After being unemployed for several years, a man devises a unique plan to secure a new job: eliminate his competition.

Korean maestro Park Chan-wook returns with ‘No Other Choice’, a satirical black comedy thriller starring Lee Byung-hun, who will be familiar to many Western viewers from his recent role in ‘Squid Game‘. He plays Man-su, a well-respected and well-paid employee at a papermaking company who suddenly finds himself out of work, and increasingly unable to maintain the comfortable middle-class life his family has come to expect. As the months pass, small cutbacks give way to deeper sacrifices, from reining in spending to giving their dogs to his in-laws, until Man-su can no longer pay the mortgage and the threat of losing their home becomes unavoidable.

With his options exhausted, Man-su convinces himself there is only one way out: eliminate his rivals and secure a crucial job that will solve everything. He has, as the title insists, no other choice. Like much of Park’s work, the film operates on several levels at once, functioning as a sharp satire of capitalism, a propulsive thriller and a darkly comic comedy of errors. Park blends these elements with remarkable control, allowing scenes of violence and farce to sit side by side without cancelling each other out.

Lee Byung-hun is perfectly cast as Man-su, capturing both his growing desperation and the warped logic that allows him to justify his actions, while Son Ye-jin is excellent as his wife Mi-ri, particularly as she begins to sense that something is wrong as Man-su’s late nights and strange behaviour mount. The script is especially impressive, constantly pulling the viewer along even as the plot becomes more elaborate and increasingly absurd, making each new escalation feel like an inevitable next step rather than a leap too far.

Park’s direction is as assured as ever, supported by striking cinematography and precise staging that heighten both tension and comedy. ‘No Other Choice’ is a dark, entertaining and sharply observed thriller that balances satire, tension and farce, and feels unmistakably like a Park Chan-wook film even as it remains a fresh and original entry in his resume.

Rating: 4/5

Directed By: Park Chan-wook

Starring: Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran and Cha Seung-won

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1527793/