The South Korean movie is a tragicomedy, a genre with elements of fear as well as joyful moments to keep the audience laughing. Sinkhole quantifies that as it tops the domestic box office on its release surpassing Marvel Studios’ Black Widow according to the Korean Film Council.

Dong-won (Kim Sung kyun) and his family moves to Seoul after 11 years of hard labour and settles for an apartment in town. He feels overjoys after meeting the neighbours and decided to organise a housewarming party inviting his colleagues including Kim Seung-hyeon (Lee Kwang Soo). The heavy downpour the night before created a huge sinkhole which eventually swallowed up the whole building and the people inside. Together with his neighbour Man-su (Cha Seung Won) and other unfortunate guests, they must find their way out. Time starts running out as the rain keeps pouring down, filling the sinkhole with water.

The claustrophobic atmosphere pairs realistically with the crushed building as it sinked continuously into the underground hole. It keeps you drawn into the suspense as survivors find ways to stay alive. The ordeal is somehow suppressed by humorous stories and skills which they would never have tried out daily – a Bear Grylls moment. The courage to adapt is a great lesson for everyone today as we stay resilient during a pandemic.

A philosopher once said that a home is when one is at ease with the people with whom they share their lives. The movie encapsulates witty antics and the collective fears that are felt interchangeably throughout. It is a must watch movie for the weekend!

Catch Sinkhole at the cinemas as it releases on 26 August!

The Fifth Parlour would like to thank Encore Films for the invite!