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Editorial Reviews
Review
Purely enjoyable --Screencrave
Korean cinema can announce its arrival as a competitor to Hollywood --Asain Pacific Arts
A classic pulp story... I want to see more --efilmcritic.com
Korean cinema can announce its arrival as a competitor to Hollywood --Asain Pacific Arts
A classic pulp story... I want to see more --efilmcritic.com
Product Description
1900s, Seoul, Korean Empire. A Hong Jin-ho (Hwang Jung-min) is a down and out detective. Makes most of his catching cheating spouses. Until a corpse is discovered in the woods. A rich man's son is dead and the killer must be found. Gwang-soo, a medical student, teams up with Jin-ho to solve the murder. But what they discover is a conspiracy far more evil and sinister than anything they imagined. "Private Eye" is film noir at its apex, South Korea's answer to Sherlock Holmes.
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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By Edward Lee
I've been following motion pictures coming out of South Korea for some time now. As I've mentioned elsewhere, most foreign films - especially Korean ones - tend to avoid many of the more predictable conventions of Western storytelling. What this means for the viewer is that the stories tend to have a rawer narrative. The kinds of small things that dominate most American mainstream releases - i.e. product placement, popular box office stars, cookie-cutter plot devices, etc. - tend to be missing from films made outside the U.S. While some of these Western influences can be seamlessly integrated into American flicks, I find that they more often serve as a distraction; these foreign films - as a consequence - tend to take greater risks when exploring characters, themes, and situations, so I'm feel somewhat more rewarded intellectually with these experiences.
As of late, I have found some of these Western influences gradually creeping into Korean, Japanese, and Chinese releases. I tend to believe that this is mostly because - just as America likes their motion pictures to be seen around the world - so do these other countries. So, I think some of these filmmakers try to follow steps to "copy and insert" some of these largely American storytelling tricks. They're embracing some less-involving narratives, perhaps hoping to find greater breakout success beyond their borders. While I think some of the magic of their own filmmaking culture is being lost along the way, I can also cite examples of tremendous `crossover' potential. Such is the case with PRIVATE EYE.
Hong Jin-Ho (played with great charm by Hwang Jung-min) is a down-on-his luck detective. He lost his job heading up the local police, and now he's left with making end-meet-end by taking on whatever lowly detective cases he can find. He's saving up his money with the hope of one day traveling to America, where he believes there will be even greater opportunity for him to use his skills in deduction. However, when he only has a matter of days to complete his savings to buy a ticket on a boat that'll take him to the country of his dreams, he's forced to take a case that might just be a bit more than he expected: a corpse found in the woods turns out to be the son of a rich man, and all clues point to the guilty culprit involving perhaps the highest levels of the government!
For those of you who've enjoyed Robert Downey Jr's take on SHERLOCK HOLMES, you might be suitable entertained with PRIVATE EYE. (Indeed, the disc's advertising even mentions that the comparison!) The film boasts much of the same chemistry - a `masterful detective' so enamored with his own skills he doesn't always see the world the way it is paired with a young doctor, a wunderkind rising to the occasion when those with more schooling and experience won't. It features some glamorous sets and filming locations, along with handsome period detail and costuming. And - perhaps despite its best impulses - it goes a bit gonzo (in its own Eastern way) with the conclusion, attempting to reach a bigger finale than what the story probably needed. But, to PRIVATE EYE's strengths, it's vastly more `noirish' than its American counterparts. Everyone here has a past, even the good guys. Everyone here has something that drives them into darker pursuits. Thankfully, it's all handled with a sense of humor and great charm, and much of the humor translates quite well. Indeed, the final frames boast an infectious "this is the start of a beautiful relationship" mindset that almost cries `sequel' before the credits roll.
Near to the core of the picture's theme is an exploration of vengeance. Anyone who's followed Korean cinema for the last decade or two will tell you that revenge seems to be a particular fascination for the people. In fact, it seems to be a bit of a driving fascination for their culture, at least so far as their box office is concerned. While I don't have the proper schooling in their culture to understand it, I can say that it's certainly fueled an assortment of great films, and PRIVATE EYE is most assuredly a stronger picture than it would've been otherwise precisely because of this influence. Whether the story explores detective Hong's background and his expulsion from the force and from serving with those he knows and trusts or when it looks at his mildly bumbling partner, Gwang-soo, and his quest to prove others wrong, the film never loses sight that these characters seeking to put something right in their world - even when we learn the motivations behind those who've done the dastardly deeds. All of these characters seek something greater, something grander, and they believe they'll find it in the shape of their own redemption.
The disc is well produced. Colors pop, especially during the sequences involving the circus; and the sound quality is exceptional. There are some great minor effects involving the sound that I won't cover in any details (spoilers, everybody!); suffice it to say that writer/director Park Dae-Min achieves great atmosphere when needed by using sight and sound to terrific effect. PRIVATE EYE was an `Official Selection' for the Montreal Fantasia Festival, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, the Newport Beach International Film Festival, and the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival. There's a brief `making of' featurette (not all that interesting, to be honest), and the picture comes available with English subtitles.
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.
In the interests of fairness, I'm pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Pathfinder Home Entertainment provided me with a DVD screener copy of the film for the expressed purposes of completing this review.
As of late, I have found some of these Western influences gradually creeping into Korean, Japanese, and Chinese releases. I tend to believe that this is mostly because - just as America likes their motion pictures to be seen around the world - so do these other countries. So, I think some of these filmmakers try to follow steps to "copy and insert" some of these largely American storytelling tricks. They're embracing some less-involving narratives, perhaps hoping to find greater breakout success beyond their borders. While I think some of the magic of their own filmmaking culture is being lost along the way, I can also cite examples of tremendous `crossover' potential. Such is the case with PRIVATE EYE.
Hong Jin-Ho (played with great charm by Hwang Jung-min) is a down-on-his luck detective. He lost his job heading up the local police, and now he's left with making end-meet-end by taking on whatever lowly detective cases he can find. He's saving up his money with the hope of one day traveling to America, where he believes there will be even greater opportunity for him to use his skills in deduction. However, when he only has a matter of days to complete his savings to buy a ticket on a boat that'll take him to the country of his dreams, he's forced to take a case that might just be a bit more than he expected: a corpse found in the woods turns out to be the son of a rich man, and all clues point to the guilty culprit involving perhaps the highest levels of the government!
For those of you who've enjoyed Robert Downey Jr's take on SHERLOCK HOLMES, you might be suitable entertained with PRIVATE EYE. (Indeed, the disc's advertising even mentions that the comparison!) The film boasts much of the same chemistry - a `masterful detective' so enamored with his own skills he doesn't always see the world the way it is paired with a young doctor, a wunderkind rising to the occasion when those with more schooling and experience won't. It features some glamorous sets and filming locations, along with handsome period detail and costuming. And - perhaps despite its best impulses - it goes a bit gonzo (in its own Eastern way) with the conclusion, attempting to reach a bigger finale than what the story probably needed. But, to PRIVATE EYE's strengths, it's vastly more `noirish' than its American counterparts. Everyone here has a past, even the good guys. Everyone here has something that drives them into darker pursuits. Thankfully, it's all handled with a sense of humor and great charm, and much of the humor translates quite well. Indeed, the final frames boast an infectious "this is the start of a beautiful relationship" mindset that almost cries `sequel' before the credits roll.
Near to the core of the picture's theme is an exploration of vengeance. Anyone who's followed Korean cinema for the last decade or two will tell you that revenge seems to be a particular fascination for the people. In fact, it seems to be a bit of a driving fascination for their culture, at least so far as their box office is concerned. While I don't have the proper schooling in their culture to understand it, I can say that it's certainly fueled an assortment of great films, and PRIVATE EYE is most assuredly a stronger picture than it would've been otherwise precisely because of this influence. Whether the story explores detective Hong's background and his expulsion from the force and from serving with those he knows and trusts or when it looks at his mildly bumbling partner, Gwang-soo, and his quest to prove others wrong, the film never loses sight that these characters seeking to put something right in their world - even when we learn the motivations behind those who've done the dastardly deeds. All of these characters seek something greater, something grander, and they believe they'll find it in the shape of their own redemption.
The disc is well produced. Colors pop, especially during the sequences involving the circus; and the sound quality is exceptional. There are some great minor effects involving the sound that I won't cover in any details (spoilers, everybody!); suffice it to say that writer/director Park Dae-Min achieves great atmosphere when needed by using sight and sound to terrific effect. PRIVATE EYE was an `Official Selection' for the Montreal Fantasia Festival, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, the Newport Beach International Film Festival, and the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival. There's a brief `making of' featurette (not all that interesting, to be honest), and the picture comes available with English subtitles.
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.
In the interests of fairness, I'm pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Pathfinder Home Entertainment provided me with a DVD screener copy of the film for the expressed purposes of completing this review.
By Eric Sanberg
Holy cow! How much stuff can you put in a movie? Watch this and find out.
Here's the scoop. A young medical student comes across a dead body in the woods. He takes it home to study it. When he finds out it's the son of a high ranking official, he hires a low rent private eye to investigate so he doesn't get tagged for the murder. The investigation leads them down some dark and crazy avenues.
This Korean yarn seems to be set in the 20s or 30s and does contain some anachronisms, but it's loaded to the gills. It's a crime/mystery thriller. It's a comedy. It contains political intrigue, a serial killer, human trafficking, drug trafficking, pedophilia. The list goes on. And it's a thrill to watch. This out and out riot of a film even has touches of the surreal. It's beautiful to watch and the characters are great. One woman, who helps in the investigation, is a secret scientist. She's afraid to show her colors because, as a woman, she'll be scorned. She looks to the west, America, where she can study and invent freely, making this an ahead of it's time statement on women's rights. The sets and costumes are great. The music score is a hoot. Though Korean, much of it is Tango and 'South of the Border' inspired. The plot keeps you guessing. Something happens that suggested I was seeing the end, but then I realized there were still 30 minutes left and I couldn't figure what could possibly be left to the story. There was plenty. The director, Dae-min Park, has only one credit on IMDB. I'm certain this couldn't be his first and only film. It is too accomplished a work for someone's first time at bat.
This is one of the best films I've ever seen and it displays a true joy of the medium. If you're a bonafide film fan, this is a must see.
Here's the scoop. A young medical student comes across a dead body in the woods. He takes it home to study it. When he finds out it's the son of a high ranking official, he hires a low rent private eye to investigate so he doesn't get tagged for the murder. The investigation leads them down some dark and crazy avenues.
This Korean yarn seems to be set in the 20s or 30s and does contain some anachronisms, but it's loaded to the gills. It's a crime/mystery thriller. It's a comedy. It contains political intrigue, a serial killer, human trafficking, drug trafficking, pedophilia. The list goes on. And it's a thrill to watch. This out and out riot of a film even has touches of the surreal. It's beautiful to watch and the characters are great. One woman, who helps in the investigation, is a secret scientist. She's afraid to show her colors because, as a woman, she'll be scorned. She looks to the west, America, where she can study and invent freely, making this an ahead of it's time statement on women's rights. The sets and costumes are great. The music score is a hoot. Though Korean, much of it is Tango and 'South of the Border' inspired. The plot keeps you guessing. Something happens that suggested I was seeing the end, but then I realized there were still 30 minutes left and I couldn't figure what could possibly be left to the story. There was plenty. The director, Dae-min Park, has only one credit on IMDB. I'm certain this couldn't be his first and only film. It is too accomplished a work for someone's first time at bat.
This is one of the best films I've ever seen and it displays a true joy of the medium. If you're a bonafide film fan, this is a must see.
By Jonathan
A young medical student, Gwang-soo, finds a dead body in the woods and takes it home to practice. Eventually, he realizes the corpse is the son of a powerful government official. Afraid of being accused of murder, Gwang-soo hires Jin-ho, a witty private investigator who usually investigates cheating wives, to clear his name. Private Eye is a funny, exciting, and captivating mystery film; another gem from South Korea.
The story in Private Eye is great; it is filled with genuinely funny dialogue, amazing chase and fight scenes, and great twists. I really love how this film balances all of these elements to keep the audience on its feet; it never leans too far into a single genre. This allowed the film to move at a steady, consistent pace, so it never overstays its welcome. I really enjoyed the twists in this film, although they may be a bit predictable depending on how much experience you have with mysteries. The acting is great; Hwang Jung-min played Hwang Jung-min with great charisma. The film is shot beatifully, and many of the scenes had great choreography. The music was amazing, definitely matched the setting and atmosphere. I'm sure you've heard a story like this before, especially if you're already interested in mystery stories, but this one is still worth watching for its style and entertainment.
Overall, Private Eye blends many elements into a well-balanced mystery film; it is thoroughly entertaining and captivating. As of 12/29/12, this film is available on Netflix Streaming, but I HIGHLY recommend a purchase.
Private Eye has strong violence and blood, and a brief sex scene (no nudity).
The story in Private Eye is great; it is filled with genuinely funny dialogue, amazing chase and fight scenes, and great twists. I really love how this film balances all of these elements to keep the audience on its feet; it never leans too far into a single genre. This allowed the film to move at a steady, consistent pace, so it never overstays its welcome. I really enjoyed the twists in this film, although they may be a bit predictable depending on how much experience you have with mysteries. The acting is great; Hwang Jung-min played Hwang Jung-min with great charisma. The film is shot beatifully, and many of the scenes had great choreography. The music was amazing, definitely matched the setting and atmosphere. I'm sure you've heard a story like this before, especially if you're already interested in mystery stories, but this one is still worth watching for its style and entertainment.
Overall, Private Eye blends many elements into a well-balanced mystery film; it is thoroughly entertaining and captivating. As of 12/29/12, this film is available on Netflix Streaming, but I HIGHLY recommend a purchase.
Private Eye has strong violence and blood, and a brief sex scene (no nudity).
