You might have noticed that, during the last several days, your social media feed has been filled with an inordinate amount of gushing reactions to Park Chan-wook’s “No Other Choice.” That’s not a coincidence.
The film leaked online on November 20, along with another Oscar contender, “It Was Just An Accident,” which opened the floodgates for social media reactions and further proved how prevalent movie piracy is. The number of screenshots of the film posted online has been innumerable, but quite honestly, it seems to have built up even more buzz for Park’s film, which is currently well-positioned for a Best International Feature nom at the Oscars.
All this to say, IMAX today announced that “No Other Choice” will have a one-night-only IMAX screening on December 8, which is 17 days ahead of its official December 25 limited release bow in select U.S. cities. The film will play in 100 theaters nationwide. Not a bad idea to show this one earlier than scheduled, given the aforementioned leak.
The film is adapted from Donald E. Westlake’s 1997 satirical thriller The Ax, a project Park has dreamed of bringing to the screen for decades and one he dedicates to the late author. At its center is Man-su (played by Lee Byung-hun), a paper factory manager who loses the job he has held for 25 years. Shaken and humiliated by the blow, he becomes consumed with the need to restore his dignity and secure his family’s future before his home is lost. This premise gives Park a rich foundation to explore survival in a world governed by ruthless competition.
Three months since I saw it at Venice, I do very much look forward to seeing it again. Some of Park’s films grow on you upon rewatch — it’s happened to me a handful of times. For now, I don’t think the film is in any way a career-defining one for Park—his landmarks remain “Oldboy” and “The Handmaiden”—but it’s never boring, always entertaining, juggling many genres—satire, thriller, family melodrama, and farce—albeit without fully committing to any of them.
Park’s signature style is stamped across every sequence: the tonal shifts, the rhythmic pacing, the visual compositions, and the dazzling editing. It carries the hallmarks that longtime fans of Park will instantly recognize. And yes, the film is gorgeously shot. If you can wait, watch it in IMAX.
So, to those who have seen “No Other Choice,” whether at a fall festival or online, what are your thoughts on the film?
