retreats with high-priced prostitutes—vents his personal and professional frustration in a hastily-planned burst of violence. Unfortunately, while the attempted coup leaves a high body count of cooks, bodyguards, waiters, and cabinet assistants, Kim's subordinates botch their part of the plot, and the anticipated regime change never transpires. While it certainly helps to be familiar with recent South Korean history, it's not required to appreciate Sang-soo's bracingly comedic spin on a serious subject. The single-most controversial film ever to be made in South Korea (shown in a censored form in the country's theaters), The President's Last Bang is uncompromising in its depiction of official corruption. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include a bonus interview, in which the director calmly explains his desire to topple taboos and get to the greater truth of Chung-hee's assassination, as well as a stills gallery. Bottom line: a small but interesting extras package for a controversial film.] (J. Shannon)