The Fake Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

The Fake Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman February 24, 2019

There’s a kind of interesting aspect to some animated fare where otherwise extremely provocative material that may have presented “issues” had it been done in a live action form is able to kind of bypass any perceived hurdles, simply because the content is animated, and therefore perhaps assumed to be “less real”. In that regard, it’s kind of interesting to contrast the rather audacious Korean anime The Fake with another live action film I just recently reviewed, the 1955 Alec Guinness outing The Prisoner. As I mentioned in our The Prisoner Blu-ray review, that film created something of a stir when it was released since various folks perceived it as being either anti-Communist, pro-Communist, anti-Catholic and/or pro-Catholic, depending on their point of view. The salient issue, though, is that the film did create a stir. I’m frankly not sure if The Fake was similarly greeted when it was released, since I haven’t been able to dig up much online data on the film, but in its own way, The Fake is arguably even more provocative in its treatment of both religion and politics than The Prisoner was decades ago.

There’s a fascinating concatenation of both religious and political elements to The Fake, though it should be stated up front that perhaps obviously given this very approach, that this is not a “cartoon” in any real way, and in fact the language is pretty ribald, and so most likely not appropriate for kids. The film documents the arrival of a new pastor in a rural Korean community, one which is slated to soon be underwater due to the imminent installation of a nearby dam. Suffice it to say that political machinations play into the experience of the new pastor, and in this particular case while the meek may not inherit the (waterlogged) earth, they can create their own version of hell for others, anyway.

There are a number of really bold elements to The Fake, but perhaps none is bolder than offering a film where very few of the characters have redeeming characteristics. One might think that the naive young pastor who finds himself perhaps in over his head might be the focal center of a “moral authority”, but in fact the real conscience of the film turns out to be a hulking ex-con who isn’t above beating his wife and stealing from his daughter. The film has an almost scabrous disregard for the “niceties” of religious fervor, and it certainly doesn’t shirk from an outright critique of the “opiate of the masses” being utilized by unscrupulous politicians (and religious figures). This is a rather demanding feature that is almost certain to provoke a good deal of discussion, even if that talk turns to potentially touchy subjects like the true “worth” of religious belief.

The Fake Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Fake is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Olive Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Director Yeon Sangho doesn't really offer much in the way of visual blandishments in his animation style, though kind of interestingly (and probably intentionally), landscapes are often more detailed and dimensional looking than the humans moving through them. A lot of the film tends to feature kind of drab browns and beiges, though there are occasional nice bright pops of color, again often in the outdoor vistas, but also at least at times with regard to things like the outfits some of the parishioners wear. Line detail is strong throughout, though there really aren't any noticeable "textures" offering resolution challenges. I noticed a couple of very brief bouts of banding during fades, but this otherwise a fine looking presentation.

The Fake Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Fake's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track in the original Korean attains good surround activity in several of the church scenes, where either music or the "rapture" of the believers offers agreeable spill into the side and rear channels. A lot of the film tends to be fairly dialogue heavy, and as such, there isn't a ton of surround activity, though ambient environmental sounds do creep into even some "quieter" indoor material. Fidelity is fine throughout, and there are no problems with distortion, dropout or damage. The English subtitles on this release are forced and not optional.

The Fake Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There are no supplements on this Blu-ray disc.

The Fake Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This is a rather disturbing film on any number of levels (I'm still trying to figure out what was up with a really unsettling early scene featuring what seems to be a stray dog), and as such shouldn't be approached with anything less than a serious attitude, despite perhaps being lulled into a false sense of security that an animated feature couldn't possibly deal with such weighty issues as corruption in both politics and religion. Technical merits are generally first rate, and for those willing to perhaps have some of their most cherished beliefs questioned, The Fake comes Highly recommended.