Invasion of Alien Bikini Review by Ian Stout

Invasion of Alien Bikini – Directed by Young-doo Oh (PIFF extra credit review) by Ian Stout

Invasion of Alien Bikini follows an unlikely hero, Young-gun as he spends his time cleaning the streets of crime and even litter that he finds around local bus stops and storefronts in his busy city. Young-gun is a “40 Year Old Virgin” meets Jacky Chan kind of good guy who has taken a vow of chastity. This proves to be comedic and all together a big problem when he rescues the beautiful Monica, who has recently been taken over by an alien force in need of sperm to help her species survive.

We begin with a fantastical show down with three thugs in a back ally intent on tormenting the lovely Monica. Once Young-gun has dispatched all thee in a 10 minuet kung fu hustle full of laughs, the two take refuge at our protagonist humble apartment, stock with teddy bares and all. A game of Jenga reveals they both have a lot in common. But when attempts to seduce our virgin hero fail Monica splits her back open and strangles him with her spine. Violence becomes the theme of the second act as Monica ties up Young-gun and uses every mean necessary to gather his sperm. Rougher still, the film takes a brutal turn when flashbacks reveal an abusive father who used to beat Young-gun within and inch of his life. Being tied up brings back the rage and he becomes lost in the post stress of killing his father while inadvertently beating Monica to death. Snapping out of it he then tries to impregnate her dead body.

With banned films of the past in mind I took a sobering look at director Young-doo Oh’s approach to storytelling. He takes his audience on an emotional rollercoaster of laughs, entertaining fight sequences and the brutalities rape and violence with lessons to be learned through it all.

I was entertained. I cringed. I questioned, what is the point of all of this? The film ends on a comedic note after a fast and furious animated sequences that comes across as a forced explanation to all the back story as well as clues to plot points that may not even have been necessary to tell this crazy tail. Comedic none the less, the 2d graphics do not let us down.

All in all, “Alien Bikini” was a fun ride and opened the viewer’s heart to the inner life of a disturbed, yet loveable middle-aged South Korean man. Bring your spine to the showing, and hold on tight to it when the girl loses hers. Literally!