The world is familiar with the 
professional killer trope: “Star 
Wars,” the James Bond novels and 
even Pulp Fiction all include some 
reiteration of the same type of 
character. And for the right reason: 
Readers devour these stories. The 
remorseless, accessible killers exist 
in realms where the borders of 
reality are difficult to identify, and 
excitingly easy to contort.
Un-Su Kim takes this trope 
to a new level in his first book 
translated to English; all of the 
characters in “The Plotters” are 
assassins except for a select few. 
These are not paid killers who are 
hired by someone else for dramatic 
effect, the killers themselves are 
the central focus of the book. 
Kim looks deep into the killers’ 
humanity and at the complex 
socio-political sphere they operate 
within.
“The 
Plotters” 
settles 
its 
crosshairs over Reseng, a thirty-
something Korean man who has 
been working as a for-hire assassin 
for years. Adopted by Old Raccoon 
(a vacant, older man who works in 
tandem with assassins) as a child, 
this world is all Reseng knows. 
He flourishes in an environment 
where men labelled “Plotters” 
take orders for homicides, in turn 
handing these orders and victim 
profiles over to assassins. It is an 
environment where corruption 
is ubiquitous, tacitly suggesting 
that, everyday, disappearances or 
political deaths — outright murder 
or not — are the result of the 
Plotters and their transactions.
While “The Plotters” at times 
seems unsure of what it is trying 
to accomplish plot-wise, it is in his 
characters that Un-Su Kim shines 
as a writer. The characters in the 
novel are diverse in temperament 
and realistically formed — greatly 

nuanced for the “typical” assassin 
type. While initially the novel 
is 
disproportionately 
saturated 
with men and (at times, the 
often accurately ludicrous) male 
perspective, 
Kim 
thankfully 
escapes this trough by the final 
half of his novel. He offers several 
female characters, most centrally 
Mina, who is, along with Reseng, 
one of the most fantastically formed 
characters. Mina is both flawed and 
a badass. She takes on stereotypical 
female propensities that authors 
often disregard when employing a 

“strong woman” archetype. She is 
annoyingly talkative, cares about 
her physical appearance and is 
physically meek. Simultaneously, 
however, she fights for a cause, 
is 
remarkably 
intelligent 
and 
remains the calmest amongst all of 
the characters in the face of peril. 
She is a shining example of Kim’s 
ability to craft truthful, balanced 
characters. Mina, while certainly 
imperfect, is a refreshing offer of a 
female character in a thriller novel. 
Authors molding (usually female) 
characters often feel the need to 
choose between good and bad, 
between “manic pixie” and socially 
altruistic. Mina, along with the 
many other characters of “The 
Plotters,” is allowed to be both.
The story of “The Plotters” is 
interesting. The writing is good, for 
the most part. There are certainly 
sloppy lines, especially when it 
comes to dialogue, though this 

perhaps can be attributed to the 
translation element of the novel. 
Depending on the intensity of 
the scene at hand, the book is not 
remarkably difficult to put down. 
There are gripping scenes —they 
just do not come with frequency.
Although its characters stand 
out, “The Plotters” slips into an 
ill-fated middle ground between 
literary fiction and the thriller-
mystery fiction familiar in works 
such as “The Girl on the Train.” 
Kim seems unable to decide on 
one territory — or perhaps is just 
unwilling to examine both 
territories entirely at the same 
time. There are two or three 
especially moving scenes in the 
work where Reseng’s humanity 
(and sometimes his inability 
to adhere to it) is revealed. 
Principals of love and loss are 
toyed with eloquently.
However, 
these 
passages 
falter when Kim later neglects 
them, juggling instead with 
his thriller plot, trading blood 
and adrenaline for half-hearted 
examinations of literary themes 
every few chapters. It is difficult 
to be wholly enamored with “The 
Plotters,” especially when sincere 
themes seem diluted by a desire 
to continue to force moments of 
drama and violence.
Thrillers, both onscreen and 
read, are often made or broken by 
their ability to trick audiences and 
retain their attention for the span 
of the story. Characters such as 
Reseng and Mina — characters that 
feel remarkably authentic — do this 
uniquely, as it is hard not to lean 
into their stories and human depth. 
“The Plotters” is a good thriller 
for its willingness to investigate 
outside of the at-hand, adrenaline-
begetting drama and the novel 
takes refreshing breaths. In the 
future, hopefully Kim expands the 
appeal of his work with even more 
of these voyages.

‘The Plotters’ a thriller

Doomsday. The End of Days. The 
Rapture. Whatever name it takes, 
the dramatization of the moment 
of reckoning for the human race 
continues to fuel the film industry 
without fail. By now, Hollywood 
has presumably squeezed out every 
last plotline possible about the 
world’s demise. Yet, even after 2012 
came and went, the end-of-life-
as-we-know-it craze persists. Our 
expectations for films within this 
genre are understandably low, given 
the common threads of painfully 
predictable plotlines, poor action 
and weak direction found in films 
like “The Knowing,” “2012” and 
“This is the End.” However, “Bird 
Box,” Netflix’s latest apocalyptic 
flick, is perhaps an outlier within its 
class. Fresh, thought-provoking and 
terrifying, through Sandra Bullock’s 
talent and strategic fiddling with 
chronology, “Bird Box” offers more 
than the flame-filled skies, splitting 
streets and screaming pedestrians 
that we expect of it.
Cynical loner Malorie (Sandra 
Bullock, “Gravity”) cannot help but 
dread the invasion of her solitary 
lifestyle her progressing pregnancy 
will inevitably yield. While initially 
detached from the influx of news of 
mass suicides occurring overseas, 
Malorie is thrust into panic when 
the glazed-eye, suicidal individuals 
materialize 
within 
her 
town. 
Somehow escaping the mayhem 

alive, Malorie and a slew of fellow 
survivors determine the key to their 
survival is to blind themselves to the 
outside world, realizing that through 
seeing, they will likely meet the 
same fates as the corpses littering 
the streets. As tensions build, fears 

grow and literal darkness ensues, 
the survivors struggle to maintain 
their humanity as they adapt, 
quickly learning their realities will 
never be the same again.
Though riddled with moments 
of confusion we manage to follow 
along (our hearts racing every step 
of the way) to the end of the film, 
thanks to Sandra Bullock’s superb 
acting. Malorie serves as our much-
needed guide through the bizarre, 
post-apocalyptic world that “Bird 
Box” conjures. Her sturdy, no-bull 
demeanor produces a character 
who is consistent and tangible. 
Viewers, like the terrified characters 
within the film, are desperate to 
latch onto something solid amidst 
the unpredictable and harrowing 
backdrop of their world — where 
a tool as essential as eyesight is 
limited. Along with her firmness, 
viewers are able to find comfort 
and solace in the quiet relationship 
Malorie 
builds 
with 
fellow 
survivor, Tom (Trevante Rhodes, 
“Moonlight”). The refreshing thing 

about this romantic subplot is its 
subtlety.
Also working in the film’s favor 
is its usage of time. Two parallel 
timelines operate to show the 
present and the past. Viewers 
begin the movie in a state of utter 
confusion, following a blindfolded 
woman and two children down a 
daunting, gray river. Audiences, 
drawn in from this point of curiosity, 
have most of their questions 
answered in the second timeline, 
which illustrates flashbacks from six 
months prior. Our furrowed brows 
slowly begin to relax as we begin 
to piece together the intersections 
between present and past.

While elements like Bullock’s 
acting chops and the manipulation 
of time make “Bird Box” an 
intriguing watch, it should be 
known that this is not in any way a 
mild or ‘light’ movie. The sensations 
we are left with after watching are 
comparable to those that linger after 
sitting through an episode of “Black 
Mirror.” We are impressed and 
fascinated by the film’s imagination 
of a reality where sight, a quality 
that is normally so simply taken for 
granted, is restricted. At the same 
time, however, over the course of the 
film, we develop a sickening twist 
in our stomachs, nauseated and 
distressed by the unpleasant nature 
of humans in crisis. Its intense fear 
factor aside, “Bird Box” should be 
praised for its inventiveness. In 
fact, the film’s simultaneous ability 
to make us jump with fright and 

Bullock bold in ‘Bird Box’

SAMANTHA NELSON
Daily Arts Writer

FILM REVIEW

JOHN DECKER
Daily Arts Writer

BOOKS REVIEW

Getting cozy in Detroit 
for The Internet’s show

CONCERT REVIEW

There’s 
something 
so 
satisfying about going to a 
concert to catch a break from life 
kicking your ass. On December 
12, when I was sinking in the 
mire that was the final days 
of fall semester, I nonetheless 
decided the best use of my time 
before a final exam was to drive 
to Detroit to see The Internet 
(yes, the band) live. Despite 
some logistical hiccups, which 
resulted in me driving alone, in 
a borrowed car, with a manual 
transmission, I still managed 
to scoot down the highway 
to Detroit. On the downtown 
streets, I avoided the high-vis 
vest types harping their parking 
lots and opted to poorly parallel 
park only a block away from the 
venue.
Walking to the steps of Saint 
Andrews Hall and beholding 
people still waiting in line 
almost an hour after doors 
opened 
was 
an 
omen 
the 
atmosphere 
that 
night 
was 
going to be electric. A pat down 
and a trip to will call later, I 
was armed with a photo pass 
on my wrist, which gave me 
William Miller from “Almost 
Famous” levels of confidence 
as I smooth-talked my way 
into the exclusive VIP seating 
upstairs. 
Opener 
Moonchild 
took the stage as soon as I found 
an advantageous spot to settle 
on the railing. Their brand was 

slightly Vulfpeckian, lo-fi funk 
with tinges of pop and jazz.
They were nothing to write 
home about until the main 
vocalist, Amber Navran, and 
the two pianists flanking her 
sides each pulled a saxophone 
or trumpet seemingly out of 
nowhere, much to the crowd’s 
surprise. 
Maybe 
it 
was 
a 
testament to the audience’s 
attention level that we didn’t 
notice the array of instruments 
at their feet for a song or two, 
but after they busted out the 

brass, our eyes and ears were 
captivated 
by 
their 
sweet 
symphony.
Moonchild didn’t stop there; 
they showcased their talent 
as multi-instrumentalists by 
playing flutes and clarinets to 
boot. While the crowd gathered 
was not quite their mellow 
target audience, we still vibed 
with them, especially when 
they got everyone chanting 
along to a cover of Jill Scott’s 
“A Long Walk.” They exited to 
joyous applause, not stealing 
the show from the main act but 
serving up a savory appetizer: 
the perfect kind of opener.
After Moonchild had packed 
up their instruments and bright 
lights flooded the venue once 
again, the wait for the top-billed 
band was par for the course 
(read: almost criminally long), 
but the in-house stereo system 
kept it lively, which is almost 
too easy to do in Detroit when 
you play “First Day Out” by Tee 
Grizzley. So when the music 
abruptly cut and the lights went 
dim, the audience was roaring. 
A 
five-man 
wrecking 
crew 
piled onto the tight platform to 
the opening kicks and snares 
of “Roll (Burbank Funk),” and 
immediately everyone in the 
packed Saint Andrews Hall was 
bobbing to the music.
Both the crowd and band 
were in perpetual motion the 
remainder 
of 
the 
evening, 
stopping only for a second 
after the intro song when 
frontwoman, Syd, took a swig 
of her drink from a paper cup 
and set it down near a speaker. 
“Hold on, let me secure this tea,” 
she said to the crowd’s laughter, 
as drummer Christopher Smith 
started to play the opening notes 
of “Dontcha.” Other than that 
track, the setlist was comprised 
of cuts from Ego Death and their 
2018 release Hive Mind, with 
the 
balance 
unsurprisingly 
favoring the more recent.
The 
first 
half 
of 
their 
performance was more geared 
to cutting a rug, with crowd 
favorite singles “La Di Da” and 
“Come Over” doing the heavy 
lifting. And yes, The Internet 
had two literal Persian rugs 
on stage, a couch stationed on 
top of them. While Smith and 
producer Matt Martians mainly 
sat behind their drum set 
and synthesizer respectively, 
guitarist Steve Lacy, bassist 
Patrick Paige II and Syd didn’t 
hesitate to get comfortable. 
Paige and Syd flopped on the 
couch and cheered on Lacy as 
he took over for “Beat Goes On,” 
while Syd and Lacy sat in awe of 
Paige’s meditative verse which 
closes out “It Gets Better (With 
Time),” a song that Syd took a 
somber moment to dedicate to 
their late friend Mac Miller.
On 
stage, 
The 
Internet 
looks a motley bunch, each 
aesthetically adding their own 
stylistic flair: Lacy, who I am 
convinced can make any piece 
of clothing look hot, rocked a 
tie-dye shirt, split toe boots 

and a rainbow guitar straps; 
Syd was unassuming in her 
plain white T-shirt and ultra-
flared pants; Smith happily 

drummed along without a shirt. 
Much like the crowd packed 
within walls of the venue, The 
Internet represents a variety 
of ages, backgrounds, styles 
and personalities. But together, 
they somehow make it work, 
and get the crowd to work in 
unison, too. As Syd and Lacy 
slowly strode from side-to-side 
strumming and singing along to 
“Curse,” the mass on the main 
floor copied them, swinging in 
sync with the twosome like the 
Hall was playing Simon Says.
We were enchanted by the 
love songs, but also bounced to 
the triumphant songs like “Get 
Away” and “Just Sayin.” For 
the latter, Syd even coached us 
through the hook (“You fucked 
up!”) recognizing the audience’s 
adrenalized 
engagement. 
“I 
know how Detroit get loud as 
fuck,” she yelled, a wide smile 
on her face. With a longer-
than-average set and magical 
prowess, they gave us a reason 
to get loud. Everyone left with 
vibrancy coursing through their 
veins.
The Internet ended their set 
a tad unceremoniously, but with 
a good sense of humor: They 
picked up their instruments 
and shuffled off-stage as the 
“Curb 
Your 
Enthusiasm” 
theme played. Perhaps a bit 
ironic, as I had to return to 
the empty reality of the bleak 
winter night outside and Ann 
Arbor where work awaited, 
or perhaps a bit self-aware, as 
The Internet keeps up with the 
constant pressure of touring 
as they continue across the 
United States before embarking 
for 
Australia 
and 
Europe. 
Nonetheless, exams happen and 
sold-out shows will be played, 
because on nights like this, The 
Internet reminds us the beat 
goes on.

ROBERT MANSUETTI
Senior Arts Editor

ODD FUTURE RECORDS

reflect deeply may just be enough to 
erase the wrongs of its predecessors 
and redeem the apocalypse genre 
altogether.While 
elements 
like 
Bullock’s acting chops and the 
manipulation of time make “Bird 
Box” an intriguing watch, it should 
be known that this is not in any way a 
mild or ‘light’ movie. The sensations 
that we are left with after watching 

are comparable to those that linger 
after sitting through an episode of 
“Black Mirror.” We are impressed 
and 
fascinated 
by 
the 
film’s 
imagination of a reality where sight, 
a quality that is normally so simply 
taken for granted, is restricted. At the 
same time, however, over the course 
of the film, we develop a sickening 
twist in our stomachs, nauseated and 

distressed by the unpleasant nature 
of humans in crisis. Its intense fear 
factor aside, “Bird Box” should be 
praised for its inventiveness. In 
fact, the film’s simultaneous ability 
to make us jump with fright and 
reflect deeply may just be enough to 
erase the wrongs of its predecessors 
and redeem the apocalypse genre 
altogether.

NETFLIX

Much like the 
crowd packed 
within walls 
of the venue, 
The Internet 
represents a 
variety of ages, 
backgrounds, 
styles and 
personalities

Walking to the 
stpes of Saint 
Andrews Hall and 
beholding people 
still waiting in 
line almost an 
hour after doors 
opened was an 
omen in the 
atmosphere

“Bird Box”

Netflix

“The 
Plotters”

Un-Su Kim

Doubleday Publishing

January 29, 2019

6 — Wednesday, January 9, 2019
Arts
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

