Review by Crites | Panik House | Buy from Amazon.com
Opening up with cross-cuts between an ultra-hot girls aerobics team workout and the gag-inducing hazing of some underclassmen, SEX IS ZERO tells you right from the start what's on its menu: tits and vomit. And as we all know, that's entertainment!
"The highest grossing Korean comedy of all time" takes place at Sunjong University, an institution excelling, apparently, in the twin disciplines of physical education and law. Across this hallowed campus unfolds the tale of lovesick Eunsik, an awkward and, due to his having to complete his military service prior to entering the realm of higher education, older first-year law student. The object of his affections is the stunning young Eunhyo, star of the school's nationally ranked ‘fitness team.'
The culmination of this infatuation is complicated by any number of things, chief among them (aside from Eunsik's physical and social awkwardness) being the attentions of big man on campus Sangwook. As he too woos Eunhyo their cliques and those of other assorted oddballs intermingle freely, allowing for any number of sex, hijinks and sexual hijinks with unpredictable and often unpleasant results. Suffice it to say, Eunsik has his work cut out for him; Sunjong University and its surrounding culture aren't quite as daffy and carefree as might be expected. To say any more would definitely skew the potential viewer's perspective, so the rest of the plot details will be left unspoiled.
There's much inspiration drawn from American teenage sex comedies here, from FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH to ROAD TRIP and beyond, but somewhere in their eagerness to ape the simpleminded Yankee sex romp the filmmakers took too careful notice of the more dramatic aspects of some of these gems (FAST TIMES … in particular). This gives the attempt at lighthearted idiocy an underlying sadness that detracts considerably from the physical comedy and mood of horny exuberance inherent in all of young adulthood.
Don't be mistaken, there is still a tremendous amount of ridiculously crude behavior, some of which is truly hilarious. You can expect a full serving of the eating of disgusting things, jumping out of windows, screwing, screwing blow-up dolls, drinking, puking, masturbation, groin injury, panty shots, experimental aphrodisiacs, theft, people getting hit in the head, trips to the hospital, etc. One scene in particular, that of a mousetrap gone horribly, horribly wrong, had me laughing out loud.
But the film's principal shortcoming is that it's billed across the board as a comedy; and while much of the film does consist of slapstick and T&A, gross-out humor and the like, at heart it's a dead-serious take on the pitfalls of young love and the very graphic consequences thereof. Handled with a blunt harshness not likely to be found in a Hollywood film, comedy or otherwise, the melodrama that unfolds works to considerable effect against all of the film's comedic intentions. It may be that there's a cultural barrier at work here, one that requires the insertion of a morality play, or it may be Eunsik's perfection of the role of tragic clown, but by severing the mood as often and abruptly as it does the dramatic weight of the picture makes the film seem painfully longer than its 96-minute running time. The film does achieve a sweet ending, but it's one that is not achieved easily.
I'm not really sure what audience to suggest this to; mixed bag as it is, perhaps it's to remain most appreciated in its homeland.
Aside from offering subtitles in both English and Spanish, SEX IS ZERO comes with extensive ("Over 100 minutes") bonus features, including a "making of" featurette, interviews and biographies, commentary in both English (by Mike McPadden & Mr. Skin) and Spanish (by Jesus "El Pelos" Olivera), bloopers, deleted scenes, trailers, poster & still galleries, production notes and press kit, not to mention a cover sticker and full color "information booklet."
