No Other Choice, Park Chan-wook’s latest banger, is finally streaming on Hulu
Director Park Chan-wook’s long-anticipated film adaptation of Donald Westlake’s 1997 thriller novel The Ax has finally arrived on Hulu as No Other Choice. The project represents over a decade of development effort, having been in Chan-wook’s plans since at least 2009, with multiple significant pivots required before reaching completion.
The film tells the story of a recently laid-off worker who turns to murder as a means of eliminating his competition in a difficult job market. The narrative’s focus on corporate downsizing, a ubiquitous term from the 1990s economy, makes the material unexpectedly resonant with contemporary audiences and economic conditions. Despite its lengthy production journey, the final film demonstrates remarkable relevance to current circumstances.
During its development, The Ax underwent considerable changes in scope and form. At various points, the project was being developed as an English-language film in collaboration with Canadian filmmaker Don McKella, among other iterations. Chan-wook’s persistence in bringing this adaptation to screen ultimately resulted in what he considers his latest successful work.