This film is something else, and the filmmakers know it. The clever trailer for the film features intertitles that say “This is not horror,” “This is not sci-fi,” “This is not comedy,” etc., each one displayed before clips that appear to contradict each claim. Add to the list martial arts action flick, revenge thriller, romance… Save the Green Planet! is a cinematic Jack of all trades. From the start we’re certain that our hero, who is convinced that the CEO of a chemical company is the leader of a group of menacing alien invaders, is utterly mad. Or is he? You can’t be sure of much of anything here. And like the very enjoyable Kung Fu Hustle, this fast-paced film’s tongue is firmly planted in its cheek.
The film is expertly crafted, and won several prizes on the festival circuit, including three in its native South Korea. But underneath the visual spectacle is a lack of any coherent or consistent idea. There are some attempts at weighty themes here (both social and environmental) that just don’t work, resulting in a brilliant flash in the pan that ultimately disappoints.
Here are this morning’s Oscar-nominated films, alphabetically. The nominees for foreign language film and documentary feature are compiled at the end of the list. (Short format nominees are listed in a 
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