Bong Joon-ho's genre-defying monster movie follows a working-class Seoul family whose youngest member is snatched by a mutated, river-dwelling creature born from toxic chemicals dumped into the Han River, forcing them to mount their own rescue after the government's incompetent, self-serving response fails her. Bong blends creature-feature thrills with sharp political satire aimed at governmental corruption and American military presence in South Korea, while never losing sight of the family's raw grief and dysfunction. A massive hit in South Korea and a critical breakthrough internationally, it remains one of the most acclaimed monster movies of the 21st century.