I’VE STATED BEFORE THAT I have a love for films with a revenge or payback angle. So I checked out the independent film The Korean to see if it would satisfy my craving for some retribution.Plot:
Four criminals betray a big-time mobster (Harry O’Toole) and disappear – with one of the criminals (John Yost), a dirty cop, planning to have him busted. With only hours until his arrest, the mobster calls in a deadly "cleaner" known as The Korean (Josiah D. Lee) to track down the backstabbing criminals and finish them.
Critique:
The Korean's story is told largely in flashback and out of sequence, tossing the viewer from present to past to recent past to concurrent action for nearly all of its 98 minutes. And during these jarring shifts in storytelling, it seems like almost every encounter between the characters is a double-cross or payback for one, making it difficult to keep track. Who’s who? Who knows? After an hour I asked, “Who cares?”
The film also suffers from by-the-numbers dialogue and iffy acting. Regarding the latter, the weakest link is ironically Lee in the title role. He tries to play The Korean as cold and methodical, but his soft voice and monotone delivery make it sound like he’s shyly auditioning for the part. (The only bright spot is Jack Erdie, who’s entertainingly evil and witty as Lee’s protégé Ray.)
With The Korean, writer-director Thomas Dixon seems to be striving for something Tarantino-esque or in the vein of Rashomon, but all he succeeds in doing with the jump-around narrative is frustrate the viewer.
Rating:
Is it suitable for your kids?
The Korean isn’t rated, but features several disrobing makeout scenes (though no nudity), some bloody gunplay and knifings, and one scene of torture. It should be okay for teens, and maybe even tweens with adult supervision.
Will your FilmMother want to watch it?
Unless she knows someone involved in the production, I doubt it.
Y'know, it's not nice to point...The Korean
* Director: Thomas Dixon
* Screenwriter: Thomas Dixon
* Stars: Josiah D. Lee, Jennifer Voss, John Yost, Jack Erdie, Rik Billok, Rose Smith
* MPAA Rating: N/A
Rent The Korean from Netflix >>
4 comments:
Sorry, Mr. Dixon. FilmFather has spoken. Ouch!
Happy Belated New Years, Eric. I nominated you for an award, but I read where someone beat me to you. Anyway, here is a link where I gave you a mention:
http://enterthemancave.blogspot.com/2010/01/more-awards-im-one-lovely-blogger-and.html
Take care, my friend!
sounds a bit like a mish mash of every gangster action flick from the last 10-15 years rolled into one. sorry it sounds so missable though.
it's award season friendo and i just gave you one if you're into that sort of thing. keep up the good work.
Its has nothing that can be said as having sense and interest. The acting was flat and having no emotions. I will suggest to all to simply avoid this movie.
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