What's singular in all this is the director's angle into the material, which is subtle, difficult to pin down, elusive.
Memories of Murder (2003)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:9
Fresh:9
Rotten:0
Average Rating:7.9/10
Consensus: Memories of Murder blends the familiar crime genre with social satire and comedy, capturing the all-too human desperation of its key characters.
Theatrical Release:Jul 15, 2005 Limited
Synopsis: Based on a true story, Memories of Murder is a Korean suspense thriller offering an unusual fusion of death and laughter, while recollecting truly nightmarish events. This is a true story. In... Based on a true story, Memories of Murder is a Korean suspense thriller offering an unusual fusion of death and laughter, while recollecting truly nightmarish events. This is a true story. In a small town outside Seoul, over the course of six years, 10 women were raped and murdered in a 2km radius. Korean society's first serial killer took the lives of 10 victims, ranging from a 71 year-old grandmother to a 13 year old schoolgirl. As time went on, the methods of the killer grew more bold and well-planned. One victim was stabbed 19 times in the chest, while another victim was found with nine pieces of a peach embedded inside her. Other than the victims, the killer left not a single shred of evidence. Over 3,000 suspects were interrogated. At least 300,000 police took part in the massive investigation. But not a single person was indicted for the crimes. This is a story about the detectives. At a time in Korea when a murder investigation only meant grilling those who knew the victim, for these officers everything was a new experience. There was no profiling mechanism, nor any idea of preserving the crime scene for forensic investigation. Only search and interrogation based on the detectives' sense of duty and persistence. In this age of ignorance, two detectives at the bottom of an ill-supported police force, have only themselves to rely on to face this horrific series of events. The film reminisces about a time of innocence when the inability to comprehend such heinous acts led to unbelievable mishaps and harrowing nightmares. Both death and laughter infuse the "Memory of Murder." -- © Palm Pictures [More]
Director: Oh Bong-Joon
Director: Oh Bong-Joon
Studio: Palm Pictures
Get This Movie
Reviews for Memories of Murder
An involving and skillfully mounted film from Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-Ho that's based on a true story.
Bong not only has an eye for beauty there are some gorgeous shots of the country's farmland but for the absurd.
Uses dark humor, incisive characterizations and social commentary to infuse its familiar detective tale with a distinctive flair.
Memories of Murder is such a taut, effective thriller it's a shame you have to read subtitles to gauge just how good a movie it is.
Establishes Bong as a helmer with a distinct vision of his own, supported by a strong cast that's totally at one with the material.
An almost perversely conceived hybrid -- noirish thriller, social satire and virtual Korean Keystone Komedy with a dash of political attitude.
The film's storytelling strategy is unique and its point-of-view mutable and disarmingly subjective.
What's most remarkable about it is the way Bong builds real suspense and plays the chilling moments straight while leaving himself room for nonsense and horseplay.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 77% 77% | The Hangover |
| 88% 88% | Inglourious Basterds |
| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
| 24% 24% | G-Force |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 90% 90% | District 9 |
| 86% 86% | 500 Days of Summer |
| 63% 63% | Extract |
| 06% 06% | All About Steve |
| 78% 78% | It Might Get Loud |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- Memories of Murder at Rotten Tomatoes
- Memories of Murder at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Last week, MSN gave us their top 09 films. Now see what their favorites of the decade are!

Here's a list of the 50 best movies of 2009, according to the good people over at Moviefone.

Hollywood.com takes a stab at determining who in movies will be on Santa's naughty list in 2009.

TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.

Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!
Promos

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!



Top Critic



