1
Herman
USA
Anyway, it's really interesting seeing these Asian movies that came out before I was born because they're not just different from movies of today, but from Western movies of the same era. To date I've only seen one Asian movie older than this and I don't think it counted because it was more of a direct opera to screen conversion. I can't say this movie is a favorite, but it's made me want to start finding lots of old Asian movies just for fun.
Story (7.5):
Okay, there were several gags and minor parts of the story that bugged me or that I skipped through, but it also had me laughing out loud in parts and got a whole lot more intense than I expected. The starting point of the plot seems a bit shallow: he's got to go undercover in a school to get a high ranking officers pistol back that was stolen by one of the students. However, it eventually dives into gangs and arms dealings, and includes (non-graphic) men getting blown up and students getting shot. There may have been a fair amount of references and humor and just general behavior of the day that kind of went over my head, but I'd like to think I was able to understand and appreciate most happenings throughout.
As a whole, I thought it could have been more defined since the flow of the story wasn't the best, but it wasn't terrible either and got the point across. Also, plus one for decent action sequences!
Acting/Cast (8.0):
I'm having a hard time thinking of what to say for this area, because I didn't see anything problematic with any of the acting; however, I can't think of anything that made me think "wow that's really good" either. So the acting fit the storyline? The guy was obviously not a teenager, but he did a valiant job even in the low resolution I was forced to watch this in.
Music (6.0):
The music wasn't terrible and had some funny tracks to play along with action sequences, but there were several times it stuck out like a sore thumb and I didn't think it fit the scenes. It could just be the 1990s Asian OST style though, so maybe it was usual at that time?
Rewatch Value (5.0):
I'm giving this 5 because I'm enough of a sucker for undercover cop stories that I could see myself watching this again at some point in the future. However, I've also got a lot of other options I'd probably choose over this one.
Overall (6.5):
I mean, I had fun watching it, but it's definitely not for everyone. I'd say if you can't enjoy the opening action sequence and ensuing reaming, you're probably going to have a hard time getting through the rest of the movie. However, any issues with this movie aside, I found it enjoyable as a means of scratching my itch for undercover cops in highschool storylines. If that's where you're coming from, then maybe there's a greater chance you'll be amused!
Anyway, it was free on AsianCrush:
https://www.asiancrush.com/video/004477v/fight-back-to-school/
And now let's see if I ever watch the sequels... There's at least a chance for the second one because it also involves high school :)
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FINAL-ly got around to watching this haha. Now this is a fantastic EXAM-ple of nail-biting intense "heists" as the students try to cheat their way through the exams! I was very impressed with the way this story played out, both in content and in structure, sometimes hiding information in the best way possible.
It's hard not to spoil anything, but it was fun to see the different ways they came up with to cheat and how they reacted when their plans went awry.
If anything detracts from this story, it's that it took me a little bit to get into the film, and that sometimes they overplayed a situation that I didn't feel had to be quite THAT stressful.
Otherwise, I'd say watch this over any old bank heist movie any day. It's like student mission impossible, complete with 3d characters.
Acting/Cast (9.5/10):
A brilliant feature film debut for the lead actress playing Lynn! She and all the lead cast portrayed their parts very well. I have to not give a perfect 10 only for the foreign actors when they were in Australia, lol.
Music (9.0/10):
The music in this was very well done to suit all the scenes. Music is also a fairly integral part of the story, and the way they integrated what was happening in the story into the score was very well done. Such as the character playing four notes on the piano and then the score starts a nails-biting theme based around the ending piano note. Well done.
Rewatch Value (8.0/10):
I get bored easily when I watch something I've already seen, but this is one of those films I wouldn't mind seeing again in the nearby future.
Overall (9.0/10):
A very well done film that will keep you on the edge of your seat for at least the second half. Also, when you think it's just going to be a fun action movie, it hits you from the side with character drama and the characters having to decide what they believe is right and how far they are willing to go to get ahead.
A very good action movie with breathing characters. Recommended.
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From a story perspective, this drama is a solid win in my book. I always love the secret identity trope and this is a perfect example. Mixing it with Noona romance is just a bonus. Of course you get one of my least favorite tropes: a second male lead with a sad backstory who is technically a much better choice of partner and inexplicably can't seem to get a girl so has to get his heart broken by the FL. I get that a lot of dramas would have little to no drama in them without these second leads, but I seriously get very tired of it. There were also some minor issues through the drama where you wonder at the choices the characters make that introduce needless drama, but overall this story is just so much fun, you can pretty much ignore everything else.
Acting/Cast (7.0/10):
Here's where I'm slightly conflicted. There are some great roles in this movie and the whole cast is undeniably talented. Seo In Guk's acting as the two brothers is especially great and so much fun to watch.
BUT I couldn't like Lee Ha Na's character portrayal of Jung Soo Young (yeah, the FL) and it seriously stunted my speed of watching this drama. In fact, before finally completing it I started and dropped it numerous times.
Now, I don't have anything against Lee Ha Na. I've enjoyed her acting in more recent and serious dramas like Voice where there isn't anything to complain about, and such older and more similar characters like in Merry Mary. So perhaps it was her directions for the character? A great number of the mannerisms and characteristics Lee Ha Na used to portray this character were just so bothersome. Often times, it felt really fake. Not fake as in bad acting from Lee Ha Na, but I felt like the character was being fake. That laugh especially got me every time. So bothersome.
Did anyone else feel this way? I don't mind watching dorky characters who could use a makeover, but something about this one didn't work for me.
The character and the actress are both great, but together it didn't mix.
To wrap up this section, I have to say that I really enjoyed the Grandpa character! He was so much fun and honestly looked like he had so much fun playing that part.
Music (6.5/10):
Plenty of fun tracks to go along with all the hijinks, but nothing I'd choose to play by itself.
Rewatch Value (6.0/10.0):
The benefit to starting and dropping a drama multiple times, is that you know at least the first part is completely rewatchable! :) There are parts of this drama I'll probably come back to now and then and others I'll never watch ever again thank you very much. It took me long enough (think years) to get through this drama the first time.
Overall (7.0/10):
I had a lot fun watching this drama, but it took many false starts and recap reading to finally finish it. I can see why it would be highly rated, but I can't in all honesty give it a higher score than this. That said, I don't regret finally pushing through to the end!
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As far as story goes, I was originally going to give it more of a 5 or 6, but I really really liked how they handled the story. If you're looking for exposition, there's none of that here. Instead they start showing you sequences, often covered in music, and you've got to follow along.
So, this isn't that 600 page novel you've been putting off reading, it's that flashy manga / picture book you easily devour before bed. :D
Now onto how they handled the action parts:
First off wow. If all you're looking for is an action movie, this won't disappoint. It's very reminiscent of anything Bruce Lee including the brutal hits and falls that look so painful and the frequent, ingenious, and often hilarious use of everyday props placed around the scene.
Of course, it does suffers a little from the "one on one" style, where all the bad guys seem to have made a pact not to jump in on the fight if she's already fighting somebody. Especially towards the end, there are so many guys just standing around watching her fight lol. But hey, I wouldn't want to get in on that either.
Acting/Cast (9.0):
A few stunted deliveries, but it's more than made up by the great fight sequences, especially from the lead actress who is also a very well trained martial artists (and it shows). She did a decent job of portraying autism and the emotional scenes were good too; but that's not what I was here for anyway...
The rest of the cast is pretty meaningless, most of them there for here to beat up. Sometimes, again as I mentioned, some awkward or over the top deliveries, but you don't really care when watching this kind of movie. I had to take at least 1 star off for that, but it was hard to take off more than that.
Music (6.5):
I only really paid attention to it during one fight scene and it blended in well. Other than that, fairly unmemorable.
Rewatch Value (8.0):
Well I write this after seeing it for the second time. The first time I saw it was before I began my Asian drama craze, so I did have a few years in between, but I can definitely see myself re-watching this again.
Overall (8.0):
I have to say, as an overall movie, my scores come out to an 8.
But if you're an action or Bruce Lee fan, I've got to say, this is a 10/10 action film.
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Story (7.5):
So yeah, I have an issue where I constantly drop dramas if they get the slightest bit boring or do something I don't like. But I came back to this one religiously and watched it every day a new episode came out. I know it's not perfect, but it was just good enough and fun enough I can't fault its faults (if that makes any sense).
Primary issues for me are in this section of rating (the story) but I won't spoil anything (hopefully) so read on.
First off, don't worry; fat shaming isn't really an issue in this drama. The first episode might feel a bit wonky, but things get better and it's essential to the whole rest of the plot. This story has got comedic romance, potential love triangles, hidden identities, and crazy exes. It's got the whole gambit, but it seems to take most of them and add its own spin on them so they don't feel crazy. Case in point the main storyline "hidden identity". Sure it's not the first of its kind, but it certainly didn't feel like an overused trope (plus hidden identity tag is one of my favorites).
I think the flaws that detract from the story for me are mostly some underwhelming resolution (mostly in character developments) and throughout there were a few character actions that didn't feel inline with the characters. Also, the number of times the main character faints or is somehow in terrible danger might be a record...
Acting/Cast (9.5):
Let me just say that this drama wouldn't be the same without Shin Sung Rok. There are few other actors I can imagine playing this role. He's hilarious and literally the best part of the drama.
At first I was hesitant about Go Won Hee but she showed me wrong and this pairing was a lot of fun to watch.
I can't point at a bad actor in this drama really. I'll never look at Jo Han Chul the same (I didn't think he had it in him to be that crazy), and was pleasantly surprised with Kim Jin Kyung (as the daughter).
Oh, and you can't forget about Kim Min Kyu. Literal puppy dog. That's the only way I can describe him.
Music (9.0):
Lots of fun tracks in this one and some might go onto some of my playlists. That perfume melody will always cause me to listen for thunder lol.
Rewatch Value (8.0):
Never a fan of rewatching much, I've already rewatched parts of this drama. Lots of fun to be had.
Overall (8.5):
While I can't say it was groundbreaking, a top favorite, or something I'll remember nostalgically, Perfume will be one of those dramas I remember as generating a lot of laughs watching and one that didn't give me much of a headache or worry that it would go horribly wrong. Perfect drama to sit back and relax to.
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Recently, I watched the 2009 version of Mulan. While I can't call that my favorite movie ever, it did a lot of stuff right both in character development, story line, and pace.
How to compare this with that? I couldn't help drawing parallels the whole time I watched this movie, but it's not fair at all to do a comparison.
This is a completely different kind of movie as a Huangmei opera musical film. At first I was skeptical, but the sets and performances are charming and endearing. If that's all you're looking for and you can enjoy the style of music, this will be a fun yet dated watch.
Personally, I didn't get drawn in, since it has the 2d characters and overexaggerated movements you'd expect from a literal opera film translation. But the main character was fun to watch! Disney's Mulan is a flowery and romanticized fluff piece while 2009 Mulan was a grim yet hopeful outlook on humanity in the darkest places and toughest choices.
This toes the line between the toe, never being very grim and dramatic nor flowery and romantic. It's a show, an opera. It feels more like a night out watching the stage and I found it quirky and cute.
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I originally started watching this when I first heard that the Disney live action was going to be, and finally finished watching it today after seeing the first trailer for Mulan 2020.
Wow. Don't embarrass yourself Disney. You've already got outcry from China on your historical inaccuracies just from the trailer alone...
Story (9.5):
Quite unlike the Disney animated version, this story follows more closely the original poem. In that version, Mulan was already skilled in fighting when she took her father's place in the army, and she didn't leave the army until 12 years later.
To start with, the setup here is done really well. There's a brief introduction to important characters through snapshots of daily life before we jump right into the army recruitment with a well handled segue into Mulan taking her father's place.
Since Mulan is already well trained, there's little room for a "Make a man out of you" scene, but don't worry, it's replaced by a beat up the bully type of scene showing off her awesomeness.
From here there's little to the story that resembles the Disney version. Instead of singing and fun and flashy fighting, we jump into gritty battlefields and Mulan's inner turmoil as she wrestles with her humanity and failings and emotional pain. It was really fulfilling to see the character arc of Mulan; she's not perfect (please don't make a Mary Sue Mulan Disney) and it's painfully obvious in some scenes where she's at her lowest point. But she overcomes her weaknesses with the help of her friends and even rises to greatness.
If you're looking for a sweeping romance with stolen kisses and a white picket fence ending to the movie, you're going to be disappointed. I'll say that much without spoiling anything, but don't worry too much. It's not a major downer or anything. Instead, this is a beautiful look at humanity and makes you wonder what kind of a person you would become in a battlefield.
Acting/Cast (9.5):
Major props to the actors. It's not the first time I've seen the main actors, but I was particularly impressed with Vicki Zhao as Mulan. From the first few minutes I was a little skeptical (having come from seeing Crystal in the Disney trailer) but she really delivered. I'm not going to get into the whole "oh she doesn't look at all like a boy, how didn't they realize" because I think that's a little pointless; of course she looks like a girl...
But don't tell me she doesn't look like an indefatigable general as she staggers to meet Wen Tai in the middle of the battlefield after the Poison Dragon passes. Very well done especially in the second half.
Music (9.0):
Frankly the music and audio in this movies isn't perfect, but it's like a grainy image of perfection. I wish I could call it perfect because it seemed to do all the right things, it just wasn't able to fully portray what it should have all the time. But it still got the message across beautifully and really helps pull those tears right out of you. Don't even think about skipping the end titles. Are you a savage?
Rewatch Value (8.0):
It's definitely a fairly gritty watch, and usually I'm more the kind of person who rewatches the super fun fan service kind of stuff, but this movie is definitely something I'll be rewatching again. I'll probably watch it side by side with the 2020 movie to see what gives.
Overall (9.0):
Well, I'd say don't watch this if you're looking for a romantic flick... But I do think it's an important movie.
Honestly, I'm really excited for Disney's live action Mulan but I'm terrified they're going to botch the culture or something. Now that I've steeped myself in so many Asian movies and dramas, watching most Western film that tries to be Asian is usually super painful.
However, there's one exception to the rule which is one of my all time favorite movies: The Last Samurai
The highest praise I can give this 2009 version of Mulan is that it reminded me of The Last Samurai. The friendship and brotherhood, the character development, even the way battle is depicted, I kept thinking of The Last Samurai.
What I expect of 2020 is a more flashy film, but this version here is truly an epic portrayal I don't recommend missing.
P.S. Also, major props to this movie on the battle scenes. It did a good job of portraying large scale combat through combinations of lots of people and skillful cuts thus avoiding the pitifully understaffed or obviously fake armies I've seen before...
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Story (7.0):
Okay, first off, a great premise and idea behind this story. I've seen some complain about a slow start, but I actually liked that pacing and thought the whole setup was pretty well done.
How can I say this in as few words as possible... well, the whole thing felt paced like the setup. I know the action and "drama" increased but it felt like someone was reading a book in monotone. As the story progressed, I didn't really dislike anything that was happening, but when that ending hit, I was like, what are you doing. No. That's what you wanted to do? And then I thought back on the rest of the story and was like let's rewind way back here and start making a whole new storyline.
Honestly, the end was more boring than the beginning.
Acting/Cast (7.5):
I think my only issue with the actors in this is not that they did a lackluster job portraying what they were supposed to, but that what they were supposed to portray was fairly lackluster. Jun Ji Hyun is one of my favorite actresses in general but I think my favorite cast in this movie was the dog. He was really good at sleeping like a human. Honorable mention to the drowning fish.
Music (6.0):
Rockabye, don't you cry, go to sleeeep little viewer...
Rewatch Value (6.0):
I kind of want to rewatch it so I can better glue together some plot points I was figuring out in a first watch, but the idea honestly bores me and I'd much rather try watching the American remake.
Overall (6.5):
I don't think it was worth staying up late on a work night. It was a great premise and not a terrible execution, but it lacked any spark. It's not (well, not completely) because there's little to no actual meet and greet chemistry between the two, but the whole thing just felt muted and it had a very flat ending in my opinion. There was a climax and build to resolution and it just didn't fizz. This movie could have used some more carbonation.
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Story (9.0):
Okay, there's no brilliant detective solving the worst crimes known to man or conniving businessmen taking over the world through genius cunning; there's nothing mind-bending and heart palpitating at all really. But the story takes a fun premise and carries that fun through to the end which I find a major accomplishment. Yes, it's not realistic and there's lots of stupidity that wouldn't hold up in a detective drama, but this isn't a detective drama! It's a rom-com folks!
And as someone who drops dramas right and left because I get annoyed or just don't want to watch anymore, I'm frankly surprised how quickly I flew through this one, especially since I've had a hard time getting through (romance) dramas from this same time period.
Personally, what I liked most through the show was the main character and seeing her change while remaining who she is; this was all given a backdrop of great supporting characters who became her friends and helped her become a better person. In the end, there was a marked difference from the selfish person we saw in the beginning, but she had also not changed who she was... It's hard to explain. I've never watched the movie this is based on, but I've heard the character had a more drastic change in that storyline. I think I would much prefer how the main character in this drama stays true to herself while also changing for the better. The PD for this drama said in an interview that he started that movie but never finished it and didn't know how it ended :D
One part of this story I was worried about was the second leads.
First, the female second lead, Yoo Kyung; honestly, there's not much to worry about. Yes, she tries to sink her claws into the man, but it doesn't bring about the annoying drama I hate so much. In fact, Yoo Kyung kind of shoots herself in the foot by being a bit duplicitous and not telling the whole truth before Chul Soo is firmly pointed in a different direction. That is, towards our heroine, Sang Shil (Jo Anna), who in contrast to Yoo Kyung, is very straightforward with who she is and what she feels, even if it doesn't give off the sweet persona Yoo Kyung has adopted.
In the case of the male second lead, Billy, it's a bit different, namely because he's already married to Anna. However, he somehow manages to shoot himself in the foot far more spectacularly than Yoo Kyung. In fact, he might have the greatest character arc in this whole drama as he makes the initial mistake and then tries to fix it by digging deeper and deeper holes and only realizing how far he's sunk by the time he's dug his own grave. Poor guy.
Anyway, I can't stand dramas that throw meaningless drama at the viewer to keep the story moving, and this did a good job of adding tension and drama without going overboard while throwing in dashes of comedy in all the right places. Finally, if you didn't know, this is a Hong sisters story! If you've liked any of their previous works, then you'll enjoy this one. Frankly, I have loved some of their works and promptly dropped others, so I was glad to see this stick to the straight and narrow.
Acting/Cast (9.0):
Han Ye Seul. Hate her or love her, I thought this role was perfect for her. Yeah, her voice got a bit overly screechy at times, most notable when she was arguing with the placid Yoo Kyung, but wow, it just worked. She made this role for me. As the rich Anna Jo, I thought she did a splendid job with her imperious and notorious look (I can FEEL that searing gaze in her wedding picture), but what really got me was how she played Na Sang Shil. I can't get over it and it's part of what really made this drama for me. And of course, you can't have Na Sang Shil without the reason for her antics: Jang Chul Soo!!!! (read that in her yelled voice as he turns away)
I have to admit, this might be the first drama Oh Ji Ho has starred in that I have completed. I'll be honest, whenever Na Sang Shil was on the screen, Jang Chul Soo kind of faded into the background as an accessory for me, but then when he had some emotional scenes, I was like, oh wait this guy can act!
There are some well known actors in the supporting cast and everyone regardless did a good job of portraying their characters. Due to the nature of this drama, there's a lot of the overacted style, but it usually seemed to fit.
Music (7.0):
Probably my least favorite part of the show, I'm still giving it a 7 because it was also a bit funky and usually fit the mood even if I can only remember 4 or 5 distinct pieces.
Rewatch Value (10.0):
I'm going out on a limb and proclaiming that I will without a doubt rewatch this drama. Personally, my favorite kind of shows to rewatch (which I do rarely), are ones that aren't too dramatic and are funny and romantic. This fits the bill perfectly.
Overall (9.0):
I'd say out of all the Hong sister dramas I've seen, this is probably #2 right behind Master's Sun. In my opinion, it's infinitely better than You're Beautiful which counts among the list of dramas I had to force myself (over many months) to eventually finish even if parts were fun.
I'll admit, going from a current Rom-com I was watching (Perfume) to this was a bit jarring in style, but they're both unique and I like both the old and the new. All in all, if you've ever liked an older drama or a Hong drama, then this should be just your cup of tea...
Or Makgeolli.
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But I think I have a cavity.
Story (6.5):
This show was pretty much perfect for quite a ways. There was a great premise and set up, plenty of romantic drama and potential sabotages, media frenzies, fan greets, drama, romance, will they won't they... And then stuff calmed down.
And then the story went bonkers. I don't want to offend anyone, because the story is actually emotional and moving and it's not stupid or like I hate it, but it did change the tone of the drama. In my eyes, it broke up with most of the realism and down to earth maturity of the drama I'd felt to that point and got a new girlfriend called all the k-drama cliches you can think of.
I'm not going to lie, we saw some of this stuff coming from miles away and there are sooo soo many coincidences riddled throughout this drama, but as that ending kept going and oh wait another secret thing and okay that's convenient now that I think about it that's super coincidental... it's great but kicked me a bit out of starry eyed love into dispassionate appreciation mode. :)
I think if it had fewer episodes it would have been great. Either that or they need to change up their drama. Some of that stuff I was okay with but eventually I stopped caring all that much.
By far my favorite part of the plot was her undercover fangirling which also suffered a hit when the end drew near. I felt that particular storyline lacked full conclusion compared to other aspects. The last two episodes were twiddle my fingers candy. :D
Okay, enough criticism, now everything else is perfect.
Acting/Cast (10.0):
Park Min Young is (and has been) one of my favorite actresses (perhaps even my #1) and Kim Jae Wook is great in this drama. I was hesitant about the pairing at first and it's still not my favorite pairing (I much prefer Ji Chang Wook), but combined with their chemistry and Jae Wook's brilliant portrayal of a perfect boyfriend, you can't hate on this lead couple.
All of the other cast is very well done (yes even crazy director), but I think one of my favorites was the actress Kim Bo Ra who played Cindy. After watching this show, I realized I've seen her in a handful of other shows, most recently Ghostderella. I would honestly love to see a spin off show of her and that potential romantic interest at the end (not gonna spoil it guys). That would be such a fun show :D
Music (9.0):
That main opening song kept getting stuck in my head! I'd be going around thinking "All I want is you, all I want is you!" lol. There wasn't a whole lot else that stuck out, but there are other good songs throughout this show even down to the background music playing in the Cafe.
Rewatch Value (9.0):
There's such an assortment of fun and cute moments in this show, it's highly rewatchable. I'll admit, I'll probably stick to the first half, but don't put down the rest so easily.
Overall (8.5):
So overall, some mixed feelings; well over halfway, this completely topped What's Wrong With Secretary Kim (WWWSK), but as it kept going so much felt thrown on to keep the show going and also made the show lose some of it's credibility that it'd done so well holding to for awhile. We could see some of it coming for awhile, and I'd groaned a bit, but expected it... and then they just kept adding on... But if I'm really bored of a show I have trouble watching it, and that was not the case here. I watched every episode the day it came out... so yeah.
Compared to WWWSK they come up about even in my recollection, though this has the lead in the first half.
Recommend to all rom-com fans especially if you're sick of people who don't communicate and stop talking over minor mis-understandings and act like teenagers when they're in their 30s. This show is for you!
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There never seems to be a lack of action in the story, as in it doesn't get boring, but when you try to think about what happened it's a bit hilarious and lacking in true content. A comedic action storyline. You're not going to take the boss fights seriously, it's all there to lead the semi romance. Even failed first loves are shown with hilarity and not taken seriously. You honestly can't take any of this story seriously though there's nothing inherently comedic about it... :P
Don't come here for something to think on, just for something to laugh through. And as a plus, Gong Yoo is in this film.
Acting/Cast (9.0):
Kim Ha Neul did a great job with this part and it fit her pretty well. That said, neither her nor Kwon Sang Woo look the age their supposed to be acting (more so with Kwon Sang Woo), but it doesn't seriously detract from the story. I think they were only like 4 or 5 years older at the time anyway. No overly terrible acting (that didn't fit the story).
Oh I'm going to add another category
Gong Yoo (10.0):
Gong Yoo was in it.
Music (7.0):
Lol, the music fit the comedic tone fine especially in the gangster fight scenes. Did you know Gong Yoo is in this film? The music really fit with him too.
Rewatch Value (7.0):
It's probably not a film I'll come back to watch again but I'm not dead set against it either. By the way Gong Yoo is in this film.
Overall (7.5):
If you're bored or lazy or want to get over a long day at work, don't hesitate to watch this. It's fun and not annoying like I've found some films of this early 2000s era (yes I'm looking at you My Sassy Girl) though it's also not the best of the era. For instance, I'd recommend She's On Duty more than this and bonus it also has Gong Yoo in it.
Also, Gong Yoo is in this film so that's a plus. I can't get enough of him playing the high school student. Did I mention... never mind ;)
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There is a also a shower scene with the main character that really doesn't hide much and lots of swearing (in English mostly).
Story (6.0):
Okay, the story is pretty simple. Girl was assassin, girl retires (pretends she's dead). Gang boss's son sees her and messes with her family. Girl goes on revenge spree to kill the son.
That's all it is and I'm not saying that's bad. In fact, if any of you have seen John Wick, you can tell from the way I worded it that the basic plot is a lot like that story. It could even be argued that the plot for Maria has a better emotional pull than the plot for John Wick.
However, where John Wick shines is clearly the action sequences and this film can't hold a candle to it. I'm not saying the action sequences are bad, and they have some good use of Filipino Martial Arts, but they're obviously staged and don't feel real compared to the brutal quality and obvious training from John Wick (all of the John Wick series).
Acting/Cast (7.0):
The acting is fairly good, mostly from the main character. A lot of the rest had pretty cheesy lines they had to deliver and I was impressed with how well they pulled off those cheesy lines. Still, cheesy is cheesy lol.
Music (7.0):
There were a lot of epic songs played in this, but I didn't think they did a good job of going with one as a highlight for an awesome sequence. It felt like the music faded out too quickly. But the tracks weren't bad.
Rewatch Value (7.0):
I honestly probably won't rewatch this anytime soon because I know much better action movies (e.g. John Wick, The Villainess), but this is one of the most watchable Filipino movies I've seen and I think has a new level of quality I've never seen in them before.
Overall (6.5):
For me personally, the hilarity of random blood squirts (e.g. bat to the upper back, neck explodes) and a bit of woodenness in the otherwise pretty well choreographed fight sequences combined with some cheesy dialog kept throwing me out of the story and reduced the amount of fun I had. But it's still a pretty good action movie and if you think you can turn your brain off, I recommend it.
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Story (7.5):
I think this story had a lot of potential and it did utilize it fairly well. The setup and initial dive into the story (a cop goes undercover as a highschool student) was done well and was a lot of fun. The key components of an action film were in place, but a few of them felt a bit rushed and other sloppy. However, they still fed into a good concluding fight sequence.
My main disappointment with this story was that Gong Yoo needs more romance screen time! There were a lot of great fight scenes, some including him, and the ending was satisfying, but I wanted more. Is that contradictory? Oh well.
So basically, it's an okay action/detective movie, too little of but a great romance movie, and a feel good high school movie. I think this could have done with at least 10 minutes more of run time to play more with the concept of becoming friends with the daughter, romantic interest of Gong Yoo, and fleshing out the concepts in action. I can't talk about those much without some spoilers so I'll just say that.
Acting/Cast (9.0):
I've never been a huge fan of Kim Sun Ah, mostly because it feels like she over acts a lot (e.g. Sam Soon). I get that that's part of the character, but it gets annoying at times. Here, I felt like she did a decent job and for the most part it wasn't overdone and if it was it tended to match the part. Regardless of acting, she was convincing as the beat-em-up student/cop even if she was obviously not a student. Watching this, the character reminded me a lot of the character from Angry Mom which was a plus. :D We even got the handsome fellow student....
Not Ji Soo this time, but Gong Yoo!!! Even better! Haha, okay, he's probably most of my score here. Sun Ah did a great job, but throw her together with Gong Yoo and I can ignore all the other acclaimed actors (seriously there are a lot of recognizable faces here) and this is just a fun pairing.
Music (6.5):
It fit the movie and that last sequence as a nun was great.
Rewatch Value (8.0):
I can at least see myself rewatching this sometime in the future, so that's automatically high on my personal rewatch scale.
Overall, I recommend it to anyone who finds the plot intriguing. I had a lot of fun with it.
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This review may contain spoilers
I've watched this a long time ago, but I came back to watch it after completing Sweet 18 and I probably enjoyed it less this time though it still has its moments. I do have a few spoilerish parts in Story review below so be warned.Story (6.0):
It's got all the elements of a fun movie and the setup is okay. There are little parts throughout the film which are fun to watch; however, I couldn't help but gripe at the two main characters. I don't like how they act in the movie and I don't find their connection very convincing.
Let me compare it to Sweet 18 because I think that did a much better job. First off, I know I can't truly compare the two because Sweet 18 got the full 16 episodes to show them fall in love. But it didn't take that long to show it, and it started out with one character already crushing on the other which I thought was a good idea. Here neither particularly likes the other at first, but at least they've known each other their whole lives.
My main gripe was the tension they threw into the movie with dating while married. A similar concept came into play in Sweet 18 but I thought it was handled a lot better. Since the female already liked the male lead in the drama, it was natural for her (especially considering her already developed character traits) to get angry at him for supposed female meet ups and after threatening to go meet guys (to which he replies 'alright!' in a huff) to keep her word and go on a blind date. But that doesn't go very far, and she gets a dressing down from her mother which ends up playing into a major character development arc that she has throughout the drama.
However, in My Little Bride, I couldn't understand the FL. I understand her liking the guy before she got married, and can even condone her playing a little bit with her feelings, but as it went on and her friend kept prodding her how it wasn't right, I just got annoyed with the character and it left little endearment towards her.
Then there's the main guy, who was almost more unlikable in my opinion. He's displayed in the movie as a playboy (and pervert if Bo Eun is to be believed), and there isn't much to convince you he's changed until maybe the very end. Compare this to the traditionally raised and mature lead from Sweet 18 who tells his ex-girlfriend, long before he's in love with his wife I might add, that he doesn't want her to come visit him because his wife wouldn't like it. This is while he is still apparently wrestling with old feelings for that ex. Of course, this lends to less of a potential character development arc for him, but he still gets one and he doesn't get stuck as a jerk in my brain.
Fortunately however, there were a few scenes in the movie with the two getting along and getting to know each other better that didn't make the ending too jarring. I think I'm just having trouble liking it after just finishing Sweet 18.
Acting/Cast (6.5):
I think the hardest part of the cast for me is that I don't like Kim Rae Won a whole lot especially in this role. He's okay 12 years later in Doctors, but I still can't claim I like him. Moon Geun Young on the other hand is not a genius, but I enjoy watching her act. The side cast was okay, but I love her friend Hye Won played by Shin Se Kyung! She didn't have a major major role, but she was the voice of reason when Bo Eun was being stupid, and I love Shin Se Kyung from other dramas (Girl Who Sees Smells).
Music (5.0):
Not distracting or detracting, but not notable or intriguing...
Rewatch Value (6.5):
I've actually watched this twice now, though I skipped the boring parts on the second time through... I don't think I can watch it very often, because I didn't like it the second time through as much as I remembered, but that also might be because I just finished Sweet 18 which I thought did a much better job with a very similar premise.
Overall (6.0):
Maybe someday I'll come back and watch the fun parts again, but actually I'll probably just go watch my favorite parts from Sweet 18. Literally, I don't know how they aren't related, they have so many similarities. Anyway, if you're looking for something cute and a bit mindless, go ahead and treat yourself. I've also just watched Moon Geun Young's Innocent Steps and I'd recommend this story over that one. EH, I didn't intend to write so much about this movie.
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The story was off to a great start in my opinion, regardless if there are a fair amount of elements you have to turn your brain off to believe. But especially past the half way point, it really fell apart and didn't do much for me. It was honestly boring even when stuff was happening because I wasn't invested in the story line. I think it's because before watching I was expecting a bit more of a romance like My Little Bride, a bit of romantic comedy, and after the first 30 minutes I was also expecting one of those underdog success stories. However, in the long run, it didn't fulfill either tack for me; yes there's some fun romance stuff, and some good success, but it didn't commit to either and so it failed on both.
Acting/Cast (7.5):
This is mostly the only thing carrying the score for this movie. I actually like the two main characters and I even mostly like them together. And they can obviously dance. The dancing was probably the most interesting to watch besides a few fun moments (like inspection for fake marriage), but it wasn't like stunning or anything. The "big" and "new" dance movement that supposedly set them apart wasn't super special and they had to do special cuts on that scene anyway.
Almost all the other characters are completely irrelevant and flat, though there wasn't any noticeably terrible acting.
Music (5.0):
Well, come on, it's mostly dance music...
Rewatch Value (5.0):
I don't ever see myself watching this again. Even Geun Young's My Little Bride, which can't be called a masterpiece by any means, was way more fun imho.
Overall (5.5):
I think this could have been a lot more than it turned out to be. It's not a terrible story, but it didn't really touch me or stand out in anyway, or even leave me feeling satisfied. Still, I'm not super upset I watched this. It had its moments.
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