A bloody update of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, The Pied Piper of Hamelin. In the not too distant aftermath of the Korean War, a father and his 10-year old son stumble across a remote, beatific village on the way to Seoul. Instantaneously unsettling, despite the gorgeous surroundings, the villagers have, if not a horror movie malevolence at least a concerning weariness. The chief has tricked them into believing the war is still raging, and, alternating between fear and superstition, keeps the denizens in line. Murmurs of disquiet at their cooped up lives slowly find voice in the Piper’s good deed that alleviates their hardship. Wanting the status quo maintained, the chief cooks up stomach-tightening treachery. Tension comes from the impending collateral damage. A parable on mob mindlessness.

By Hemanth Kissoon