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A beach where people grow 1 year older every 30 minutes

Posted August. 19, 2021 08:41,   

Updated August. 19, 2021 08:41

한국어

A beach like a hidden treasure unfolds. It is quite tranquil unlike other beaches packed with people during holiday seasons. Its superb scenic beauty makes it feel like heaven on earth. Each character seems to have their own concerns but is excited to enjoy the best holiday upon arrival at the beach.

However, the paradise instantly becomes hell. Time passes at an uncontrollable pace as 30 minutes on the beach is equivalent to one year. A six-year-old named Trent grows to become an adult in the blink of an eye. There is no escape from the open beach. It is the story of the thriller movie “Old” that premiered on Wednesday.

“Old” is the new film directed by M. Night Shyamalan who is known to be the master of creative stories and twists. Those on the beach are terrified as they learn that time passes at an outrageous pace. The beautiful rock formations, cliffs, and ocean become a “natural prison” to isolate them. Those who desperately try to escape from it get swept away by the waves and drown.

The movie based on the graphic novel “Sandcastle” published in 2011 sucks audiences in as if making their time go faster. Who locked them up here? Why? Why did a resort’s staff member introduce the beach only to them? End credits roll as audiences chase the never-ending questions. The intentionally dissonant music created by composer Trevor Gureckis raises tensions among audiences, further pulling them into the movie.

The fast-passing time is fearful yet reveals the fact that time heals. Characters who grew older realize that the conflicts experienced at their young ages were in fact insignificant. As their eyesight and hearing worsen due to aging, husbands and wives look at and listen to each other more carefully. It is a thriller movie with deep thoughts on the topic of time.

The movie was filmed on the Playa El Valle beach of the Dominican Republic. It may be the beach of terror but also gives a feeling to audiences that they have been to a wonderful beach in an exotic location after a long period of dealing with COVID-19 and having been restricted from traveling. However, it is a shame that lines said by villains in the latter part of the movie to justify their actions are too direct.

“Old” also resonates with the current global situation engulfed by COVID-19. The film premiered in July in North America and has been placed number one at the box office. Parental guidance is required for children under the age of 12.


Hyo-Ju Son hjson@donga.com