Fasten Your Seatbelt

Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds is an epic, dazzling film that hurls you into the Korean version of the afterlife while showcasing some of the most impressive special effects I've ever seen in any movie.

The story begins with the death of firefighter Kim Ja-Hong (Cha Tae-hyun) who jumps out of a burning building with a child in his arms. The kid lives, but he dies at the scene. Two strangers inform him that he has passed away right on schedule, and toss him into a vortex that takes him to the world of the afterlife, where he meets his three guardians: Gang-rim (Ha Jung-woo), Haewonmak (Ju Ji-hoon) and Lee Deok-choon (Kim Hyang-gi).

At the gates of the afterlife Ja-Hong learns that he is considered a paragon (an exemplary person who lived a noble and self-sacrificing life) and is eligible to be reincarnated -- but there's a catch. First he has 49 days to make it through seven hells in which he will be judged on his sins. His three guardians will help and defend him along the way (and they have their own reasons for wanting to do that), but surviving each hell requires that he be honest and have a valid reason for what he did wrong in his life. The Gods of these hells are all very tough, demanding overseers who have absolute power over the souls that come to them, and most easily take offense.

This movie and Ja-hong's journey through the hells of the Korean afterlife makes Homer's Odyssey look like an elementary school field trip. The special effects might have overwhelmed the story, but brilliant performances by all the actors keep everything grounded in the mythology and make it very human. Although the ending is something you might expect, have some tissues on hand. You're going to cry. I did. Available to watch on Viki.com.

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