I would imagine that the response to Mincheol Wang’s debut feature Garden, Zoological, likely stems from one’s reaction to zoos in general. If one has a general fascination, either positive or negative, with zoological exhibits, then this film may ultimately prove fascinating. If one is less enthused by zoos, then this may prove to be more of a slog.

The central question of Garden, Zoological is fairly clear: to what extent does captivity partially lead to animal extinction? The answer, extraneous to the film, also feels very clear: zoos have positive attributes, and whole host of negative ones. Wang ultimately struggles to make the answers to his questions seem more compelling than the simple sentence written above. The biggest issue with this film is just how hard it struggles to maintain momentum throughout. It’s surprising that the run time is officially only ninety-eight minutes, as the film feels far longer. One scene with a tiger dying in particular is only about ten minutes in length, yet feels like watching a tiger death in real time.

The animal imagery in Garden, Zoological, however, is top notch. I particularly enjoyed many of the sequences involving a family of seals; a pregnant one rolling over, a baby one learning how to swim and fish, are quite delightful. But these delights are somewhat fleeting. At times it feels like we spend far too much time with the human caretakers, and not enough time understanding the plight of these animals. At one point someone remarks that people occasionally throw rocks at the animals. If Wang’s film was more willing to touch upon the sinister realities, it may ultimately prove a more compelling piece. At present, it seems far too much like ninety-plus minutes of daily zoo routines, with a healthy sprinkling of cute animal videos.