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Mathew Scott

Starring: Park Shin-yang, Park Sang-myun, Lee Won-jong

Director: Park Chul-kwan

Category: IIB

The second South Korean gangster-comedy to hit our shores in the past few weeks, Hi! Dharma is a kinder, gentler production than its predecessor Guns & Talks, providing just as many laughs but with little of the violence.

The main thread of director Park Chul-kwan's debut behind the camera is the clash of cultures experienced when a mob of gangsters find themselves living alongside the monks in a Buddhist monastery. The film begins with the gangsters - led by Jae-gyu (Park Shin-yang) - at war in their own world. When it becomes obvious they are going to lose this battle, they head for the hills, finding sanctuary of sorts at a monastery led by a wise old monk (stylishly played by Kim In-moon).

The trouble is the monks only agree to help them for a week - not long enough for the gang who are being chased by their rivals as well as the police. So into the peaceful world of the monks comes the foul-mouthed, loud and often obnoxious group and, when they refuse to leave, the situation comes to a head.

It is here that director Park goes full bore in his comic assault, as the two parties agree to five 'sporting' contests. If the gang win, they stay; if they lose, they hit the road. So the two groups are thrown into contests ranging from a football match (shades of Shaolin Soccer here) to the Korean game of 'flower cards'. These sequences are thrown up in a skit form more commonly seen on television - but they are hilarious just the same.

Along the way the wise old monk gives the gangsters - and the audience - a smattering of Buddhist lessons that take attention away from the comedy but give the whole production some weight. The only mistake seems to be the rather lame romantic development between a gangster and a nun.

That said, Park has produced a film at times as delightfully silly as it is simple. Fans of the gangster-comedy genre will see some familiar fringe dwellers from past films such as My Wife Is A Gangster (Park Sang-myeong); they will also be pleased to see more of the same quality those films brought to our screens. And the added attraction for all viewers here is there's less of the 'violence for violence's sake' often synonymous with South Korean films.

Hi! Dharma opens on May 23.



Hi! Dharma (Korean)