2009 Lost Memories: Reviews

ALTERNATE SYNOPSIS:
What if Japan allied with the United States during World War 2? What if the atom bombs were dropped on Berlin instead of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? What if the sovereign nation of Korea never existed?

J.B.I. agent Masayuki Sakamoto uncovers a web of intrigue during a routine investigation of an attack upon a museum displaying ancient cultural artifacts. Clues from the museum lead Sakamoto to an underground band of freedom fighters willing to risk everything to acquire an ancient relic known as the Lunar Soul. As Sakamoto unravels the mystery, everything he ever knew about the world he lives in will be turned inside out.

Thrilling science fiction and tense political intrigue collide in this fast-paced, romanticized thriller. Set in the near future, "2009: Lost Memories" is proof-positive that contemporary Asian cinema is being redefined by a handful of talented new Korean filmmakers.

ALTERNATE SYNOPSIS:
One of South Korea's top-grossing films, 2009: LOST MEMORIES blends sci-fi, action, politics, and history into a time-bending thriller which explores issues of national and cultural identity. Set in the year 2009, the film operates in an alternate reality where Japan retained control of its Korean colonies after World War II and the independent nation of Korea has never existed.Masayuki Sakamoto (Jang Dong-Gun) is a Korean police detective comfortably assimilated into this Japanese-occupied state until a routine investigation reawakens his nationalist pride.Assigned to probe a terrorist attack on a museum exhibit displaying historical artifacts, Sakamoto is soon drawn into an underground network of Korean freedom fighters who seek their nation's independence. As Sakamoto's sympathy for the rebel group urges him into action, the Korean grows increasingly at odds with his Japanese best friend and partner, Shojiro Saigo (Nakamura Toru)--setting the stage for a tense and bloody showdown.