Achyut Prashast Singh
India
-The performances of Sol Kyung-gu and Ryoo Seung-bum are very realistic and impactful, while Han Hye-jin also performs extremely well apart from looking pretty.
-The screenplay is top notch. There are no deviations to the storytelling and it keeps you hooked to the edge of the seat.
-The action scenes have been neatly shot and executed.
-The twists and turns eventually turn out to be thought-provoking.
-The editing is excellent as the film rarely has any dull moments and grips the viewer completely.
-A lot of graphic scenes add a realistic touch to the film.
-The climax is very powerful and makes the film quite unforgettable.
Negatives:
-Well, nothing much.
Repeat value: Yes
NO MERCY is a very tightly scripted, well written and masterfully crafted action-crime thriller which stands at par with many classic South Korean revenge-themed movies.
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- The performances of the lead actors are decent.
- The screenplay is for the most part gripping.
- The action sequences have been shot and executed quite well, most notably a terrific car chase.
- The film starts to get thrilling towards the end, and the climax is quite an unexpected as well as an amazing one.
Negatives:
- The story takes its time to set up, and in the process the writing at times turns a bit uneven.
- The editing is also not without its share of flaws, as the film could've been trimmed slightly.
- The dramatic aspect has not been handled very well.
Repeat value: Low
As a whole, THE SWINDLERS is an entertaining and a decently made crime action film which is worth watching watching once, if you're interested in movies of this kind.
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Negatives:
Yunjin Kim's performance is just fine, and for the most part it's not very impressive.Even though the action scenes are decent, they are not filmed very well. Too much of shaky cinematography during a few action blocks spoils the impact slightly.Editing is another major negative as the film could've easily done away with some 10 minutes. The romance subplots only add to the length. It was difficult to finish this film in once only due to the editing.
Repeat value: Can't say
SWIRI is an entertaining action film with some decent plot twists and overall entertainment, and further worth seeing if you love action films. But that factor too can act slightly negative since the action scenes are just fine and don't really hold a repeat value, though a few action blocks are done excellently too, at the same time.
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- The film's screenplay is excellent: it grips you from the very first frame.
- The performances of Ha Jung-woo, Cha Tae-hyun, Ju Ji-hoon, Kim Hyang-gi, Ye Soo-jung and Lee Jung-jae are highly impressive.
- The CGI of the film is splendid and is a major reason why the film should be seen in the highest available quality.
- The action sequences are excellently choreographed and very well filmed as well.
- The film has a perfect balance between drama and humour as well. The emotions are excellently brought up and are bound to leave anyone teary-eyed.
- The climax is very powerful and the ending is highly energetic.
- The story is very relatable and is definitely thought-provoking as well.
- Excellent dialogues.
- No vulgarity or obscenity, and totally worth watching with family. Kids will love it!
Negatives:
Nil.
On the whole, ALONG WITH THE GODS: THE TWO WORLDS is a highly entertaining, heartwarming and thought provoking action-fantasy film from South Korea which proves that filmmakers there have the art to master almost every known genre.
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I've been highly impressed long time by Song Kang-ho, and I've been watching many of his movies since later few months. I was highly excited to watch his new historical action drama A TAXI DRIVER, because the trailer was highly impressive. It showed how the film would turn out to be. I just wanted to see it as soon as possible and I finally got the opportunity.
A TAXI DRIVER, without a second thought, is the best South Korean film I've seen till date. From narration to execution to performances to presentation: it's perfect in each and every aspect. The change in the tone of the film has been brought up extremely well, thanks to its director Jang Hoon. The screenplay is never disappointing throughout, and the film comes out as both a refreshing as well as a memorable experience.
The film's editing is top notch as it doesn't take much of time to introduce and set up the characters as well as the storyline. As the film progresses, you find yourself connected to the characters, especially the ones of Song Kang-ho and Thomas Kretschmann. Both actors have delivered extremely excellent performances, and rather so excellent that I ended up rooting for them completely. When they smiled, I smiled. When they cried, I cried too. Rest of the supporting cast, especially Ryu Jun-yeol and Yu Hae-jin deserve a lot of praise.
The film's technical aspects are top notch. The visuals are breathtaking and the story is well captured by a first-rate cinematography. The film's action sequences are another major highlight, as they induce a lot of excitement along with tension as to what would happen next. The film's not extremely violent, and thus I recommend you to watch it with your family. There's no vulgarity or obscenity in this film.
There are plenty of emotional sequences which make the film a totally unforgettable experience. Watch the film and you won't find it difficult to guess which scenes I'm talking about. Various emotional, thrilling as well as action packed sequences have been elevated by the brilliant music.
A TAXI DRIVER is a hard-hitting film which must be seen not just for its overall excellence but also for the message it delivers to its viewers. It's hard and almost impossible to forget the film, as you're left highly emotional & impressed by the time the credits start to roll. In short, a perfect masterpiece from South Korea!
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THE CHASER manages to break the boundaries which normally films don't. Be it the mind-boggling thrills or the highly octane action sequences, everything about this film is excellent from the start to end. Na Hong- jin is a great director, we all know, and he uses the two lead actors Kim Yoon-seok and Ha Jung-woo brilliantly. The film never gives you what we usually expect in movies of this genre. It delivers everything out of the box. In other words, the film is unpredictable and there's no chance of being disappointed with this film.
Kim Yoon-seok and Ha Jung-woo are amongst the most talented actors from South Korea. Their performances are extraordinarily excellent. Other actors deliver decent performances. Visually, this film is both stunning and appealing so try to catch it either on a Blu-ray or simply in high quality. The tension and atmosphere of the film are both built brilliantly and the solid action sequences hold your breath as they unfold. The humour present throughout the film is decent. Cinematography is also praiseworthy. The editing, however needed to be tighter in a few portions but that's absolutely fine and this minor flaw can be ignored.
With that, THE CHASER turns out to be another out-of-the-box, unpredictable and unexpectedly very gripping and amazing action thriller which deserves to be watched. Due to the overall product being excellent, it can be watched more than once.
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The film has some minor flaws, perhaps not really flaws because they don't hinder the progress the film makes from the beginning. But really, a few sequences needed to be a bit shorter and a few subplots could've been avoided. But what takes over these flaws is the performance by the lead actors, Byung-hun Lee and Choi Min-Sik. These two men drive the story to an extreme and keep you interested all the time.
I SAW THE DEVIL is well adapted and executed by its director Kim Jee- Woon. I don't have problem with violence, since I have been habitual of seeing such kind of violence in many action movies and being an action film lover, I couldn't resist myself from watching the fight scenes again and again. But due to the excessive obscenity in a few scenes, I recommend it's better to watch this film alone or with someone of your age group who is interested in such films, not family. It's definitely not for kids, unless they grow up of course.
There are a lot more positives to list here. The film is well shot with good production values, due to which it's recommended to catch the film on Blu-ray instead of DVD. The visuals are excellent. The film is never hindered by any songs and the BGM is terrific, especially in the action and dramatic scenes. It has brilliant action, but it also has a riveting drama. Byung-hun Lee is very handsome and a brilliant actor who fits the role. Choi Min-Sik as the villain is a total firecracker. He gives a brilliant performance close to perfection. Other actors do their part well.
Overall, I SAW THE DEVIL is a good action thriller that nevertheless keep you riveted despite of mild editing flaws as the overall film is very gripping. It's recommended for those who like dark action thrillers and without minding the language barrier. I know it's not 100% perfect, but then who gives 100% perfection always? For movie lovers who can see a lot more than just violence and vulgarity, this film is a must watch and definitely thought-provoking. In other words, an action packed thrilling delight!
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The biggest problem with NEW WORLD is that it chooses the melodramatic way of telling a story which needed a faster pace and sharper execution. The first hour of the film is totally wasted in setting up characters which don't seem to be impressive. And they unfortunately turn out to be the lead characters. Despite of a lot of time being given in character development, one of the lead characters looks simply underdeveloped. The film, which I was expecting to be a solid one, turned out to be a disappointment because it didn't stay true to the genre it was expected to stay to. It's a crime drama, but as it progresses, it turns out to be a "crime melodrama" instead.
Choi Min-sik is the saving grace of this film. And only he is. Hwang Jung-min disappoints. Lee Jung-jae doesn't show any other expression other than the one he sports. Park Sung-Woong was a total surprise package as he performed very well. But sadly, his character isn't well written and neither does he get a proper scope to perform. Others actors too are disappointing.
The story and screenplay both seem to be poorly written and after a point of time, the film turns into a yawnfest. The film fails to evoke or convey any emotion. It's indeed hard to figure out what is being tried to convey with this film. The first hour being totally bland makes you lose interest even when the second hour seems to get a little back on track. But sadly, it never actually gets back on track. The moment you feel it's suddenly back on track, it just gets derailed with the next shot. In other words, the editing is another major negative point of the film as it's too slow paced to engage you. Many portions are overlong, especially the pre-climactic episode, and they generate no tension at all.
But I mustn't forget to praise the cinematography, music and one well choreographed action scene. But these are the only things one will remember. For a full time watch, NEW WORLD doesn't seem to be a right film.
South Korean films never disappointed me so getting disappointed with this one is something I didn't expect at all. Don't think I don't like drama films. I do like intense dramas apart from action and thriller films. But this film seems to be having almost no intensity at all.
Still, I must say I have no "new word" for NEW WORLD to describe it as something more than bad. I am not saying that don't watch it. Watching it depends on you, and not watching too. Just note that the film lacks the kick of action films, the intelligence of crime films, emotion of drama films and the edge of the seat sharpness of thriller films. Instead, watch Lee Byung-hun's INSIDE MEN: an excellent film of the same genre which is both far longer and million times better than this "world" of 135 minutes.
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The lead actor Kim Soo-hyun is good in his performance and impresses at times.The production values are praiseworthy, especially towards the endThe action scenes are well shot and executed.The concept nevertheless is intriguing despite of the execution.
Negatives:
The screenplay is engaging in the first 30 minutes, but things start to go out of hand as it starts to get convolutedIn my opinion, predictability is not something that is bad. In case of REAL, the predictability of a few basic things is what makes one feel less excited to know what's going to happen further.The editing is disastrous, as there are plenty of scenes which could've been easily done away with. Right after the first half was over, I just wanted the film to be over as soon as possible.The action is good, but the placement is another major disappointment, as it's not placed when you need, except in the climax.
Repeat value: No
REAL is amongst the list of South Korean films which have disappointed me. And it's sad for action movie lover like me to have an action film in that list.
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- Song Kang-ho once again impresses with his natural and groundreaking act. Every other actor gets to perform very well.
- The film has a perfect blend of comedy and drama. While the former does make you laugh, the latter too makes you emotional and moved at times.
- The editing is very neat as the film never bores at all.
- The cinematography is excellent in certain sequences.
- The story is very well written and the satire is praiseworthy.
Negatives:
Nil.
THE PRESIDENT'S BARBER does justice to what its leading man Song Kang-ho is capable of. It's an important film which needs to be seen!
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