Decision to Leave was immediately gripping. I found myself thinking “oh fuck yes” several times, as I was served deliciously weird and unique characters, each scene leaving me more and more intrigued on what everyone’s deal is, and what this may spell for the murder mystery. The editing and pace of the film was attention-grabbing, the flow from one scene to the next and of action within scenes was snappy and communicated what did and did not need to be focused on. The movie is full of visual trickery that is very fun to watch, including the way electronics and screens are filmed as well as the particular ways the detective investigates various rooms. Most importantly, I was quickly and easily emotionally invested in the main characters’ tragedy, and the ending has left me feeling haunted. This movie had “it,” and I was hooked from the start.
The last act went by a little fast, causing more focus on trying to understand the plot details at first. I have been unable to get the ending out of my mind, however, as I begin to take in its significance. I will want to watch this again to get the full effect, and I cannot wait to follow it with other films in Park Chan-wook’s catalogue.