Label: Mei Ah Laser Disc Co.
Certificate: N/A
Region: 3
Run Time: 112 mins approx
Country: Korea
Director: Kim Sang-jin
Stars: Lee Seong-jae, Yu O-sung, Kang Sung-jin, Yu Gee-tae

Attack the Gas Station is a movie that inspired many other Korean filmmakers to go out and create movies about how the youth in Korea have nothing in their lives. How they are unsupported and bored with their lifestyles and the various illegal activities they resort to in order to keep their lives interesting. Initially it sounds like a drama doesn't it, and I suppose in some ways it is, but this movie successfully mixes the drama of the main characters broken lives with the comedy of what happens when they forcibly take over a gas station. Initially it seems as though they're after money, and they are after a little but after one sequence you find out that they're just doing it out of sheer boredom. Even though it sounds a little heavy it maintains a very upbeat feeling throughout the movie, and the comedy side of it never ceases to keep you smiling.

The four main characters all have different abilities that over time have been downtrodden by various adults, and so now they're rebelling against the society that spurned them. This is a very flowery look at the basic character motivations. They are however all motivated to rebel in different ways. No Mark wanted to be a pro baseball player but was forced of the team by a arsehole coach, Bulldog was bullied by his teachers at his school because he wasn't smart enough, Ddan Dda-ra wants to be a singer but is screwed over by a venue owner and loses everything, and Paint is an amazing artist that is convinced he is worthless by his father. The four of them decide to terrorise one particular gas station repeatedly. Taking the staff and various other people hostage they decide to serve the people who come to get gas so they can take their money, and not get in trouble. They slowly build rivalries with various gangs including a gang of food delivery boys on mopeds (the funniest guys in the entire movie). The film breaks when all of the gangs decided to attack the four guys at the gas station at the same time, and it gets to a kind of battle royale between about 40 people. I'm not gonna tell you anymore about the story, cause I'd just end up telling you the jokes and its better ya watch it yourself.
The film is very basic looking with some very interesting camera work in places. Nice camera shots where the camera starts to pan up and goes right over to show the four characters upside down then the camera rotates to show them the right way up. The flashbacks are also shot very well, they have a very washed out look to them, lots of yellow and dry colours.
The writing is also worth mentioning, it is unlike standard filmmaking in the best way it avoids stereotypes. Even though the characters ideal futures are ones we have seen before they just seem to have a very real feeling to them instead of the cheesy images we see in most western films. Also every care is taken in giving life to all the characters, making sure you know all the characters. The comedy side of the writing is very well paced, for every moment of drama there is a moment of comedy to back it up, or vice versa. By the end of the movie you really come to love the four main characters as if they were you mates.
Overall this movie is a great film. It was the first movie I saw from Korea and it truly opened my eyes to the very high standard of films coming out of their country at the moment. I have also seen plenty of fantastic Korean movies since, that have exceeded my expectations by massive amounts. This was for me a really fantastic movie, well made, well acted and beautifully written. This is a movie that must be checked out, especially if you haven't seen any Korean movies, its an excellent starter.

- Dr. Octopene

EXTRAS
This is a Hong Kong release of a Korean movie, so as you could guess there ain't much on it. Chapter selections, basic still image menus and a trailer. That's about it though. Bit of a shame, but that's what happens on the cheap Hong Kong DVD releases.