Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter…and Spring. Well the title tells you everything. Do you get the hint – this is one of those cyclical, history repeating itself things. So past Autumn, do not look for any surprises. Instead look for a nice piece of nature photography as the film contemplates slowly the nature of existence (when you have a scriptwriter who wants to make a point about the cyclical nature of life). Which, ifaith, does not really tell us an awful lot about the lives of the viewers which tend not to be quite as blatantly cyclical.
The plot contortions to show us how cruel boy monk becomes infatuated with a girl, murders her, goes to prison and then returns as an older monk to teach another abandoned child who turns out gleefully cruel are no more exploitative than the average romantic comedy. Just do not think that with its Buddhists trappings that it has any unique observations on life. What it does have that might make your life better is its simplicity, and two hours watching the seasons change in a particularly beautiful Korean lake valley. Nice when you have been knocking about on Shaftsbury Avenue on a hot sticky night.