DR. CHEON AND THE LOST TALISMAN (2023 | Korea | 98 minutes | KIM Seong-sik)
Dr. Cheon (Gang Dong-won) has a long history with the supernatural, magic and shamanism, but as of now he’s a huxter that uses his studies in psychology, keen eye and sparkling whit to help those tormented by supposed ghosts. With the help of his “assistant” and technical whiz In-bae (Lee Dong-hwi) creating quite a show so every customer is thoroughly convinced of their abilities. Along comes Yoo-gyong (Esom) with a bit more than just a hunch of a haunting as her sister is in mortal danger. The situation quickly devolves into an all-out battle not only for both Yoo-gyong and her sister’s lives, but for revenge of Cheon’s family lost years ago in a clash with the same supernatural powers.
With an incredible cast, fun atmosphere and great writing, Lost Talisman doesn’t take itself too seriously but has a clear, if fantastical, storyline. Imagine if Ghostbusters and Indiana Jones were stewed together with a dollop of uniquely Korean culture. Do I have your attention now? Because I should. Dong-won brings a heavy dose of charisma with spot-on comedic timing in the lead role (with a little help from his sidekick Dong-hwi) a la Harrison Ford as Indy. Esom was stoic in her role as the fierce but desperate Yoo-gyong and her star-power can only help get this film the attention it deserves. I knew it was a winner when they left it open at the end for a sequel and I was more than a little excited by the thought. As a matter of fact, I think I’ll go watch it again…
While concept of Korean idols isn’t yet part of the popular culture here in the States, K-dramas certainly are and we’re seeing more and more familiar faces thanks to the availability of these shows via Viki streaming service and of course the arrival of serveral series on Netflix (if you do even a light search you’ll find a bounty that will keep you busy for weeks, if not months). What excites me most about this is it opens door for more styles and types of Korean films to make it into the theater. I’ve reviewed a few Korean films on The Sunbreak so far and I have yet to waste my time in the hour-plus commitment for each one. One was a thriller based on true events, another was an over-the-top astronaut adventure and yet another was an assassin-thriller starring one of the most popular up and coming stars in Korea. All of this to say, the quality is there and the styles are completely different if we just let them in. It doesn’t (and shouldn’t) have to be an incredibly amazing film like Parasite or addictively exciting show like “Squid Games” to be accessible in the states anymore. I couldn’t be more excited for this injection of fresh and culturally diverse content coming into our homes and theaters.
Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman arrived in theaters on Friday 10/6 and will run through Wednesday 10/11.