Jung Woo-sung's directorial debut is a passable action thriller about a former mob enforcer trying to live a normal life, but his violent past won't just leave him be...
It's a familiar premise for sure, and one that might inspire a few groans knowing how many films used it for the most basic of plotlines. There's even a little girl our tough antihero needs to worry about... However, while the film does leave a lot to be desired regarding its script, it makes up for it in the purely cinematic department. There's a bunch of visually inspired scenes here with some great camerawork, following all the action with gusto. Jung knows what he's doing for sure, spicing things up regularly with stuff like high-powered nailguns and homemade bomb devices. There is a pretty well done car chase too.
Not much to say about the characters, though... They're all archetypes and cardboard cutouts just there to serve their purpose, although most of the actors play it well. Jung is relatively subdued here in the dramatic scenes, a bit surprising given that he's also the director. The plot is just very average overall, and I believe it won't be long before I forget all about it.
In short, A Man of Reason is an entertaining crime thriller that serves as a calling card for Jung's directorial chops, but I just can't see it attracting a wider audience. The action sequences do stand out a bit, but they shouldn't be the only thing to carry a film to its finish.
It's a familiar premise for sure, and one that might inspire a few groans knowing how many films used it for the most basic of plotlines. There's even a little girl our tough antihero needs to worry about... However, while the film does leave a lot to be desired regarding its script, it makes up for it in the purely cinematic department. There's a bunch of visually inspired scenes here with some great camerawork, following all the action with gusto. Jung knows what he's doing for sure, spicing things up regularly with stuff like high-powered nailguns and homemade bomb devices. There is a pretty well done car chase too.
Not much to say about the characters, though... They're all archetypes and cardboard cutouts just there to serve their purpose, although most of the actors play it well. Jung is relatively subdued here in the dramatic scenes, a bit surprising given that he's also the director. The plot is just very average overall, and I believe it won't be long before I forget all about it.
In short, A Man of Reason is an entertaining crime thriller that serves as a calling card for Jung's directorial chops, but I just can't see it attracting a wider audience. The action sequences do stand out a bit, but they shouldn't be the only thing to carry a film to its finish.