Women are monsters?

Now I know why Shiri was such a blockbuster. The use of big explosions, secret agents, doubts between friends, and the hero coming to save the world. These are all components of being a blockbuster. I especially felt like I was watching a Hollywood film...there is a hero to save the world (some sarcasm intended). The story was so stereotypical and obvious that I knew what was going to happen. But then again, that's part of what makes a Hollywood style action melodrama film right?

One thing I did not quite understand was Kim's point of view on women becoming the monster in these kinds of films. "Identifying the historical trauma as woman's monstrosity is one of the most popular remedies prescribed for male hysteria" (268). Yes, I like what Kim said near the end of the article about woman being used as an object. "Yet the woman is once again posited at once as the object that stands only in relation to man's drive toward mastery of his time, environment, and being" (276). But I did not think Lee Myung Hyun/Lee Bang Hee was monstrous. Also I did not feel like Ryu Joong Won was 'hysterical' per se. My opinion on this film is the use of woman character was not for the 'remedy of the male hysteria'. In fact, I just felt really bad for her. Like Ryu Joong Won said in the film, she is like hydra and the separation between the same nation has made her into the person with different personalities. This does not necessarily mean it turned her into a monster. At least not for me. Additionally, in the voicemail she left for Ryu, she confesses she really loved Ryu and that she was neither Lee Myung Hyun or Lee Bang Hee. This means she sincerely loved him with her own feelings, whoever her true self was inside.

Talking about being monstrous, I actually think Ryu Joong Won was more monstrous than Lee. I think Ryu was heartless. However, the audience view towards Ryu could change according to how they viewed the ending. The director chose not to show Lee Myung Hee getting shot in the head. So we do not know if Ryu killed her or some other soldier shot her. But I think Ryu shot her for the sake of the government and the nation. He did not even hold her and mourn like usual lovers would do. He just simply walked away. I don't know...Ryu's love towards Lee just was not convincing enough for me.

Well, whatever the case is, I did not like certain views towards this film Kim mentioned in her article. In addition, I realized directors really like to leave an open interpretation of the ending. The characters or even the plot could be understood in different ways because of the open endings. What is the purpose of this? Why do directors like using this technique? Why is it used so often throughout films that were popular? This is the question to wrap my head around for the next upcoming days...