K-Pop Demon Hunters

Official Rating: PG

"We are Hunters, voices strong/Slaying demons with our song." Thus goes the mantra of the hugely successful K-pop girl group Huntr/x. Following in a long line of Korean song warriors tasked with creating a magical barrier known as the Honmoon to keep the forces of the demon lord Gwi-Ma at bay, the latest generation is doing fantastically; winning awards, delighting fans, and most importantly showing the demons "how it's done, done, done!" Unfortunately the demons are beginning to catch on to this power of music, and an enterprising thrall of Gwi-Ma called Jinu has suggested harnessing said power for his nefarious ends. Will he and his Saja Boys tear the world apart, or will Huntrix prevail and create the Golden Honmoon through which no demon may invade?

Or... will something else happen?

Good Parts—Content: 

Let's start with the concept. Fighting with music is a fantastic idea; one that has been tried numerous times but has never lost its cool factor. This movie takes it to the next level, making the bonding and uplifting power that music grants to the soul have a literal protective effect on the world. And it makes actual blades with which to bash the darkness. To fuel that power, Huntr/x performs some dazzling shows and makes some glorious songs.

There are also tons of positive plot elements. The Huntr/x members' friendship is positively beautiful; everyone should try to find such a pack of supportive and talented companions! A strange homeopathic doctor they visit gives them some good tips on balance and teamwork. Rumi suggests that Jinu "listen to those voices [of his fans] instead of the ones in your head[Gwi-Ma]" One of the key themes encourages watchers to rise above the bad things in their lives, personalities, and history and be awesome, not allowing themselves to be defined by or inhibited by them. Honesty and sacrifice are also highly promoted values.

Finally, it's just a rollicking good time of a movie, featuring all kinds of humor, Korean cultural education, anime tropes, and some truly delightful creatures. It just doesn't get any better, folks.

Good Parts—Cinematics: 

The animation, environments, and special effects are flawless, nothing more to be said, the vocal technique is unbelievably good, and the story is very fun, engaging, and heartfelt. The skill and joy in the craft of the makers shines through in every frame!

Religion: 

Rumi introspects in ways that sound rather like praying. Korean mythology is the basis of the entire movie. A song calls the demon's faces "ugly as sin"(which they are). In the non-film recording of the song "Your Idol," a portion of a traditional Catholic chant describing the end of the world is incorporated into the opening.

Violence: 

In the name of the movie, the band members are called hunters, but their job description involves less tracking and trapping and more hand-to-hand hacking. The opening number takes place during a fight in their airplane, and the girls go on to take part in many altercations in a variety of situations. These fights are choreographed and bloodless(the demons do disintegrate into pink glittery stuff, though), since their words and melody also serve as weapons. The demon lord tortures his underlings. Rumi decapitates a mannequin. Bobby accidentally slaps the cameraman during Golden's live recording. A character sacrifices himself to save a band member.

Sexual Content: 

During the opening song, Zoey briefly fake-flirts with one of their opponents. Huntr/x wears some form-fitting and mildly revealing outfits, and the other two members give Rumi a hard time for what they think is her modesty. At their first sight of the Saja Boys, the girls develop some big ol' crushes, some of which are retracted when their true nature is known. They remain unable to deny the influence of the Saja's aesthetics on their sensibilities. One of their fights takes place in a men's bathhouse, where they had chased the boys in an attempt to take them down. An old guy in a towel is seen, and everyone is shocked and slightly embarrassed after the heat of battle dies down. Both the Saja Boys' songs are sort of romantic, albeit in a creepily-possessive way. When the two bands do a joint signing, their interactions lead to some strange ships1, some of which are featured on T-shirts. Most prominently among them is the coupling of Rumi and Jinu. Some wordplay takes place on the phrase "save the date," which is on a card that she sends to him, and in the middle of this "date," a lady selling bracelets first calls her his girlfriend, then recommends that Rumi find herself a better boy, as "this one's hopeless." They definitely develop feelings for each other that result in a song and some hand-holding, nothing else. Various pairs of fans hug each other at the end, but everyone does that at concerts and we're 99.998% sure it's just a display of emotion and comradeship.

Language:

The demons' primary tactic is verbal abuse, reminding people of their faults, sins, and inadequacies. Some characters on both sides are sarcastic. "Gosh" and "jeez" can be heard on occasion.

Supernatural:

From the moment you read the title, you know there'll be something dark going on in here. The demons, although technically more on the monsterly side than the more insidious real-world ones, are unadulteratedly evil, stealing souls and feeding them to their overlord Gwi-Ma to generate more demons. THEY ARE STINKIN' CREEPY and not for the sensitive child. At the climax of the movie, the boy band performs a sinister ritual in the form of a concert. So exercise caution and know your kid.

Other—Content:

Before a show, Huntr/x engages in some unmannerly (but hilarious) snacking, which causes them some...bodily aftershocks. A fan gets a tattoo of their band name on his side and shows them. The characters all have some serious trauma from their families in one form or another, and they have some priorities in the wrong places, too. It turns out that the demons are controlled by Gwi-Ma's remindings of their shame, fear, and past wrongdoings. Jinu's backstory especially is quite tragic. On that topic, some characters tell lies to hide the truth about themselves.

Jinu's messengers, the bird and the tiger, might be scary...for like fifteen seconds.

There's a weird hot-sauce-drinking challenge on a game show. Abby, the Saja Boy with an impressive abdominal physique, makes pencil rubbings of his muscles and gives them away at a signing. Elements of horror can be found if you think too hard about the missing person reports which are posted after the Saja's rise to fame. Tensions and trust issues, upsets and betrayals, all contribute to quite a lot of drama. 

Other—Cinematics: Some have criticized the pacing of the story, and certain genre tropes may confuse the uninitiated.

Summary:

At first sight, this seems like the most niche of movies that only a very select group would like. In the grand scheme of things, after all, few people are from Korea, listen to K-Pop, and/or are international music stars. But we've all heard things in our heads, telling us crushingly paralyzing discouragements that threaten to steal everything that makes life worth living. We all hope for family and connection, and we'd all like to live in a protected harmony, safe from evil forces. There's just so much to discover, unpack, and discuss; it's perfectly enthralling in the best sense of the word. Despite all appearances, this is quite simply one of the greatest movies of the last ten years! With spectacular music, colorful visuals, fast-paced action, and deep, universal themes, there is something in this movie for everyone to enjoy, from the most die-hard twelve-year-old K-pop fans to staid and sober seventy-six=year-old grandfathers (literally). So, if you're looking for pure cinematic delight, give this a watch! It's highly recommendable. Score 15/10.

Footnote:

1: "Shipping", for my fellow early Victorians, is "to wishfully regard (specific people or fictional characters) as being or having the potential to become romantically involved with one another," according to Merriam-Webster.