Achyut Prashast Singh
India
- Sol Kyung-gu impresses once again. His comic timing is excellent and he even excels in the action department as usual, while Moon So-ri is also quite entertaining as his wife. All actors deliver terrific performances.
- The plot is very fast paced and quite simple to follow.
- The action scenes are excellent.
- The editing also works big time as the film rarely has any boring moments.
- The humour also is actually hilarious.
- The screenplay is quite impressive.
Negatives:
- Nil.
Repeat value: Yes
THE SPY is a completely entertaining action comedy which is gripping from the start to finish. Do watch it, and especially, don't miss the end!
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The film has a decent storyline, and given the genre, you know what to expect. But the writing has a sweetish charm in the beginning, which continues for a longer duration. The film, of course takes its own fine time to build up the story, but it does the job by serving you with the scenes which turn out to be very engaging, inspirational and emotional as well. The screenplay gets stronger as time passes and you're hardly able to leave your seat. The film's highly engrossing and never bores for even a second.
A large fraction of the film's excellence is held by Song Kang-ho. His courtroom scenes have been handled very well, and the execution is perhaps the best one for a film of this genre. After a point, it can be understood that he wasn't acting but being real: when he gets angry or emotional and delivers his dialogues with strong emotions - he isn't trying to act but straightaway speaking out his own heart. No doubt why he's one of the most respected South Korean actors. With A TAXI DRIVER this year and some more films which I saw, he became my favourite and this film only adds to more and more praise & respect towards him.
The supporting cast holds its own and lends decent performances. The writing must also be praised for multiple clapworthy moments throughout. The climax is also a memorable one. Another major praise should go to the dialogues as they are another major highlight of the film. The emotions too are portrayed very well.
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THE DIVINE MOVE has a great storyline, which starts picking up right from the beginning. Not a single second is wasted and the film grips you in its atmosphere quite easily. The direction is decent, as there aren't any problems I faced with it. The screenplay is quite well written, and certain sequences are praiseworthy. The action is excellent as are the VEX and cinematography.
The film's dramatic tone, however may not appeal to everyone but it works big time for the film. At times, even at a decent and not-so-long running time, the film can seem a little longer, but the overall presentation as well as the climax take the cake.
Jung Woo-sung is brilliant as always. His transitional performance is a delightful treat to watch. Kim In-kwon entertains with his humour and scores well in other scenes too. Ahn Sung-ki, however impresses extremely and his performance is excellent. Same for the rest of the cast, including Ahn Gil-Gang.
That said, THE DIVINE MOVE is a well made action film which is a treat to watch. So go ahead, make a move and watch the film!
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CONFIDENTIAL ASSIGNMENT is an entertaining action film which director Sung-Hoon Kim has made an enthralling experience calling for another watch. The action scenes are so well executed that they demand a repeat value as well. The way it balances action, emotion and humour is commendable.
Technically, the film stands tall. The cinematography in certain action sequences is splendid. The visuals are a treat to watch. The editing is decent as the film rarely deviates from storytelling; it doesn't bore for even a second.
Hyun Bin is quite excellent. His performance is a commendable one as he manages to show multiple emotions with perfection. Yu Hae-jin, however steals the show with his solid performance. Rest of the cast does a fairly good job.
The action is excellent, the emotions are well brought out, and the comedy too is quite a good one. The music, however, is another major reason why the film stands this tall. Various sequences get enhanced by the energetic music and I would love to hear it again and again. It's quite catchy and foot-tapping, apart from being hummable.
Definitely, CONFIDENTIAL ASSIGNMENT is a must watch for action lovers. Not just for them, however. The film is an energetic, lively entertainer with a solid repeat value. Do go for it, and you won't regret it. I heard somewhere that it's coming to India as well, and that's truly a great news.
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The screenplay is the real hero of A DIRTY CARNIVAL. Not for a moment does it let go of the grip on the viewer. The film has, apart from this, a lot more things to admire. The director has depicted everything very well. The character development is quite good, and it's quite easy to be connected to the lead character played by the very talented Jo In-sung. He's superb throughout the entire film and he rules alone with his act. Rest of the cast does a great job but he's alone enough to impress the viewers.
The action scenes are extremely well choreographed, and quite realistically executed on screen. The cinematography is also very good, and the production values are quite good.
The film, however is quite long and doesn't really justify this long duration. It could've been trimmed a little bit, almost close to 10 or 15 minutes for a better experience. But still, the film is a delight to watch. It had me excited to know what would happen in the end. The end was really very astonishing as well as impressive at the same time.
A DIRTY CARNIVAL is a well made action drama with a lot of offer as a treat to the viewers. You don't really need to have a very strong heart to watch this film. What all you need...is to watch this film!
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Believe me, those efforts succeed.
MASQUERADE presents Korean traditions before the world with a genuine authenticity. The presentation is excellent, as is the visual work. The cinematography is extraordinary, and the film is visually so stunning that I recommend to catch it on a Blu-ray for the best experience.
History plays a great role in Korean Cinema. Here we see why and how.
With spoiling your viewing experience, I would like to say that it's a fine movie which can be seen with the whole family. There are a lot of humorous scenes and they are quite hilarious and enjoyable. The limited yet amazingly shot action remains within your memory.
Lee Byung-hun is in his top form. He acts extremely well and there's something genuine about his performance that makes you care for him. Ryu Seung-ryong is superb in his role. Han Hyo-joo is excellent, and so are the other actors.
The screenplay is executed with brilliance and so is the editing. The film, however could've been a little shorter.
There are a lot of effective sequences in the film, especially the climax which will leave you highly impressed.
MASQUERADE intends not only to entertain you, but also to ask you certain important questions. To find out those questions, first go and watch it. Then you'll get the answer yourself.
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Choi Seung-hyun is good in his role. This is his first film I've seen. Other actors too were good. The screenplay is decent, and there are a lot of impressive moments throughout the film. The action scenes and visuals are amazing, as is the cinematography. Editing is fine.
Besides, COMMITMENT also has a great portrayal of emotions throughout. The story being realistic helps to connect to the characters and feel their pain. The heartwarming brother-sister relation is brought out very well. Full marks to the director for utilising and extracting great performances from his actors.
However, the film falters in the end. The climax was a good one but the emotions didn't come out well. It's only here that it's hard to feel for the characters, otherwise there's not a single scene where you won't.
But that being a minor flaw doesn't affect the film's entertainment quotient, and due to that I recommend watching COMMITMENT.
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So Ji-sub is a good actor and that needs not to be told to his fans. But those who don't know him would need his introduction for sure. He is superb in the emotional sequences and uses his voice as an instrument to show his character. He does a stupendous job in the action sequences, which forms the film's highlight. Rest others, since I don't know their names, do a great job too.
The story and screenplay both are quite good, and the film is quite fast paced too. With a runtime of merely 96 minutes, thee film wins over you completely. The music is good. Cinematography, editing, dialogues are all good.
The only thing one might find as a glitch is that the film resembles A BITTERSWEET LIFE in some portions. Both were about the same kind of heroes and some elements do match. But at the end of the day, both films are quite different from each other. The film is quite dramatic in the beginning but later on builds the required tension with momentum.
Overall, A COMPANY MAN is yet another impressive South Korean action thriller that makes me say, "Go for it, I'm going to watch it again!".
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will write just a brief review, as most of the praise has come out in
the review of the remake ROCKY HANDSOME.
THE MAN FROM NOWHERE is one of the best South Korean action films as it
provides great action, while also combining it will emotions and
thrills. The film is full of scenes that have gone down into the
filmmaking history as "classic".
Since I already knew the entire story due to having seen the remake, I
wasn't surprised but was still very impressed. Won Bin is a perfect
actor, and his performance will make you remember him for long. Kim
Hee- won is decent and plays his part well. Kim Sae-Ron is quite decent
in the role provided. Same for rest of the cast.
The action, as I said before is great. What I didn't mention is that
it's "dynamite" in impact.
Lee Jeong-beom's the MAN FROM NOWHERE is undoubtedly a smart action
film which is entertaining of course, but also quite different from
most action films.
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And I was simply impressed. The film kept me to the edge of the seat,
while also providing heartwarming emotions at the same time.
MONTAGE is a very well written, executed and directed film which
deserves to be seen. The film's unpredictability is perhaps something
which makes it one of the best Korean thrillers in the recent years. I
have not seen the acclaimed MEMORIES OF MURDER yet, which belongs the
same genre and also stars Kim Sang-kyung, the lead actor in MONTAGE. So
I can't say it is the best but is an excellent one for sure.
Uhm Jung-hwa's performance is another major reason why this film works.
She delivers extremely well and that's a major reason why she won so
many awards for this role. Kim Sang-kyung is excellent, and holds the
film extremely well. Kudos to the director for bringing out the best of
the entire cast.
The film's visually not a gem, but it doesn't compromise with
storytelling. And this is the best thing about the film.
MONTAGE is undoubtedly an excellent thriller which deserves to be seen.
Just watch it once, you won't be able to forget it. It's both thrilling
and emotional.
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THE SUSPECT comes with bunch loads of surprises. These are quite effective as well. The story being a fine one and the screenplay being a decent one holds you, along with the action sequences being the best thing about the film.
One thing that is disappointing for sure is that the film doesn't have a proper execution in certain portions. The film's pace could've been better in the between when it begins to slow down. Certain sequences are deftly handled, while many are just executed in an unimpressive way. I can understand that the director would've tried his best, but he has not been successful in gripping the viewer completely. Some scenes look similar to many popular South Korean action films.
But these flaws flaws don't trouble you for long as the film lets go of the grip only occasionally. Once it regains, particularly in the second hour, it entertains fully with its terrific action scenes, cinematography and performances, heading towards a clapworthy climax. I was so overjoyed that I rewinded and replayed the ending scene. Here the director succeeds to a great extent.
Gong Yoo is excellent, and that needs not to be told. He looks even better and manly here. Park Hee-soon is terrific, and his character is quite likable to a certain extent, just like that of Gong Yoo. Yoo Da-in is just fine, and even though she overdoes her part in a few scenes, her act is a decent one.
THE SUSPECT may not be the best South Korean film, but with its stunning action, visuals and of course, its leading man, deserves to be seen at least once. I liked the action a lot, and I'll be watching it again.
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didn't realise when 2 hours passed away. It was really engaging, and
well executed. Visually it looks like a fantasy. Ryoo Seung-wan's
recent release THE BATTLESHIP ISLAND is a well made action film that
never gets too melodramatic and the entertainment quotient remains
quite high throughout.
It's another time I'm impressed with Hwang Jung-min. He delivers
another great performance as he did in ASURA. So Ji-sub was decent in
the action sequences, but one would wish his character got a proper
scope in the second hour. Song Joong-ki's character was extremely well
written and he delivers a great performance. Kim Su-an does another
mindblowing job after TRAIN TO BUSAN. One can only wish she does more
such roles because she really acts well. Same for rest of the cast.
The screenplay is excellent: it stays focused and never deviates from
storytelling. The action sequences are jaw-dropping and mindblowing:
make sure you watch the film in a very high quality so as to appreciate
the film even more. The cinematography is excellent and captures the
eye-catching visuals very well. The editing is decent and really, I
didn't wish the film was shorter.
THE BATTLESHIP ISLAND turns out to be a terrific action film which
should be seen not just because of its high quality technical values
but also to know about this extremely well-narrated tale of survival.
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NO TEARS FOR THE DEAD has not just impressive action, but impressive visuals, performances and BGM too. This is Jang Dong-gun's first film I've seen and he's just excellent! It's difficult to take eyes off the screen when he's either acting, emoting or fighting: he does every part so well. Kim Min-hee delivers a strong performance. Other actors manage to leave a mark with their respective memorable performances.
The story and screenplay are like never seen or heard before. The film looks extremely stylish and this is another reason why you should catch this one on Blu-ray. It has all the things that make it a perfect watch for action lovers. But not just for action lovers. It has elements which work with lovers of drama and thriller genres too. The VFX, locations and cinematography too are excellent and production values are top notch.
Overall, NO TEARS FOR THE DEAD is a memorable action film that will definitely be liked by action fans and South Korean cinema lovers.
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The film has great visuals at the same time. The thrills work big time, and the action sequences impress. The editing is excellent, as the film never bores. The message delivered by the film is felt well. Kudos to the director for portraying the brutal reality of the society well.
BROKEN is a film which not only entertains, but also leaves you broken especially towards the end.
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-Song Kang-ho is the soul of the film. His performance is excellent enough to be remembered. Shin Se-kyung is also very impressive.
-The screenplay unfolds well and keeps you engrossed.
-The action sequences have been executed very well.
-The background score is good and enhances the viewing impact.
Negatives:
-The film slows down a little bit in the second hour.
Repeat value: Yes
HINDSIGHT is on the whole an entertaining South Korean action drama which is quite entertaining despite of some narration and editing flaws. You may watch it, and you'll find it's pretty good fun.
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