Dystopian science-fiction fantasy misses the mark

South Korean film Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy features an A-list cast and brims with ideas, but fails to present a cohesive storyline

- John Lui

The story: Kim Dok-ja (Ahn Hyo-seop) is an underachiever at everything. The office worker takes refuge in the web novel Three Ways To Survive The Apocalypse, but its dwindling popularity turns him into its only reader. When he posts a criticism of the final chapter, the author replies, challenging him to write his own ending. On Kim's way home from work, the novel's monster-filled dystopian setting comes to life. Kim meets the novel's hero, Yu Jung-hyeok (Lee Min-ho). Helped by his knowledge of what is to come, Dok-ja and his allies have to fight their way to safety.

This is a movie with plenty of ideas, but little coheres into a story. It does not help that the screenplay portrays contradictory themes. Dok-ja is jolted out of his mundane reality by a message instructing him to "write his own story" - a call for him to use his free will.