by Hwang Wook’s Mash Ville is a wild blend of genres, combining a bit of everything into one raucous concoction. From cultist assassins to poisoned whiskey and predestined birthdays, it channels the spirit of films like the Coen Brothers’ Burn After Reading, Kim Jee-woon’s The Good, the Bad, the Weird, and Francis Galluppi’s The Last Stop in Yuma County. The film’s chaotic narrative, filled with overlapping misfortunes, descends into a whirlwind of drunken madness that feels straight out of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. This psychotic, sweat-soaked western earned Hwang Wook the “Best Director” award at this year’s Fantasia Film Festival.
Mash Ville (2024)
- Western
- Action
- Comedy
Release Date: July 21, 2024
Director: Hwang Wook
Cast: Chun Sin-hwan, Park Jong-hwan, Park Seong-il
Runtime: 126 Minutes
Main Genre: Western
Writers: Hwang Wook
What Is ‘Mash Ville’ About?
On a sweltering day, as the sun beats down on a cast of eccentric characters, everything goes awry. Moonshiners led by the cigar-smoking Joo Se-Jong distribute tainted products that pose a deadly risk to consumers. Jeong Ye-Jin, a special effects artist, accidentally presents an actual corpse in her latest project. A pair of Hanbok-clad preachers embark on a murderous rampage under the guise of salvation. These absurd acts of buffoonery and violence are hilariously combined in Mash Ville, where nitwits, businessmen, and corrupt lawmen scramble to restore order in Hwaseong, often after a few drinks.
Wook’s take on the western genre is modernized, featuring suited businessmen rather than classic bandana-clad cowboys. The film highlights lawlessness and saloon antics with a playful sense of humor. While Mash Ville can be outrageously silly, it also becomes darkly thrilling during its gunfights. It’s a film where a woman can down a bottle of liquor and then deliver a precise headshot. Wook’s direction, reminiscent of Martin or John Michael McDonagh’s work, infuses the film with pitch-black humor even as the body count rises, maintaining coherence amid the chaos. Characters, bonded by sin, form unlikely alliances over drinks, with intoxication helping to unify the storyline.
Make no mistake — Mash Ville is a zany, frothy comedy-thriller. Characters are defined by exaggerated traits like ZZ Top beards or drawn-on soul patches, and include maximalist characters like Oh Jae-Won, the cop who enjoys beating up locals. The film’s exuberant style may not appeal to everyone, as it demands a willingness to accept its whimsical plot twists. Whether it’s an executioner’s target dropping dead unexpectedly or Jeong Ye-Jin tricking a studio full of producers with a real corpse, Wook and co-writer Lim Dong-min revel in playful absurdity. With a runtime of over two hours, the film’s experimental nature offers plenty of room for missteps.
‘Mash Ville’ Boasts a Great Ensemble Cast
Wook’s ensemble performs like regulars at a beloved dive bar. The larger-than-life characters and their zany side quests enhance the film’s charm. Distillery fools Se-Hyuk and Se-jin find themselves temporarily accepted into the killers’ pastel-colored cult, while Joo Se-Jong impresses Oh Jae-Won with his homemade brew. Mash Ville pays homage to films like Reservoir Dogs or Logan Lucky, where exaggerated characters interact in unpredictable ways. It’s less about the fate of individual characters and more about the anticipation of the next outrageous twist.
There’s no secret formula to Mash Ville beyond Wook’s filmmaking prowess. It’s outrageous, engaging, and humorously tipsy to a delightful extent. The actors bring their ludicrous roles to life in Wook’s tangled narrative of improbability, keeping the audience hooked despite the outlandish events. The film’s blend of bad luck, bloodshed, and karmic justice is served up with an artistry that’s smoother than a happy hour cocktail. Mash Ville offers a well-crafted cinematic chaos that’s enjoyable and satisfying, not just a cheap thrill.
