Film Review #198: No Other Choice
SFS Review - NO OTHER CHOICE (2025)
Lee Byung-Hun is the most dangerous man of 2025.
Fresh out of the dual-success from the final season of Squid Game and the most-watched film ever on Netflix - KPop Demon Hunters, Lee Byung-Hun headlines the latest film by none other than the Korean master-filmmaker Park Chan-Wook,
No Other Choice. Premiered at the 2025 Venice Film Festival and then Toronto International Film Festival where Lee received a Special Tribute Award, Park’s newest movie is yet another instantly recognisable signature by the auteur. Both unexpected and expected at the same time, the unique style and genre-defying storytelling shows Park’s consistency as he churns out his first film in his sixties.
No Other Choice follows Man-Su (played by Lee Byung-Hun), a retrenched stalwart in the paper-making industry struggling to land a new job who decides to take the unthinkable path of eliminating his competitors, literally. Even for seasoned Park-cinephiles who think they understand the director inside-out, Park still has a way of getting us. Not to mention this was adapted from a novel - ‘The Ax’ by Donald Westlake - proving the filmmaker’s polished capabilities to inject originality no matter the material in his hands.
Two specific crafts stand out - cinematography and film editing. If any movie director ever runs dry on ideas of where to place the camera, go ask Park Chan-Wook. Your typical zooms, close-ups, long and wide shots aren’t absent in this film, but
No Other Choice offers more than that. Stringing creative images together, the editing, though less apparent than the cinematography, also presents some innovative cuts at times. The Oscars shortlists have snubbed this film in the cinematography category, hopefully the editing will earn some well-deserved flowers, and perhaps both departments could shine elsewhere this awards season.
Lee Byung-Hun, not for one second looking like 55 years old (his actual age), still pulls off the clumsy middle-aged breadwinner character while retaining some degree of charm, exhibiting just enough insecurity and fear but wearing an outer layer of cold-blooded ruthlessness at the same time. The most impressive part of his performance, however, must be his physical comedy, perhaps surprising to some audiences. It is definitely fair to say Lee’s commitment to Man-Su is in equal measure the commitment of Man-Su to taking on his job competitors.
Apart from Lee, Son Ye-jin also steals some scenes in her commanding turn as Man-Su’s wife, Miri. Some of the film’s best comedic bits owe to Son’s sublime delivery, specifically when her character reacts to something Man-Su does or says. Deeper than the comedy is Miri’s resolve to her family, in particular her husband Man-Su. Some might say Miri’s arc is faded throughout most of the film but an attentive viewer could appreciate Son’s comparatively plain yet honest work as the wife and mother being the pillar of strength in the family.
At least another few compliments could be tossed at the film but the more detailed this review gets, the greater the risk of spoilers. For moviegoers who might not be as familiar with Park Chan-Wook’s films, do know that No Other Choice is not for everybody. That said, anyone who is a fan of Lee Byung-Hun, Son Ye-jin and/or Park Chan-Wook, do not hesitate to catch this film and have an absolute blast!
Catch it now exclusively at
filmhouse
while you can!
No Other Choice premiered in Singapore as part of the Singapore Korean Film Festival 2025. Shout-out to the tireless and wonderful team who put on the festival. Want to catch such free preview screenings?
Join as an SFS member now!
---------------------
About the author: Jarrett is a devoted cinephile for over half of his life. Apart from movies, coffee keeps him awake and music keeps him alive. Having studied theatre and performed as an actor before, he's also a sucker for great performances.
Connect with Jarrett here:
https://linktr.ee/jarrettandfilm
BLOG
