film review Archive

  • Jang Yoon-hyeon’s previous film – the popular Tell Me Something (1999) – played out, in many ways, like a ‘greatest hits’ thriller with horror elements in its generous lifting of ideas from the likes of Se7en (David Fincher, 1995), Kiss The Girls (Gary Fleder, 1997) and Basic Instinct (Paul Verhoeven,...

    Review: Some (Jang Yoon-hyeon / 2004)

    Jang Yoon-hyeon’s previous film – the popular Tell Me Something (1999) – played out, in many ways, like a ‘greatest hits’ thriller with horror elements in its generous lifting of ideas from the likes of Se7en (David Fincher, 1995), Kiss The Girls (Gary Fleder, 1997) and Basic Instinct (Paul Verhoeven,...

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  • Sang-hyeon, a priest who is questioning his faith, volunteers to help in the search for a vaccine for deadly virus by being injected himself. Almost dying, he suddenly makes a miraculous recovery. As he recovers he develops characteristics of vampirism and as he develops a relationship with a young girl...

    Review: Thirst (Park Chan-wook / 2009)

    Sang-hyeon, a priest who is questioning his faith, volunteers to help in the search for a vaccine for deadly virus by being injected himself. Almost dying, he suddenly makes a miraculous recovery. As he recovers he develops characteristics of vampirism and as he develops a relationship with a young girl...

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  • A couple of drug packets assume the role of a MacGuffin in a world involving cops, smugglers, a bar dancer, a little girl, and a mysterious man. Review Putting the cinematic history of The Man, a.k.a The Man who has nothing personal to do with the film’s events (Chris Sabian...

    Review: The Man From Nowhere (Lee Jeong-beom / 2010)

    A couple of drug packets assume the role of a MacGuffin in a world involving cops, smugglers, a bar dancer, a little girl, and a mysterious man. Review Putting the cinematic history of The Man, a.k.a The Man who has nothing personal to do with the film’s events (Chris Sabian...

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  • Vietnam, 1972. Private Kim and Lieutenant Choi, a distinguished officer who was awarded the Choong Moo for service in defence of his country, are on R & R. They take up with some hookers in Nha Trang, but in the night Kim is murdered. Choi finds and executes the assassin,...

    Review: Ghosts of War / aka, R-Point (Kong Su-chang / 2004)

    Vietnam, 1972. Private Kim and Lieutenant Choi, a distinguished officer who was awarded the Choong Moo for service in defence of his country, are on R & R. They take up with some hookers in Nha Trang, but in the night Kim is murdered. Choi finds and executes the assassin,...

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  • Hyun-ah travels with a film director into the countryside to discuss a potential film role. Taking a break at a farm for some fresh chicken soup, the strange owner of the farm suddenly attacks the director and knocks Hyun-ah unconscious – when she awakes to find herself held hostage she...

    Review: Missing (Kim Sung-hong / 2009)

    Hyun-ah travels with a film director into the countryside to discuss a potential film role. Taking a break at a farm for some fresh chicken soup, the strange owner of the farm suddenly attacks the director and knocks Hyun-ah unconscious – when she awakes to find herself held hostage she...

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  • A biblical tidal wave strikes Tokyo. In the aftermath, Shizuma leads a rescue squad from the city Fire Department to Shimbashi Station, now an area of devastated wasteland. Shocked to learn that his younger brother, Yuji, and seven year-old niece are trapped underground, Shizuma mobilises a specialist rescue squad to...

    Non-Korean Review: 252: Sign of Life (Nobuo Mizuta / 2008)

    A biblical tidal wave strikes Tokyo. In the aftermath, Shizuma leads a rescue squad from the city Fire Department to Shimbashi Station, now an area of devastated wasteland. Shocked to learn that his younger brother, Yuji, and seven year-old niece are trapped underground, Shizuma mobilises a specialist rescue squad to...

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  • When a ship carrying parts of a nuclear warhead is hijacked and cargo stolen the South Korean government attempts to covertly step in and deal with the situation before it escalates into an international crisis. Soldier Gang Se-jong is ordered to investigate and track down the missing cargo  by any...

    Review: Typhoon (Kwak Kyung-taek / 2005)

    When a ship carrying parts of a nuclear warhead is hijacked and cargo stolen the South Korean government attempts to covertly step in and deal with the situation before it escalates into an international crisis. Soldier Gang Se-jong is ordered to investigate and track down the missing cargo  by any...

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  • It’s 1941 and Japan has just signed a peace treaty with the U.S. and the U.K.. A mysterious thief – a ‘man of many faces’ nonetheless – by the name of K-20 has been committing a series of robberies, taking priceless objects and taunting the police who fail to identify...

    Non-Korean Review: K:20 The Legend of The Black Mask (Shimako Sato / 2008)

    It’s 1941 and Japan has just signed a peace treaty with the U.S. and the U.K.. A mysterious thief – a ‘man of many faces’ nonetheless – by the name of K-20 has been committing a series of robberies, taking priceless objects and taunting the police who fail to identify...

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  • Ja Yeong takes a trip to the coast to see the sea before leaving to be married. She meets Moo Myeong, a rough, low class bodyguard who immediately falls in love with her. When Moo Myeong finds out that the person Ja Yeong is to marry is the King himself...

    Review: The Sword With No Name (Kim Yong-gyun / 2009)

    Ja Yeong takes a trip to the coast to see the sea before leaving to be married. She meets Moo Myeong, a rough, low class bodyguard who immediately falls in love with her. When Moo Myeong finds out that the person Ja Yeong is to marry is the King himself...

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  • So-hwi possesses amazing martial arts abilities and super strength, and while her father wants her to focus on her martial arts training she just wants to blend in with her friends at school and win the attention of the ice hockey team Captain. Her childhood friend Il-yeong arrives back in...

    Review: My Mighty Princess (Kwak Jae-young / 2008)

    So-hwi possesses amazing martial arts abilities and super strength, and while her father wants her to focus on her martial arts training she just wants to blend in with her friends at school and win the attention of the ice hockey team Captain. Her childhood friend Il-yeong arrives back in...

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