Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the most original Action movies ever come out!, July 13, 2001
This film is Lee, myungse's first try at action genre, before he only made drama and romance kinda movies. At his middle of directing career, he finally found something different which was mostly a visual touch. It is not like an American film, it had no good plots, but the raw feeling and erie images are working at their best. You will remember some scenes; they won't go away easily from your brain. All I can say is that you will see something new and unique, and that is why this movie deserves my rating. (Creativity) Five Stars. Don't miss it!
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Groundbreaking eye candy!, February 2, 2009
I really do not understand why this film has been getting such a varied response! It may be true that the story is nothing new BUT VISUALLY I would even consider this a work of art - something that I've rarely said about an action film since the original new wave of Hong Kong cinema hit these shores way back (and was in turn, co-opted by Hollywood). Black & white, freeze frame, slo-mo, every trick in the book is utilized by this talented director creating an giddy head-swirling, brain-twisting, "what's next?" effect throughout.
Key scenes: "Holiday" - the set-up for the film's plot bounces between B&W & over-saturated colour. The "businessman" (crime boss) murder & robbery takes place in the rain (as does many of the dramatic high points - in rain or snow) as the melancholy BeeGees' 1st album track plays (back when they were imitating Sgt. Pepper, prior to imitating KC & the Sunshine Band!). "The Duel" - the INCREDIBLE fight scene during a downpour (of course!) is the epic climax of the whole wild ride which is definitely one of the greatest bits of filmmaking I've seen in hundreds of films! In fact, never have I seen as exciting a movie fight with less than a dozen punches thrown - kind of the reverse mirror effect of a Jackie Chan/Sammo Hung/Yuen Biao style hyperactive stunt-fest. This very scene is where "The Matrix" comparison comes from - NOT THE PLOT but the visual style, for those above who seem confused about this point. I've watched this sequence dozens of times and it never fails to amaze! The cherry-bomb on top of this thrill cake.
I can only add the cool acting - especially our anti-hero "thugs with badges" who are armed with baseball bats and tear gas guns and have no moral reservations about beating handcuffed suspects for information and the lineup of bad guys - not only our main villain radiating cool in his sunglasses, trenchcoat & machete, but guys named "Fish Head" & "Meat Head". I also add the startling music selections to the "plus" column & recommend this to anybody that appreciates Asian action cinema at its finest. I'm looking forward to more from this director and just wish there would have been a sequel!
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Brutality meets artistry. . ., August 12, 2008
First off, the posted run-time of 100 minutes means that this is the shortened version. The true length should be 112 minutes. I'd suggest tracking down a copy of the all-region Korean version if you want to see the uncut film. I've not seen the shorter version, so my review will be of the 112-minute version.
I have to start out by asking "Did I see the same movie as other people?" Not because I disliked the movie, but because on the box and on this site and in other reviews I've seen the action compared to "The Matrix". I have to admit, I saw nothing even resembling that film here. No kung fu, no wires, no bullet time, no CG, no slick choreography. Other than the fact that some of the fight scenes are done quite artistically, there's nothing that is reminiscent of "The Matrix" here. That is not to say that it is a bad movie, quite the contrary. I just think it is unfair to put that tag on a movie. It'll only attract people that will be disappointed. Now, onward and upward.
This is a solid movie. It was recommended to me by a friend whose tastes I respect. And he didn't disappoint. The story can be described simply as two detectives track down a murderer. But, once you see the first main scene (which is quite violent) juxtaposed against the simple, sweet melody of the Bee Gee's "Holiday", you know you're in for something different.
What separates this film from the standard fare is that the characters have heart. They bring you fully into their world, no matter how simple or sad or angry. They have personality and dimension. Welcome doses of humor are found throughout that keep the film from sinking under a heavy weight that seems to hang over our main character.
And while the action is not "The Matrix", it is definitely a thing of its own. The fight sequences could be described as artistic, but not in any poetic way. The director uses camera tricks (frame rates and shutter angles), color, still frames, shadows, and various other tricks to show us action that would seem otherwise familiar. The artistic approach certainly doesn't take away from the sheer brutality of some of the violence. Don't let the pretty appearance fool you into thinking that the film somehow glosses over the bone-crunch factor. The director just shows it to you in a new way. In fact, he does this in many places throughout the film.
In one scene where the characters are staking out a nightclub, the director employs a technique that is genius and fitting, regardless of whether it was done to save on budget or not (which I'm not aware of). But, the same scene shot in a more standard fashion would seem out of place in the film.
Sure, we've all seen this story a million times. But the package it comes in is new and refreshing. Our main detective is the antithesis of the supercop. Lumbering and oafish, and possibly not the brightest bulb in the bunch, he still possesses a charm and street smarts that more than make up for it. The humor plays well. And by the end you really feel like you've got a grasp of who these characters are-and that makes a difference.
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