Of monsters born from systemic cruelty

GREED and self-preservation can devolve into carnage, be it in a metaphorical sense as men chase the necessity of capital, or in a literal sense as they seek to actually kill.

- By Brontë H. Lacsamana Reporter

This movie takes us through that endless rat race.

No Other Choice follows veteran paper mill manager Yoo Man-soo (played by Squid Game antagonist Lee Byung-hun), who is laid off and humiliated by a ruthless job market. As he gets more and more desperate to reclaim his dignity and continue providing a comfortable lifestyle for his family, he gradually resorts to shocking acts of violence.

At the heart of this thriller is Lee's riveting performance as a man who is fully subsumed by the endless climb to a stable career. Director Park Chan-wook, known for his creative and sometimes even playfully manic visual style, depicts this character's wins bleakly as if they were losses. This film is the type where you wouldn't know whether to laugh, feel sad, or gape at the screen in anguish or horror. Lee is perfectly cast, able to nail this precarious balance between humor and cruelty.