This is probably one of the most depressing cartoons I have ever seen. The story at first may seem to be about bullying in middle school at the surface but it's way more than that. This movie is about humanity, shown in a realistic perspective. That some viewers that is in tune with Korean culture may agree with or part of it or at least understand it. It really is a messed up and yet realistic cartoon that is shown in a brutal manner. The story revolves around 3 middle school kids that feel that they will always be the underdogs no matter how hard they try. So one of the kids has the mentality of being vicious, malicious and evil in order to defeat the corrupt. In another words fight fire with lava. Now the kids portrayed in this movie who re being bullied may seem crazy to some, but it's understandable. This movie basically shows the ugly side of humanity and how the people that are suppressed deal with it. However I am not quite sure what the message of this movie is about because the theme basically seems to revolve around hopelessness. Is the message about fighting back, taking what you want from other people and vengeance, because the weak gets taken advantage of? Anyways this didn't have that emotional impact like what the director Sang-ho Yeon tried to convey, but it's still a gripping and attention grabbing flick. Not all Asian cartoon flicks can be like Hayao Miyazaki films with happy endings.
6.3/10
6.3/10