TIFF’23: Concrete Utopia shows a glimmer of light in the apocalypse

Many of us may fantasize about the apocalypse. Whether it be shedding the shackles of capitalist society or just an urge for everyone to live off the land, the apocalypse can seem enticing. It’s a chance to start over, to begin anew and make something better. But what about the people who don’t want the apocalypse to happen? How would they react if the apocalypse did happen?

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Concrete Utopia is a new film investigating that very question. It’s a South Korean film by Um Tae-hwa (who previously directed Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned), and it depicts the apocalypse happening in Seoul. All buildings are completely destroyed except for one apartment building that remains unscathed. The tenants of this building appoint one of their residents called Yeong-tak (played by Lee Byung-hun from I Saw the Devil and Squid Game) to lead them, and he becomes worried by the possibility of non-residents taking over the building.

Despite the film’s name, the setting is far from a utopia. Only people who can prove they live in the building are allowed to stay, with everyone else forcibly thrown out. The rations are limited, the temperature is freezing, and all the people here are struggling completely. This film is quite despairing to watch, but in a way that is exciting for anyone familiar to the post-apocalyptic genre.

Lee is a powerhouse in the role of the man with all this responsibility on his shoulders. He’s carrying a metaphorical weight on his shoulders, but that heaviness impacts his ability to lead. He becomes more concerned with holding on to what’s left of society, any many of the residents love his message. The film shows that in tough times, people are afraid of change and embracing something that could help you get through if it means sacrificing what you had.

The film also gives focus to a married couple in the building, Min-seong (played by Park Seo-joon from Parasite) and Myeong-hwa (played by Park Bo-young from a Werewolf Boy). He plays a character whose only concerns are helping the people and ensuring his safety, while she plays someone who actually wants to help where it’s needed. She gives extra attention to those who need it, but he just goes with the resident’s delegate and follows his order no matter what. The conflict the two have is what drives the film, to survive or to live.

Concrete Utopia is a powerful, but rough film about what humans do in the dark. It’s a similar vibe to Children of Men, a film that remains hopeful despite the overwhelming and depressing odds. It’s a fantastic film to watch if you’ve been feeling very happy recently and you’d like to change that. I give this film a 4/5.