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Chaw
Movie

Chaw

2009 • Unknown

Woke Score
2
out of 10

Plot

A black comedy about the events that are set into motion in a town after a man-eating boar goes on a rampage.

Overall Series Review

Chaw (2009) is a South Korean black comedy and creature feature focused on a ragtag group of characters hunting a man-eating boar. The narrative centers on a classic monster-movie setup, borrowing elements from films like *Jaws* and *The Host*. The plot’s primary conflict is a localized one, pitting the personal duty of a newly-assigned city cop and a grieving grandfather against the greed and ineptitude of local officials who try to cover up the killings to protect a tourist festival. The humor is derived from slapstick comedy and the eccentric personalities of the rural villagers and bungling police, which is a common trope in the genre. The film incorporates a subtle eco-horror theme, suggesting the boar's mutation is linked to animal abuse and environmental neglect. Gender roles are present but not a dominant theme, featuring one highly competent female scientist on a team of men. The story is a straightforward adventure with universal themes of survival, revenge, and the conflict between human greed and nature.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics1/10

The film is set in South Korea with an all-Korean cast; no forced insertion of diversity or 'race-swapping' is present. Character conflicts are based on individual merit, such as the competence of the scientist or the incompetence of the police, and regional divides between the city and country. The story does not rely on intersectional hierarchy or the vilification of any immutable characteristics.

Oikophobia2/10

The film’s critique is aimed at local corruption and greed, specifically the village elders and officials who prioritize the profits from an organic food fair over the safety of the community. This is a targeted critique of modern systemic failings and environmental neglect, not a broad condemnation or self-hatred of Korean culture or ancestors. Core institutions like family (the cop’s pregnant wife, the grieving grandfather) are present without being demonized.

Feminism4/10

The main female character, Byun Soo-ryun, is a competent wildlife biologist who joins the hunting expedition. She is portrayed as knowledgeable and fearless, an intellectual authority who corrects a male detective who is unfamiliar with her field. However, she functions as a key and capable member of a mixed-gender team, not an instant 'Mary Sue' sole protagonist. The narrative incorporates traditional family dynamics, such as the cop’s relationship with his pregnant wife and mother, with no overt anti-family or anti-natal messaging.

LGBTQ+1/10

The narrative focuses on a traditional creature feature and adventure plot. There is no presence of alternative sexualities, sexual ideology, or gender theory lecturing. The standard family structure and traditional male-female pairings (such as the main cop and his wife) are depicted as the normative structure.

Anti-Theism1/10

The core conflict is physical, revolving around a mutant boar, with no overt religious or anti-theistic themes. Morality is objective—killing to save the community is righteous, while the greed of the village leaders is a source of evil. There is no hostility toward religion or a focus on moral relativism.