The list of genre films that have generated public controversy is immense, starting near the birth of cinema itself and lasting pretty consistently throughout history; such is the confrontational nature of the material presented. Director Kim Sun-ung‘s latest film “Mount Chiak” is among those to join the list as the Wonju City government and local social groups protested that the movie could hurt the public image of the mountain and the region, even filing an injunction to ban its opening. However, the Seoul Central District Court turned down the application so the film could open as scheduled and come out to an international audience.
Trying to enjoy his life, Min-Joon (Yun Kyun-sang), the leader of a mountain bicycle group with other members Hyun-jin (Kim Ye-won), Yang-bae (Yeon Je-wook), Soo-A (Bae Geu-rin), and Yi-sak ( Lee Tae-hwan), go to Mount Chiaksan where Min-Joon’s uncle has a vacation home. After arriving and enjoying their time cycling in the mountains, strange things begin to happen to the party and something unidentified begins chasing them. A desperate survival game for Sangaja’s party to survive on Chiaksan Mountain begins as the group is forced to extreme measures to get off the mountain alive.
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For the most part, there’s a lot to like with “Mount Chiak.” Among the strongest aspects here is writer/director Sun-ung’s straightforward story that brings everyone together into a fairly enjoyable setup. The early stages following Min-joon’s escapades around the city leading to dragging the rest of the group out into the wilderness, the journey there allows for a chance to get to know who they all are, and why they came along on the trip. While none of this is groundbreaking material, it sets up the group as a generally likable bunch who are interested in the experience of traveling to a picturesque location to engage in their favorite hobby while being mindful of the legends surrounding it, which makes for a solid time. The longer they stay on the mountain and the more it starts to turn into something not being quite right, the generally fun setup allowing the audience to get to know everyone beforehand makes the plight to get away alive have some more stakes. As well, this also provides a fast, breezy storyline to develop that never stutters or loses its way in unnecessary tangents hogging up the running time.
The other fun factor featured in “Chiak” is the solid supernatural antics present. The initial idea of something strange being out there on the mountain is breached early on with stories of disappearances and animal sightings that provide a basis for the strange occurrences that happen once they arrive at the campsite. The strange noises heard at night or the food mysteriously disappearing work quite well at furthering the idea that something is out there so that is the first big encounter when Hyun-jin believes her dead father is standing in the woods before her. This builds up nicely with other fun aspects including a mysterious rash Soo-a develops or sightings in the woods that no one else believes, that help heighten the tension and escalating paranoia affecting the group. The wild finale, featuring plenty of decent chases, some grisly encounters, and unexpected revelations about the cause of everything going on at the location not just presently but over the years, makes for a fun time and generally gives off plenty to like about it.
While there’s a lot to like here, “Mount Chiak” does have some issues. The main drawback present is a far more complicated reveal than what’s warranted in the story, making for a complex final half that veers slightly off the rails from the tense atmosphere built up beforehand. Introducing sci-fi elements, including years of secret government research, a clandestine research center located via a secret passageway, and holding discussions on various alien races visiting the area over the years helps to fuel the action present but is all clumsily inserted into the story as a whole. Very little of it explains what’s been going on to Min-joon throughout the film and comes across as oddly intercut with the rest of the story The other factor with this one is the constant bad decision-making that keeps everyone in danger, staying at the cabin and ignoring obvious signs of distress to leave in favor of having fun. None of these incidents strike as being worthy of being overlooked and swept aside so the group is somewhat less likable as time goes on, all of which bring it down in the end.
With a lot to like about it and not too many drawbacks, “Mount Chiak” is a solid mystery-heavy genre effort that might pack its flaws into the finale so it ends on a sour note but isn’t enough to knock it down overall due to the rest of the positives. Viewers who appreciate this approach or are curious will find the most to like.
