Synopsis
A woman is trapped inside a confined space with 13 strangers. Horrific death ensues every time the light goes out. From four corners in the room, notes turn up with "rules of the game" scribbled on. Everyone wonders "who" and "why." This claustrophobic thriller, a variation of Cube and Saw, proves to be yet another intriguing addition to the psychological thriller genre —if you are into that sort of thing. Though the ending with a foreseeable reversal isn't exactly the kind of finale one may have anticipated, the film still has its refreshing moments by challenging the idea of identity and epistemology. Achieving aesthetic masterfulness based on characters and suspense-building without relying on visual effects, Breathing Room is an exemplary text to remind us once again how crucial basic skills (scenario and directing) can be in the art of filmmaking. (PARK Sang Joon)