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Midnight
Movie

Midnight

2021 • Unknown

Woke Score
3
out of 10

Plot

A serial killer ruthlessly hunts down a deaf woman through the streets of South Korea after she witnesses his brutal crime.

Overall Series Review

Midnight is a South Korean psychological thriller that hinges its tense cat-and-mouse chase on the unique vulnerability of its deaf protagonist, Kyeong-mi, and her deaf mother. The movie centers on Kyeong-mi’s desperate flight after she accidentally witnesses a ruthless serial killer, Do-sik, in the act. The narrative is a taut, non-stop pursuit through city streets and apartments, using the protagonist’s inability to hear as a powerful source of both suspense and social commentary. The film excels at putting the viewer in the silent, hyper-visual world of its main character, emphasizing her quick wit and survival instincts over brute force. The primary themes explored are the resilience of the human spirit, the immediate danger of predatory evil, and the societal indifference that leaves marginalized individuals, like the deaf women, more exposed to danger, particularly when trying to communicate with an able-bodied authority figure like the police. The villain is a classic, charming psychopath whose primary tool is exploiting social trust and the protagonist's disability to manipulate bystanders into distrusting her warnings.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics6/10

The core of the plot relies on an immutable characteristic, deafness, which places the protagonist and her mother at a systemic disadvantage, making them 'subaltern' subjects exploited by the able-bodied killer and often disbelieved by police and bystanders. The narrative highlights the practical difficulties and societal prejudice (ableism) faced by the hearing-impaired, fitting the category's focus on immutable characteristics and systemic oppression, though it does not involve the vilification of 'whiteness' or forced diversity, as it is a Korean film.

Oikophobia2/10

The film functions as a standard genre thriller where the main antagonist is an individual psychopath. There is no broad deconstruction or demonization of South Korean culture, history, or ancestors. The critique is localized to police incompetence and a general social indifference to victims, particularly vulnerable ones, which is a common trope in crime thrillers and does not suggest civilizational self-hatred.

Feminism4/10

The female lead is a highly competent, brave, and resourceful protagonist who ultimately outsmarts and defeats the male serial killer, placing her in a 'Girl Boss' archetype. The male serial killer is pure, toxic evil. However, one character is a 'controlling' man who attempts to police a woman's behavior, and a late-stage dialogue by the heroine focuses on her traditional desire to live so she can marry a good man and have children, which is a strong counter-signal to anti-natalism, preventing a higher score.

LGBTQ+1/10

The movie does not contain any observable elements of alternative sexual ideology or gender theory. The familial relationships are traditional, featuring a protective mother-daughter dynamic and a brother-sister bond. The narrative focus remains strictly on the suspenseful thriller plot and the protagonist's disability.

Anti-Theism1/10

Religion is not a factor in the film's conflict, morality, or character motivations. The serial killer's evil is personal and psychological, not attributed to or contrasted with any religious institution. Morality is objective, with the killer representing pure evil and the protagonists representing righteous survival.