Aachi and Ssipak (Achi-wa ssipak) (Director: Jo Beom-jin): There’s not much point in trying to analyze a film about a dystopic future world where the source of energy is human feces, but I can say that this animated feature from Korea was loads of fun. Our titular characters are a couple of lowlifes trying to get by in this miserable future by stealing juicybars, the government’s reward for each citizen’s, uh, contribution to the energy supply. The fact that these druggy popsicles are highly addictive has created some problems, not least of which is the emergence of a whole swarm of addicts whose bodies can no longer produce the required material. These smurf-like creatures band together to form the Diaper Gang and terrorize the police and anyone else trying to control the supply. The plot is a little more complicated, but this basic premise means lots of action scenes between the police, the Diaper Gang and our heroes. Ssipak’s infatuation with a porn star with prodigious pooping abilities leads them into a rescue mission, since she’s been kidnapped by the Diaper Gang. If it all sounds ridiculous, it is, but you have to give the filmmakers some credit for originality. Some of the best parts of this film (and any film which satirizes the future) were the mock ads and public service announcements telling people how to maximize their poop. This foul-mouthed, politically incorrect, scatalogical and gleefully violent film is probably not suitable for actual children, but it will appeal to the stunted adolescent that lives within most of us.
English subtitled DVD available from YesAsia.com (Region 3 NTSC)
(7/10)