Wonderland
Plot
Here is the plot summary for the movie "Wonderland": In the sweltering summer of 1981, the sun-kissed streets of Los Angeles were rocked by a gruesome quadruple murder on Wonderland Avenue. On July 1st, responding officers arrived at the scene to find four lifeless bodies - three adults and one child - brutally slaughtered in the family home. As the police delved deeper into the investigation, they uncovered a tangled web of deceit, manipulation, and violence that would leave no one unscathed. At the center of the blood-soaked drama was Herbert "Whitey" Bullock (Val Kilmer), a notorious pimp with a penchant for cruelty and a trail of broken lives in his wake. His reign of terror had been marked by brutal beatings, prostitution rings, and a steady supply of drugs to keep his harem of women under control. The victims of the quadruple homicide were all linked to Bullock's operation: John Stoker (Michael Rooker), a sadistic pimp who shared Whitey's violent tendencies; Billy Dee Williams (played himself), a friend of Stoker's with ties to the criminal underworld; and the Stoker family - father, mother, and young daughter - whose only crime was being trapped in Bullock's twisted game. As the investigation unfolds, Detective Ted Gillespie (Edward Bunker) finds himself caught in a moral quagmire. Confronted by the sheer brutality of the crimes, he begins to question his own morality and the true nature of justice. Meanwhile, Whitey Bullock's empire teeters on the brink of collapse as rival gangs and corrupt officials close in. "Wonderland" is a gritty, unflinching portrayal of a crime that shocked America and left a lasting scar on the city of Los Angeles. With its exploration of dark themes like violence, exploitation, and the blurred lines between good and evil, this film is not for the faint of heart. Yet, it is precisely this uncompromising approach that makes "Wonderland" such a thought-provoking and unforgettable viewing experience.
Reviews
Charles
It seems a new trend has emerged among Korean directors: leveraging Tang Wei's presence to elevate the perceived sophistication of their films.
Thiago
With a husband like that, Tang Wei's character definitely has some serious backup!
Ivy
Wow, didn't expect it to be a sci-fi film, never thought they'd tackle this kind of subject matter. 'Black Mirror' probably explored similar issues. If a company like this could exist, it suggests there's some rationale behind it, even though I'm strongly against the concept. The deceased, those in vegetative states—we should interact with them in a natural way, not by creating a virtual person. Even if the virtual person's thoughts originate from the real person, they are fundamentally different individuals. As time passes, different personalities will develop, entirely dependent on the algorithm. Death is a topic we should come to terms with from a young age, and I think what Fu Jiaming did was quite good. May the deceased rest in peace; we shouldn't use...
Marcus
My first movie in Seoul, and it's a miss... Kim Tae-yong, after all these years, you deliver a stitched-together patchwork? Yes, the cast looks amazing on the big screen; Tang Wei and Suzy are stunning. But what were you thinking with this plot? The premise was interesting, each storyline could have been a whole drama. Tang Wei's could be about AI awakening; Suzy and Park Bo-gum's about the contrast and conflict between virtual and real boyfriends; and the boy and his grandma about over-immersion. The biggest problem is that the Wonderland world-building is weak from the start, the system's logic is all over the place, so you can't get invested...
Judah
The film *Wonderland* masterfully unfolds the dark underbelies of power and corruption in 1980s Los Angeles, offering a chilling insight into the human psyche.
