Libera Me (2000)

I'm paralysed now. I am numb and I cannot fathom how I feel, much less express it.

In all aspects; this is a masterpiece. Not only that the fire scenes throughout the film were shot in real buildings and used real fire. The story, production and acting were flawless; this much I can guarantee.

If you thought you had any idea of what suffering might feel like -like I did- you're going to rethink after watching this. The amount of pain every single second carries is nothing I would tolerate. I had a rough idea of how bad firefighters suffer, but after this everything changes. To be stuck between saving a comrade and saving yourself in the middle of the flames is hell in itself; that's where the title came from. I should not have started this after reading the title; I shouldn't.

Libera Me playing in the background all the time drags you into the depth of hell; actual hell.

Friendship, sacrifice, love, duty, pain and traumas are all depicted most brilliantly and excruciatingly here. I gaped at the screen amazed at how complicated and pathetic we humans are. And I cried for the same reason.

I watched almost 100 Korean films and I can confidently ask you to watch it. I'm too numb to write a good review.

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Flaming hot. Real fire on set and in a young CSW.

Libera Me is a 20+ year old blockbuster film that’s surprisingly still watchable, I can hear it’s thumping background score days later.

The story is straightforward but compelling, it really made me think of the dangers firefighters face everyday. The director (same one as 2009’s IRIS) didn’t take any shortcuts and used real buildings and real fire all throughout. I really wish I could have seen this in crisp HD.

Admittedly, I checked this out initially for Cha Seung Won but ended up liking it enough to rewatch a second time.

And if you’ve only seen CSW in his more “recent” dramas (Hwayugi, The Greatest Love), Libera Me is a treat. He’s way younger here but just as fascinating. In certain scenes he’s clearly dangerous and unhinged, in others he could pass off as innocent and make you hope that he can still be redeemed.

Choi Min Soo’s role as protagonist didn’t require much nuanced acting but he’s riveting just the same. I’m glad these two got to act in one movie.

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