Peninsula / Haunters (AmasiA Mediabook #11) [Germany]

[pygospa]

Release date: 19.02. 2021
Buy link: Amazon.de
Price: €27.99
Discs: 2x BD
Booklet: 24 pages

PROBABLY not english friendly (Korean + German dubbing, Subtitles not clear yet, but probably just German)
 

 

Release Number 11 of Splendids AmasiA Mediabook series is again one of the most prestigious releases, that has already an impressive list of special premium releases, including a really stunning looking Zavvi Steelbook, and even some strange never before seen Movie Badgs by KimchiDVD. There are a number of 4K Amaray releases being prepared or already available, e.g. in the US and Canada, as well as in Germany, and HD Amaray releases across America and Europe, plus special editions like the HMV Digipack with posters, or the German Peninsula boxset including HD and UHD of Peninsula as well as Train to Busan and Seoul station in a boxset. Still, it is just fitting that Splendid also includes it in it's AmasiA series, as TRAIN TO BUSAN started of this crazy ride for Splendid, and as I have already told you in great detail in the Train to Busan / Seoul Station thread, this was more successful than Splendid themselves would have imagined, with - for a short time - retailing prices raising as high as 300€.

And as someone who can count himself lucky enough to have gotten a copy of this wonderful release, I cannot go with any other release but this (even though this Zavvi Steelbook is so beautiful that it should be illegal).

PENINSULA (반도, read: Bando) is a stand-alone sequel to the successful zombi action horror movie TRAIN TO BUSAN (2016), and it's later released animated prequel SEOUL STATION (2016). All by the same director, Yeon Sang-Ho. It tells the story of a group of soldiers who are sent to the wastelands of the Korean peninsula, which is now inhabited and controlled by zombies and rogue militia.

 

This movie hasn't gotten the same positive reviews that TRAIN TO BUSAN did, and it also wasn't as successful (though of course still a financial success, making more than double its budeget). However, up to now not many have seen it. It was to be premiered in Cannes which didn't take due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and though it was released to cinemas around the world (e.g. in Germany it was released beginning of October) due to the pandemic only few people went to cinemas to start with. Despite this situation, it is the most successful movie in and during the pandemic, when not looking at the absolute numbers, but compare them to the overall film market in 2020. It is the first international blockbuster to be released during the pandemic, it reached no. 1 on the international cinema charts on it's opening weekend, and was  on it's opening weekend the most successful movie since March this year. Up to now, it is residing on place 19 of the most financially successful movies in 2020 (which because of all this craziness has actually 4 Chinese movies on it's top 10 list, including one manga).

HAUNTERS (초능력자, read: Choneungnyeokja, literally: "Psychic") is a 2010 Korean sci-fi thriller movie, who's connection to PENINSULA is the same main actor, Gang Dong-won. In this movie he plays a character who is an outcast due to his psychic ability to control other people with his mind, which he abuses to his benefit, until he meets Kyu-nam (played by Go Soo) who is immune to his psychic abilities, and who in turn intends to hunt him down and stop him.

HAUNTERS is another rather successful movie in Korea, and even gained some international attention during the Busan International Film Festival, at which the producers managed to sell rights to several other countires, including Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. In Japan, Hideo Nakata made a japanese remake, MONSTERZ (2014), which was however received rather badly. Haunters is another movie that Splendid already released as an Amaray - this time however it's nearly 10 years ago, and though officially out of print, it can be bought for a rather low price on the second market (new and sealed Amarays start from 3€).