The Tower (Tae-weo)

Yesterday evening my sister and I decided to watch a film on demand. We've been having digital tv for several years now, and one of its best features are the programs and films on demand. It's cheaper than renting a film from the video store.

So we were browsing through the newly added films, and saw something about a big tower building, where a fire accidentally starts. A good film full of action, only.... it was a South-Korean film.

I must admit I've never seen a film not made in either the USA, the UK, France, Germany or Belgium. Not one Asian.

At first, having to listen to the strange language and forced the read the subtitles was a bit strange. I never read subtitles because I know the renderings are mostly poorly. I always listen to the original language because I can speak English, French and German next to my native tongue.

But once a couple of minutes into the action, we began to appreciate the film. I must say, it was well made. And the Koreans possess a rare sense of humor. I can't see an American director put humorous scenes into such a disaster film. We often had to smile when one of the characters said something funny.

Of course, this is a story that is quite ordinary. A rich guy gives a party in his newly built Tower Building. It is the highest of Seoul and supposedly the best. The lead characters are the chief of security, a widower with a little daughter; the chef of the restaurant (a woman), the cleaning lady and of course the captain of the fire crew.

During the party, it is supposed to snow because it is Christmas Evening. The rich guy has hired helicopters to drop the packs of snow, but because of the high winds, one of the helicopters gets caught in a draft, and hits the building. This causes a fire. Hundreds of people are caught between the floors where the fire rages.

All the fire companies in Seoul are put into action, but the film follows one crew. The captain of this crew takes pity of the security guy who is looking for his daughter. At long last, father and daughter are reunited, and the girl has already found her new mother (the chef) but now they have to get out of the burning building.... The cleaning lady breaks her leg, but also she escapes and can give her son the money to study (for which she has been working so hard).

A really good movie, in my opinion. I'm likely to see more of these!