Theatrical Release Date: South Korea, 2001
Director: Sang-Jin Kim
Writer: Woo-Suk Kang
Cast: Sung-jae Lee, Seung-won Cha, Hye-su Kim, Jong-su Lee, Yeong-jun Kim, Han-garl Lee, Won-jong Lee, Ji-ru Sung, Hae-jin Yu

DVD released: June 8th, 2009
Approximate running time: 114 Minutes
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
Rating: 15
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo Korean
Subtitles: English (Non-Removable)
DVD Release: Third Window Films
Region Coding: Region 2 PAL (UK)
Retail Price: £14.99

---

The plot for this film revolves around two guys who fall in love with the same girl. The two guys went to high school together one was the smart guy who had no friends while the other was the resident tough guy who had a lot of friends. After graduating from high school both guys drastically change, as they flip flop who they were in high school (the smart guy is now part of organized crime, while the resident tough guy has become a high school teacher.

At the core of this film is a story about friendship. The plot feels a tad too long as they two main characters journey could have easily been achieved if the film cut about 20 minutes. Also the cat and mouse game the two main characters play as they pursue the same girl loses its momentum long before things resolve themselves. The film also examines what it is like to be an outsider who is trying to fit in and it is in this regard that the film is at its best. This films’ humor is really hit or miss (leaning more towards the latter).

Kick the Moon was directed by Sang-Jin Kim (Attack the Gas Station!). The film’s visual style is very complementary to the story at hand. All of the cast are more than adequate in their respective roles with the film’s stand out performance being Hye-su Kim in the role of Min, Ju-ran (the objected of the two guys’ affection). The scenes where her character interacts with her delinquent younger brother are her most memorable moments and a scene where she has to be carried home after drinking to much. Ultimately despite its flaws Kick the Moon is still an engaging enough story that reaches a satisfying conclusion.

The DVD:

Third Window Films presents Kick the Moon in an anamorphic widescreen that preserves the film’s original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Outside of some mild edge enhancement, this is a clean looking transfer that has nicely saturated colors, healthy looking flesh tones and details look crisp throughout. This transfer has not been flagged for progressive playback.

This release comes with one audio option a Dolby Digital stereo mix in Korean. The English subtitles cannot be removed have been included. The audio is in great shape as everything sounds clear and balanced.

Extras for this release include a trailer for the film (2 minutes 21 seconds – in Korean with English subtitles) and a making of documentary (11 minutes 27 seconds – in Korean with English subtitles), this documentary is made of behind the scenes clips from various scenes as they were filmed. Also included with this release are trailers for titles currently or soon to be released on DVD from Third Window Films. Overall Kick the Moon gets a strong DVD release from Third Window Films.