The Chaser (Korean Smash Hit)

[Hunter Rider]

Synopsis (bit spoilery)

Spoiler

Jung-ho (Kim Yoon-seok) is a former policeman who now earns a living on the streets as a pimp. But his business attracts all kinds of trouble. His biggest problem, however, is the fact that several of his girls have recently skipped town. On one of those days where nothing seems to be going well he's forced to call up single mother Min-ji (Seo Yeong-hee). He's able to convince her in taking on a client even though she had called in sick earlier that day. Not until Min-ji has already met up with the client, Yeong-min (Ha Jeong-woo), do several coincidences point her pimp's attention to the fact that Yeong-min was also the last client of all of the girls who have been disappearing. Jung-ho suspects Yeong-min of selling his girls on to other pimps and starts searching for him even though he doesn't even have an address to start with. Due to another coincidence, who should crash into Jung-ho's car but the person he was looking for at that moment? Jung-ho drags Yeong-min to the next police station where Yeong-min confesses having killed twelve women and that his next victim will be Min-ji, who is already locked up in his basement. Jung-ho doesn't believe his story, yet sets out to find Min-ji. As time passes he's forced to realize that Yeong-min really is an insane serial killer...

Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkqczsLZd1I

[YT]EkqczsLZd1I[/YT]

Not sure about a US release date but it's out in the UK on September 19th.

 

[Bat Brain]

Saw this last night, probably my second favorite movie of the year

Seen it yet, HR?

 

[Hunter Rider]

Saw this last night, probably my second favorite movie of the year

Seen it yet, HR?

How did i miss this post. No ive not seen it, sadly my area did not get it when it opened on the 28th of September, same happened with Mongol earlier this year.

second best of the year ? So it lived up to it's buzz ?

 

[Bat Brain]

How did i miss this post. No ive not seen it, sadly my area did not get it when it opened on the 28th of September, same happened with Mongol earlier this year.

second best of the year ? So it lived up to it's buzz ?

Only showed in one cinema in the whole country here (as far as I know) t:

It really did live up to the hype, for me at least. Some amazing performances too.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Only showed in one cinema in the whole country here (as far as I know) t:

It really did live up to the hype, for me at least. Some amazing performances too.

Man we get screwed when it comes to Asian flicks here.

If you could compare it to any US movies, which would they be ?

 

[Hunter Rider]

I saw this tonight, not hard to see why WB and DiCaprio are all over a US remake. The film is not a tricky one in the vein of 'Seven' or 'Silence of the Lambs' it's structure actually bares more similarities to the original 'Dirty Harry'.

The tension build right up to the climax is palatable and the film is shot with a soulful flair as the night scenes are lit with a harsh beauty that belies the cruelty ahead. The film is a race against time thriller done right and the two central performances are excellent, Yun-seok Kim as the former cop turned pimp is particularly good in a role that is a challenge to gain audience support with, which is vital.

Some of the themes and a couple of key clue points won't work in a US remake as they are very much a part of Korea's DNA not the US's, one theme that marks a pivotal moment will need retooling intelligently.
I also think a couple of the movie's main character dynamics can be fleshed out, however I hope none of the movies brutal edge and characterizations are softened or this will lose it's painful soul.


9/10

 

[Rac]

The best movie of 2008, imo.

 

[Corpus Luteum]

Anyone else seen this film? Tsk, tsk--what a pity.

 

[Rac]

Anyone else seen this film? Tsk, tsk--what a pity.

They'll watch the Hollywood remake.

 

[Corpus Luteum]

Watered-down ending, probably. And I seriously doubt the cops would be protrayed as they were here.

 

[War Party]

Bought The Chaser two weeks ago and it's such a fantastic film. It surprised me in some spots with its plot and the performances were fantastic.