Haruki Murakami's original novel "Burning the Barn" is a very concentrated expression of the value nothingness of modern people. The adaptation of the film "Burning" very clearly emphasizes the opposition of classes, that is, Ben treats those who don't care about the lower class like burning plastic seals. Burn (kill), he is a complete nihilist and plays himself the God who cleans the earth with no guilt. Compared with novels, movies have added a lot of content and richer themes. The protagonist in the novel becomes a complete bystander, watching a lonely girl disappear and disappear without a sound. After the adaptation, Zhong Xiu is not only the recorder of the event, but also a participant and a keeper of values. After all, he still cares about the girl and avenged her. The novel is colder and the theme is more concentrated, focusing on nothingness and meaninglessness; there are too many things added to the film, including the lust of young people, class antagonism, and the nihilistic thinking of modern people, as well as the alienation of people in the process of urbanization feel. Come to think of it, Haruki Murakami can also be regarded as a country child during the urbanization period in Japan. Most of the characters in his novels have a sense of alienation, which has something in common with Jarmusch's films. This film hits the alienated heart of modern youth, as well as the nihilistic status quo of modern people. Perhaps, what the director wants to achieve is to enrich the theme, and doing so is more like the reality of young people in the process of modern urbanization. At the same time, this kind of adaptation also makes the movie more beautiful and has the taste of a suspense movie, but it is more than that. As far as I am concerned, the director's purpose has been achieved, and it will not be difficult to explore philosophical issues, nor will it lose deeper exploration because of suspense. This may be the essence of Haruki Murakami, focusing not only on good looks, but also on major themes. The advantages of this are obvious, but the disadvantage is that neither side is done thoroughly. Moreover, the problem has also come - intellectuals think that the class problem of this film is very superficial, philosophers think this kind of discussion is too vulgar, and the public thinks this suspense film is not good enough. Perhaps, only young people who feel the same sense of nothingness will feel the same way. It's really not easy to express many themes in one movie. As far as my personal opinion is concerned, I think the director has expressed it well. Ultimately, both the novel and the film point to a question: how to fight against nothingness? How to deal with meaninglessness? The girl's way is to travel and search, Zhongxiu's way is to write, Zhong's way is to hurt people, and Ben's way is to be a god; and more people sell themselves in the commercial society in exchange for a life. Regardless of the two versions of the story, the author leads the audience to think and face the nihilistic problem of modern people: the family collapses, the meaning collapses, the value collapses, everything becomes fragments, and people become atomized existence, how should we reconstruct meaning? How do we face this emptiness of loneliness? How to deal with all the changes around you? Perhaps, this is the part that the author wants to ponder. Everyone lives in what Nietzsche called the ruined world after God’s death. The will of the group, the highest value, meaning, and truth have all collapsed. There is no promise, no guarantee, and no guarantee, but we still have to work and live in the ruins. This is the modern life picture and psychological situation that the director tries to reveal.
Young Lee Jong-soo, who aims to become a writer, is to a certain extent a reflection of the soul of literary and artistic youth all over the world.
Ben burns (kills) the underclass people who don't care like burning plastic seals, he is a complete nihilist, and plays himself as the god who cleans the earth without any guilt.
Zhong Xiu reunited with her former classmate, Shin Hye Mi, in a large store. This is also a typical scene, a reunion with a girl from her hometown in the process of urbanization. This girl is pure and faithful in her desires, and ends up being toyed with by money and indifference.
"Burning" is adapted from Haruki Murakami's novel "Burning the Barn". The original novel is more ambiguous. The adaptation retains the flavor of Murakami, but adds the issue of class differentiation. I just touched on the issues of the survival and lust of young people all over the world, and several of my friends felt very impacted.
View more about Burning reviews
