I typically don't have Netflix, but every once in a while they release a movie that piques my interest enough to subscribe to it for a month. Most recently, that movie was KPop Demon Hunters. Granted, I would've much preferred to have seen this movie get a theatrical release, because it would've certainly made for a great theater experience, and one that I would've likely gone back to revisit multiple times at that, because this movie was absolutely fantastic.
First I want to discuss how this movie works as a musical. I always love it when musicals really integrate the musical aspect organically within the movie's world, and that's certainly the case here, as it's the power of our heroes voices while they sing that gives them the ability to fight off against the demons throughout. And not only that, but it's just really cool seeing full blown fight sequences play out during many of the musical numbers, which is something I've always wanted to see in a musical.
We follow a group known as Huntrix, who in addition to being demon hunters, are also a massively popular KPop group. As such, the music in the movie definitely has that KPop feel to it, but lyrically is where the movie really impresses me.
When you're listening to a regular song on the radio, its lyrics usually tend to be more poetic in nature, whereas in a musical, the lyrics are often more narrative- or dialogue-driven instead. Regular songs don't really translate well into musical form for this reason, since their lyrics don't always tell a straightforward story and can oftentimes be up for interpretation. They're more about creating a mood. But in a musical, the music serves to help either move the plot forward or tell us more about the characters, and so the lyrics have to be a little more straightforward in their storytelling as a result. This movie, however, manages to incorporate pop songs with lyrics that definitely work like regular songs, but which also tell a straightforward story and don't feel awkwardly out of place during the movie's various numbers. This is not an easy balance to achieve at all, but this movie finds that balance, and it works beautifully, and makes for an outstanding and unique (and incredibly catchy) soundtrack for the genre.
Oftentimes, foreign music will randomly insert English lyrics into their songs. Being an American made film, the movie is already in English, as are its songs. But it does the opposite with its songs, inserting random Korean here and there, which I thought was a nice touch.
I also appreciated how the movie handles the topic of using your art to make the world a better place. I have my thoughts on certain artists that put out very ugly and negative messages with their art, and I often find this practice pretty off-putting. This movie actually explores that direction though, as the group are putting together a takedown song, but its ugly lyrics and nasty message winds up driving a wedge between the group. Ultimately, it's a song that serves to divide as opposed to unite, and it's not until they come together to create a different song full of a more positive and uplifting message that they're able to rekindle things and pull their fans back in as well, and I think this is a wonderful message that speaks volumes.
Beyond its musical aspects, I also loved following this cast of characters. The movie is incredibly silly, with lots of visual gags that take full advantage of the animated medium. But there's also a serious depth to the characters, as they're each dealing with their own insecurities that they have learn to overcome. I liked how the demons in the film feed off of people's insecurities and shame, and it felt relatable in a way that was somewhat reminiscent to Frozen (though I wouldn't quite say this film goes to nearly such depths as those movies do). I was particularly drawn to the character of Rumi, and I liked the realistic ways in which the film shows how she goes about keeping her secrets hidden.
I was also a fan of the film's setting, and how the story plays out very similarly to a number of classic Eastern fantasy stories, but in a more modern backdrop. And being a huge fan of the band Babymetal, who get their origins from idol roots, I was certainly able to appreciate how that whole aspect and the fandom surrounding it was incorporated into the film as well, which certainly felt true to life.
Colorful, vibrant, beautiful, catchy, and clever, this movie has a lot going for it, and it delivers in spades. It features great music, great characters, and a great message that definitely hits home. It currently sits as my favorite movie I've seen this year so far, and I'd say that it's well worth subscribing to Netflix for at least a month to watch it.
