Hard Hit (2021)

Missing this movie will be a Hard Hit xD

There is no lie, that we all have been anticipating this movie ever since the news came out. I have not seen the original movie which this one is based of, entitled "EL DESCONOCIDO" (2015) screenplay by Alberto Marini, directed by Dani de la Torre and produce by Vaca Films and Atresmedia Cine as it's mentioned at the ending credits, but I consider this to be perhaps closer to the original, given that most Asian remakes are done like so. It got me curious to see the original and do a comparison though.

It's a good thriller, it gets you hooked into the action scenes and it also leaves you quite frustrated by the characters, mainly when they do not cooperate well or are so idiotic and oblivious there *cof cof policemen for the most part* that you want to shout at the screen by their lack of thought. The only one in there that seems to be the most intelligent and a quick thinker is Ban, police woman and bomb expert team leader and like always is not taken serious by her peers...

I guess it's part of our very own society and well human nature to defy the odds, this plot comproves it by the actions people do and the consequences of their own reckless decisions.

The main lead learns that in a Hard Hit here, as he finally realizes his wrong doings and what matters in the end, by learning what might happen when all the odds are against you and the karma of your past actions is there to plot your own demise.

Acting here was very good. I have to give credit to Jo Woo Jin and Lee Jae In for their roles as a helpless father and scared daughter, it showed their bond through the movie. Although Ji Chang Wook is not considered a main role here, given he only enters physically towards the second half of the plot, his voice is very present from the beginning so it works for me too. His voice alone has enough presence and charisma to carry on the show. I have always loved his tone, and usually we are used to him being the good guy and having a certain layer in his characters, in here it shows how he can portrait a "criminal" just fine.

Like always there were things that made no sense, or maybe I am being too logical. Despite the whole time is on the line vibe here, there are certain procedures even the police has to take, and in here they simply skip those. I guess it's quite easy to jump into enemy lines, if the culprit can be right under their noses without being detected. Again the only source of intelligent life form is Ban, the explosive team leader, because the others mainly the police chief are impulsive with their decisions...

Despite all that and the fact that the calls have always a pretty good signal even when there are no doors on the car, and there's not much static interferences along the way (I guess Korea really has good connecting services) it's a good movie to watch. Probably the typical cliché of Hollywood with the whole bomb threat feat a Fast and Furious vibe. I could almost pinpoint and say it kind of reminds me of the movie Speed (1994) with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock (a timeless classic) which involves a bus and it also has a time bomb, and by the whole unknown caller it has its far share of movies similar too.

Still, its always about the productions and actors that truly make a difference in each and every movie. And it shows in here. Not bad in terms of background music on the scenes. In a re-watch value, just like the classics I've mentioned it can work out after a while, although there's nothing like the surprise factor of the first time, hearing Wook's voice is definitely worth it ;)

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A very exciting action film. Although it is a remake of the Spanish Retribution, the director and screenwriter Kim Chang Ju still managed to add interesting additions. Each scene has its own charm, Jo Woo Jin in the lead role perfectly depicts a desperate father and husband who will do whatever is necessary for the safety of his family. Ji Chang Wook, a villain whom we first meet on the phone, can completely steal the scene with only his voice. The scene in which the main actors meet for the first time perfectly demonstrates their acting talent. The story is an engaging one with realistic dialogues. Highly recommend, probably one of the best action films from 2021!

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JCW is one of my very favorite actors, and I'll watch anything with him in it. So I gave this a shot.

The biggest problem here is the script is just not good. I have a feeling it could have been something good with better writing and direction. A lot of it came across as cheesy when it was going for dramatic, which wasn't the actors's faults.

This was one of JCW's not-so-good roles for me. He was amazing with what he was given, but he wasn't allowed the chance to shine. If the production doesn't give the actor good editing and direction choices then how the actor's performance comes across after production is affected.

Anyway, this movie was mediocre at best. Not recommended unless you're looking for a thriller with an average script or have some extra time on your hands.

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It is an interesting movie and worth your time to watch

The movie starts off with a bang. It gets your heart going from the beginning, and with its background music, the atmosphere is really well made. As mentioned briefly in the synopsis, the movie gets real, real quick after the first explosion. It does a great job at placing you in the shoes of the protagonist, and begs the question, “What would you do?” I’m sure I, as well as probably majority of other people, would think the unknown caller to be a scam as well. But once you find out the situation you’re in is real, how would you react?

And I think it’s because it begs these questions that makes the movie very thrilling and real. The situation is something that you and I, and every average person can find themselves in. It’s relatable, and you’re able to easily place yourself in the shoes of the protagonist.



Also, because majority of the movie takes place in the vehicle, there are limitations of what can be done with the setting. However, I think they did a great job at building on those barriers and not letting it restrict the movie. The use of camera movements, angles, the shots it had, and just the cinematography overall was good and enhanced that action-heavy, suspenseful mood.

Furthermore, I thought that the casting was done great. Jo Woo-Jin played minor and supporting roles prior to this, and this was, I believe, his first time in a main, leading role. And I must say, he did a great job. And it isn’t just him that was good, but the acting by the cast members were overall great; from the daughter role, to the antagonist role, and the smaller, minor roles, there wasn’t anything to really complain about the movie in terms of acting.

However, the movie wasn’t without anything to complain about. Let’s move along to take a look at what I found to be the negatives about the film.


Before going into the movie, I was worried that they gave away too much from the trailers. And ultimately, I think it did give away too much, or more-so too much of the “good” parts. Because it gave so much of the good parts away in the trailers (hence, the first half or so), it gets loose after about an hour in. As the film progresses, it also gets a little too cringe and there were forced emotions. It was as if they were begging you to shed a tear, which makes even the tears that were going to come out, go back in. Very unnatural.

Moreover, the story itself was pretty generic and nothing too special or out of the ordinary. Long story short, predictable.

And I can’t not mention this because I think practically everyone that saw this movie, or even the trailers, would think this. And I can’t include this in the good parts, because it isn’t a good thing about the movie, but nor is it necessarily a bad thing. When watching you get the impression that this is a two hour long commercial for Genesis. I mean, I’m sure the Genesis GV80 was a product-placement, but it wasn’t just a regular PPL; it was literally like a prolonged, extended advertisement for the vehicle. That, and the city of Busan; an endorsement for those two things.

Overall, the movie was good for the first hour or so. There were lots of suspenseful moments and they were great when they were there. However, it gets loose after about an hour in, and there were forced emotions and was cringe as it progressed further into the story. The takeaway? Let’s buy a Genesis and plan a trip to Busan! (Jk) But with the limited action and thriller films we’ve had out of Korea, or I should say good ones, then this is up there in relative terms..

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Good movie

It is a pretty good movie, had a good story, and had great acting. I was worried I was going to get bored with it, but surprisingly I was hooked right from the start. I definitely suggest this movie, it's worth the watch. I'm happy with the story, and how it progressed. Im not super into action, but this wasn't overwhelming and or underwhelming, to me it was the perfect amount of action. So that's a relief to me, and makes me happy with how the movie was. So if youre expecting an overwhelming pack of action, this isn't it, but wanting a sense of action. This is for you.

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Se imagine numa manhã saindo em seu carro para trabalhar e você recebe uma chamada de um número desconhecido dizendo que tem uma bomba embaixo de seu banco e que assim que se levantar ela explodirá. Primeiramente você pensaria que era um trote, não é mesmo? Mas depois de descobrir que a situação em que você está é real, como você reagiria?

Foi isso que aconteceu com o Lee Sung Gyu um gerente de uma agência bancária, que ao sair pela manhã com seus dois filhos, ele recebe a chamada onde a pessoa dizia "quando você sair do carro, uma bomba explodirá", a princípio ele acha que é alguém blefando mas depois de muita insistência da pessoa que fica ligando ele tira uma foto de debaixo de seu banco e descobre que é real.
O desconhecido exige uma quantia enorme de dinheiro para desativar a bomba e todos no veículo se salvarem.

Nesse meio tempo Sung Gyu descobre que um de seus colegas também está na mesma situação e vai encontrá-los para acalmar a esposa de seu amigo que insiste em descer do carro, só que a mulher simplesmente não dá ouvidos, desce e claro, o pior acontece, nisso um caco de vidro voa até o filho mais novo do gerente que estava no banco de trás e este fica gravemente ferido.

A maior parte do filme se passa no carro mas não acho que isso foi ruim, apesar de não ter muita mudança de cenário ainda assim é um bom filme
Gostei bastante desse filme, pra mim teve adrenalina na medida certa, a todo momento eu me perguntava se o carro deles iria explodir.

Passei ódio com a polícia que simplesmente ficava tomando umas decisões impensadas, a única que era mais inteligente um pouquinho foi a Ban, a líder da equipe explosivos.

É um filme com certeza vale a pena ser assistido.

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