By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
Every dog breed seems to have had its day on the big screen, from Collies ("Lassie"), German Shepherds ("I Am Legend"), Dobermans ("The Doberman Gang") and French Mastiffs ("Hooch"), to Dalmatians ("101 Dalmatians"), Labradors ("Old Yeller"), and even Pitbulls ("John Wick"). Now, it's the Cane Corsos' turn to shine and they do in the new Korean action drama,
"Project Silence."
Directed and co-written by
Tae-gon Kim ("The Sunshine Boys" and "Familyhood"), "Project Silence" blends horror and sci-fi elements into a pulse-pounding thriller set predominantly on a dark and fog-shrouded bridge. While the film starts slowly, the payoff is undeniably rewarding.
Cha Jeong Won (The late Lee Sun-kyun, "Parasite") is recently widowed and doing the best he can to raise his spoiled daughter Cha Kyeong-Min (Kim Su-an, TV's "Ending"). Cha, who works diligently as the chief aide to a presidential candidate, decides to send her abroad to school in Australia.
However, their plans go awry on a fateful night as they navigate through intense fog while headed to Seoul Airport.
Amid the fog, a car accident triggers a massive pileup on the bridge. Surprisingly no is seriously injured. To everyone's horror, two cargo trucks carrying genetically enhanced Cane Corsos—part of a military experiment known as Project Silence—crash too.
These killer canines, designed with heightened intelligence and aggressive instincts, break free from their restraints and unleash havoc on everyone in their path.
Led by researcher Dr. Yang (Kim Hee-won, TV's "Han River Police"), the experiment was intended to create the ultimate anti-terrorist guard dogs, but it disastrously backfired due to a programming glitch and now they've lost their doggone minds.
It's up to Cha and a diverse group of strangers to band together to survive the relentless onslaught of these menacing beasts.
Adding to the tension is the inclusion of colorful characters like the sleazy tow truck driver Joe Park (Ju Ji-hoon, "Ransomed"), who has a score to settle with Cha, and an angry young golfer, Yoo ra (Park Hyun, TV's "Mouse") and her manager Mi-ran (Park Hee-von, TV's "Happiness"), who find themselves unexpectedly thrust into the fray. Thank God for their 9-iron. Amid the mayhem, their interactions provide moments of both comic relief and unexpected heroism.
"Project Silence" delivers nail-biting suspense amplified by the terrifying realism of the predominately CGI-rendered Cane Corsos. These majestic yet fearsome dogs, portrayed with striking authenticity, emerge from the swirling fog to create palpable tension and stunning sequences throughout the film.
The eclectic cast delivers too and makes "Project Silence" quite a summer treat.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays now at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Look At This Trailer For
"PROJECT SILENCE"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
