That was an excellent one.
... View MoreBad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay
... View MoreThe movie runs out of plot and jokes well before the end of a two-hour running time, long for a light comedy.
... View MoreOne of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.
... View MoreTYPHOON, a big-budget international action flick from South Korea, successfully manages to combine breakneck thrills and spills with the kind of multi-layered characterisation usually witnessed in human drama and tragedies. In many ways it fulfils all the requirements of a typical action movie while at the same time going beyond there to become something much more affecting and poignant.The essential story is a game of cat and mouse between an intelligence agent (the square-jawed Jung-Jae Lee) and a terrorist (the excellent, and sympathetic, Dong-gun Jang) but of course there's much more to it than just that. The locations are varied, taking in Thailand, China, Russia and South Korea, and the photography is never less than impressive. Kyung-Taek Kwak films each moment with a real crispness and clarity that really helps his picture come to life in the pulse-pounding shoot-outs and car chases.The acting, too, is stand out, particularly from Dong-gun Jang and Mi-yeon Lee, playing the defector brother and sister who spend their lives oppressed by circumstance and failure. Their touching moments together lend the movie real heart and almost get you cheering on the villains at times. Fans of Thai action cinema may also spot ONG BAK baddie Chatthapong Pantanaunkul as one of the terrorists. With its fine film-making, high level of quality and combination of genres, TYPHOON is another stand-out film from a country with a record of making them.
... View MoreHere comes another solid movie from the country that currently produces the best films in the whole wide world which happens to be South Korea.Don't worry about the critics. The economical, political and social component of a divided Korean peninsula is an issue in this movie and one should at least have a basic knowledge about this conflict to understand this movie. But this delicate topic doesn't dominate the movie and makes the whole thing too melodramatic. It's rather a positive elements as it adds some spicy ingredients to a promising melting pot and it adds some depth and development to many characters in this movie as you will see.The movie still stays a tension filled action movie about a lonesome pirate that wants to attack the Korean peninsula with nuclear garbage. The acting of both the main villain and the main hero is authentic and unique to both of them. The supporting actors such as the main villain's sister also do a great job. The amazing thing about this movie is that the bad guy is more than just your average terrorist. There are many reasons why he has become the one he is and sometimes good and evil are not clearly distinguished. When it comes to the confrontation between the good and the bad guy, one realizes that they have a lot in common and could have been big friends in another situation. This is what makes this movie emotional, tragic and not too expectable at some points. Towards the end, the flick becomes a true tearjerker but I mean this in a positive way. The movie truly touched me because the stories behind the characters are really well thought out. They are dramatic, emotional and tragic.The story is not complicated but still detailed enough to remain interesting and demand a certain kind of attention. The movie just has the right mixture of dialogues, narrative flashbacks and explosive action scenes. The settings are also amazing. The movie plays in several countries from Laos to Russia and exposes many beautiful landscapes and different cultures without being too educational.The only two small flaws during this joy ride are a little bit confusing beginning as too many different characters are introduced at the same time and you need a lot of concentration to get out who's doing what. The second point is a too predictable ending that reminds a little bit too much of many Hollywood movies. I really felt that I have already seen similar stuff a couple of times before at that point. A final showdown on a ship during a storm including terroristic pirates and a courageous military special unit that refuses to obey any orders to save the world on their own is a thing that uses too many stereotypes. Nevertheless, this movie still remains quite underrated, should get more praise and I would definitely watch this again.
... View MoreOne of the biggest high budget movie's made in Korea. Basically it's Korean style Bourne movie. The cast are brilliant including Jung-Jae Lee (City of the Rising Sun) and Dong-Kun Jang(2009: Lost Memories). Great location's however most of the budget must have been used for this, there are very few action scene's, don't be expecting amazing shoot out's or high flying unrealistic kung fu fight's. Do expect a film with characterisation and a bit of depth. Overall it's a film which will be enjoyable to watch if you are patient enough to last the first half hour. Ifg anyone has seen 'A Bittersweet life' by Ji-woon Kim you will enjoy this movie but it wont stand out as a classic but a stylish action movie.
... View MoreTyphoon tells the story of a North Korean man who with his family had previously failed in an attempt to defect to the South because of the existing political position of South Korea. The failed attempt occurred, according to the insight of one character in the story, because such things weren't possible until a year after this antagonist's attempt. Embittered over this turn of events, the man decides he will kill every South Korean since his mother was killed and his sister was humiliated due to unfavorable political circumstances. A South Korean agent enlisted to interdict this would be terrorist chases leads around much of Asia in his effort to stop the North Korean's plan.The actor playing the would-be terrorist provides a completely over-the-top performance, with the terrorist character at times nearly foaming at the mouth when he is confronted by his enemies. His intense bond with his sister, whom he hasn't seen in 20 years by the way, borders on the psychotic. The South Korean agent assigned to find him is cool, analytical and competent, yet the agent somehow manages to feel a strong bond with his deranged prey, being reluctant to kill the terrorist despite his clearly murderous intent. While this plot development does not work on the screen, it plays directly to pan-Korean nationalist sentiment in its target audience, and I'm sure it is appreciated by the home crowd for exactly that reason. Ohterwise this film is a bit mediocre in spite of the production values it clearly has.
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