Montage (2013) User Reviews

Excellent movie

[reach-bp · 8/10 · 16 January 2014]

It had been a long time since I have seen such a well rounded thriller, where motives are not cliché and predictive. The acting jives extremely well with the dialog (albeit I watched with sub-titles) and the actors were awesome.

The mother's acting was so realistic that in empathizing with her, a layer of understanding is added to the storyline. The story neatly makes a subtle point about the similarity in human motives, and how where you stand in relation to it, determines your perception.

The use of time is very interesting in this movie, like an origami. It starts as a plain paper (linear), but takes on elaborate form. There are a couple of movies where this technique has been used, but in this case, the time/origami texture is seamless.

I am sure the above description might sound abstract and arcane, but if you watch the movie, you will understand what I mean. :)

A gripping and intelligent thriller, a must see.

Brilliant but flawed

[grimreysarath · 6/10 · 10 January 2021]

The movie is well paced with great performance and some nail biting scenes. The emotions and investigation scenes are very well packed together. Even though with the amazing thriller plot the movie lacks a foolproof ending. The protagonist who was the culprit in the first abduction being not aware of the similarity in his grandchild's abduction, to be precise the exchange of ransom in the duffle bag and with military outfit is enough for him to suspect the victim of the first case. And another loophole in the case is even though he was forced to confess that he was the abductor of his grandchild, it is obvious the child will tell her parents that it was a lady and not her grandfather who took her. Apart from these plotholes the movie is worth watching and quite entertaining too.

It will keep you at the edge of your seat

[ajit2106 · 8/10 · 28 September 2013]

Child kidnap genre has been the most sought after in South Korean cinema, however, Korean writer director Jung Geun Sub makes his debut with "Montage", adding one more thriller orbiting around the child kidnap.

It has Uhm Jung Hwa ("Bestseller 2010") in the lead, playing a mother trying to solve the mystery of her daughter's murder before the statute of limitations expires, Kim Sang Kyung ("The Tower", "Memories of Murder") and Song Young Chang ("Nameless Gangster") play detectives. Ha Kyung (Uhm Jung Hwa) whose young daughter is kidnapped and killed, the perpetrator never being caught in the face of the best efforts of detective Chung Ho (Kim Sang Kyung. After 15 years, just five days before the statute of limitations and the case is about to be closed, Chung Ho finds a recently placed white flower at the crime scene, a location known only to Ha Kyung, the police and the killer. As the two of them race against time to revisit the case and follow the new clues, another girl is snatched under very similar circumstances under the nose of her grandfather Han Chul (Song Young Chang), making the search for the murderer even more desperate.

We have recently seen the statute of limitations' portrayal in Confession of Murder 2012 with some high octane action and utmost thrilling elements. However, "Montage" takes an entirely diverse screenplay which distinguishes it from an occasional thriller. Director, Jung Geun Sub keeps the action tone to a low level and weaves the suspense and hard hitting emotional drama. Story is real strength of movies, which is presented proficiently and characters' graphs have been crafted carefully, all the revelations are perfectly timed with weaving in different character perspectives and their investigations, showing a nicely judged use of flashbacks. The statute of limitations has been used immaculately with deeper and more satisfying frames, the film building up to a powerful twist that a lot of viewers won't see coming.

The narrative and main characters are quite conclusive with dramatic and emotional weight. As a débutante, Jung holds viewers' nerves and keeps the stress construction on a high level throughout the film minutes also it makes us sympathize with each and every character. Though the film has a distinct lack of action or violence, it's far more gripping than many other outings which substitute pointless set pieces for substance. Great performances from the leads also help, in particular the excellent Uhm Jung Hwa, as does the general lack of melodrama and pointless tears, the film coming to a rewarding and mature yet quiet conclusion that hits hard and true.

"Montage" ultimately translates itself into a surprising and different kind of thriller which keeps itself apart from recent clichéd thrillers. It perfectly delivers 120 minutes of enthralling and moving cinema.

A fantastic thriller for lovers of mystery & suspense with a convincing plot, grounded elements of suspense and some great performances. 7.6/10….

A thriller that brings you tears

[adhie_nugroho · 10/10 · 13 December 2013]

I am so happy that I watched this movie ...

Not only just the great story, great acting, and great directing. This movie somehow move you at some point. I was blown away by how this story well written and put some message in it. At the end I was shed a tears and share deep feeling with main character when she hugged the tree and call her daughter's name as well as when the kidnapper told his story. I mean WOW ... some movie like this is very rare ... so you should see it for yourself.

I praised the writer ... director and actors ... to bring the gems into cinema. BRAVO

Just Another Great Kidnapping Movie

[aria-ariana2012 · 9/10 · 31 January 2014]

If you have seen a lot of kidnapping movies (The Man from Nowhere, Mercy, Taken), Montage is just about the same.

BUT, the story is well-presented and answers all the questions. It kind of refreshing to have such a clear ending.

The story tells us how a mother of a lost child is dealing with her lost and never lose hope to look for justice. And also the detective who's having a hard time accepting the fact that the criminal slipped of his hand.

Eom Jeong-hwa and Kim Sang-kyung performance were unquestionably good. Eom had played the same role before and so did Kim.

Overall, I give a 9 because it's been a while since I saw a kidnapping movie and I'm glad that it doesn't make me stop midway and start thinking "Where have I seen this before?".

Totally worth your time.

My rating 7.5 out of 10 for having such a clever ending!

[alshwenbear1 · 7/10 · 8 September 2013]

If you have seen as many films as I have in my life you may feel compelled to stop watching this movie, because, who cares about Another kidnapper, another obsessed and tormented mother ("Azooma") piecing the case together? and a hunted detective?. Seriously? How many times we have seen this and the (sometimes) over-melodramatic Korean style? Well,I am glad I pushed myself to see how this story would end! The clever and twisting last half of it, made me regret those times when I paused it to fix coffee,I am so glad I did not walk away when I felt a little bored with the "familiar" plot. The last thirty minutes will stick on your memory as one of those endings that must be watched again to savor a good writing,so rare and hard to find. Acting is good enough, in any case this is a must-watch, and I will recommend it to anyone who ask: Have you seen a good movie lately? So my rating 7.5 out of 10 for having such a clever ending!

Another great little Gem from South Korea

[reallyevilboy · 8/10 · 6 October 2014]

One thing that surprise me about movies coming out of South Korea is the huge amount of revenge movies there are. It's not a handful of movies, there are dozens of movies. I think maybe half the South Korean movies I have seen have some sort of revenge theme.

This movie is riveting and like a murder mystery it sets all the pieces in places so that can pick them up and examine them.

Even then though, when you think you know what's going on there's a dawning realization that you've been wrong as the plot comes to fruition and the real truth comes to light.

It's a great movie with a magic ending and well worth the watch.

Suspenseful crime thriller, solid acting

[monto · 7/10 · 6 September 2013]

Debut project from the director/writer, another in the long line of Korean 'new wave' crime dramas.

Film opens with the premise that an unsolved murder case is about to be closed after 15 years without progress -- reaching a 'statue of limitations'. Two police detectives are forced to notify the mother they will be ceasing the investigation of her young daughter. With a few days to investigate, the detectives uncover some potential last- minute leads and rush to track down the killer. Meanwhile, the still- distraught, but resourceful, mother discovers some clues of her own. Do either routes succeed, before time runs out?

This all then leads into the bulk of the film, an investigation into the kidnapping of another child. As the story progresses, themes of guilt and redemption emerge, mixed in with complications that impede the investigation. Slowly and suspensefully, details emerge during present day alongside flash-back revelations.

Solid acting all around, albeit some overwrought melodrama intermittently spliced in.

Most of the movie felt relatively fresh, despite borrowing from familiar Western crime dramas from over the decades.

Recommended

The Thriller God is Korean

[PedroPires90 · 8/10 · 8 July 2021]

Nobody does thrillers like the Korean, nobody. If there is a god (it doesn't) he gave a full list of plot twists to Korean people to use it fo 400 years.

A good effort by the makers to make a thriller.

[Amyth47 · 7/10 · 13 October 2018]

My Rating : 7/10

It is a predictable plot about kidnapping however the stylish camera work and the acting and pace of the movie make it interesting to watch. I absolutely love how the story has been told and you can really see the efforts put in by the film crew to set up everything showing respect to the story.

If not for the narrative style and the smaller details this movie would be a very boring watch but kudos to the filmmakers for taking what is a very predictable storyline and making it engaging. You can see all the twists coming however it is still amazing to watch the whole thing play out. The use of time is very interesting and it's non-linearity at essential junctures make it seamless and explores different levels of understanding from the viewer. A 7/10 for me.

Another great Korean movie

[n_vasileiadis · 9/10 · 9 August 2014]

This is my first review after rating thousands of movies. I'm very found of Korean movies after watching Oldboy several years ago. However, this is not a mainstream Korean movie, at least not in countries like Greece. Mont-ta-joo is a surprise for me since it is not as popular as other Korean movies (oldboy, memories of a murder, madeo etc.) but it is a great movie!

The plot of the movie is ingenious with several upsets and with great acting (and not overacting). During the whole movie I could not take my eyes from the TV, trying to realize who could the kidnapper be. This is not just another kidnapping movie; it presents the drama of the victim and her agony, while it reveals slowly evidence about the conclusion of the case keeping tension at high levels during the whole movie. It also presents the investigators of the case as real people making mistakes and being affected by the victims.

Korean kidnap thriller does the job

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 26 March 2021]

Another lively and well-produced Korean thriller. Once again this one follows a kidnapper who specialises in abducting children; the protagonist is a cop who failed to solve a case fifteen years ago, but finds history repeating itself when the kidnapper strikes again. It's a twisty, turny and thoroughly original little film despite the familiarity of the concept, and there are some great surprises here that you won't see coming. MONTAGE boasts excellent performances throughout and some great chase scenes, and as ever offers heart as well as thrills.

Not worthy of the praise

[skinzilla · 5/10 · 30 November 2023]

This is a watchable movie, but it is definitely nothing special. There is one good plot twist, and the acting is decent, but it is basically a TV movie. There is no real sense of danger or dread. The left behind umbrella makes no sense unless the police are completely incompetent (you will understand if you watch it). The ending tries to be emotional and hard hitting but it falls flat. It isn't even very interesting as a police procedural/investigation type of movie. It just has nothing special about it. Again, it is worth a watch if you are completely bored and have no other options, but overall it is a mediocre film.

snappy, yet calculated

[dumsumdumfai · 9/10 · 16 September 2013]

I'm sure there are some holes (spolers:like the such a man at such an age can still run that fast) in the storyline but the movie helped by never overstaying it's welcome.

as always now with Korean productions.. the technical aspect is flawless. The story is a thriller about the re-occurrence of an almost exact kidnapping case that just terminated due to statue of limitation.

there is a clever twist, a twist on the moral side that 'seem' justified. I have a feeling that if this were Japanese or Chinese, it would have err on the side of 'justice' and whoever committed a crime, however good intentioned, is a crime. But I like this ending. It's a feel good thriller in a way. This twist is also aided by a time-line "issue". A good one at this.

All the information is there for you, as audience to figure things out before the final review and then the final twist. I like that. The story wants you to figure it out, just like the mother. Kind of.

The color palette is muted. But since the story is a thriller, not an action genre, there were some fast cuts to show the footwork and the grind work. There are a few chases and they are on foot, not elaborate, not over the top, adds to the flavor. And the ending also review what happened 15 years ago. it kept the purpose of the reveal climax to the end. True to a thriller.

The acting is solid. Now I'm don't know the names of the actors, but think the male cop is the one of the 2 leads in 'Memories of Murder'. The female lead looks familiar but I can't place her. Sorry for my ignorance on this. She is also very good indeed.

Korean Masterpiece, a higly Intelligent work ( A+ Movie) My Ratings 10/10

[THE-BEACON-OF-MOVIES-RAFA · 10/10 · 11 February 2020]

Korea is very clever to make a movie that makes the plot confusing and not predictable, if you like a thriller movie and have a surprise ending... This movie is the answer.This is a different style of Memories of Murder, but if you like Thriller movie with "twisted" plot, you must watch this movie. You will always ask WHO DID IT?

Nice and thrilling drama/thriller

[jannikpeveling · 7/10 · 8 December 2021]

"Mong-ta-joo" is a pretty nice and thrilling drama/thriller. It really shows me why I love korean movies so much. Even an "average" korean thriller is much better than an average american and much much better than a german thriller. Great suspense, characters and nice implementation of the director. Exactly what I want to see of a korean thriller.

A fast-paced thriller with an intriguing plot

[toskomst · 8/10 · 18 September 2013]

The Koreans have gotten good at producing solid thrillers from B-Movie material hammered to death in other titles over the years. "Montage" is no exception.

The movie opens as the statute of limitations is about to expire on a 15 year old kidnapping case. Single mom Ha-kyeong (UHM Jeong-hwa) lost her daughter. The perpetrator appears to still be around, however, leaving flowers at the site, and police detective Cheong-ho (KIM Sang-kyeong) makes one last attempt at catching him. He comes real close, sitting across from the guy in a cafe, but time expires. Then another child is abducted, following the exact same pattern as 15 years earlier, sending the movie off on a fascinating turn of events.

I left the movie with a sly grin on my face, marveling at how the whole thing in fact was put together. This plot is worth following.

The movie also has a lot in common both in style and themes with the equally impressive "Confession of Murder" (2012), which also concerns the statute of limitations.

I'll admit I have a soft spot for thrillers like this one. The movie is fast, it's smart, and there's no shocking violence, no nudity, no super hero doing mindless action, and the Asian melodramatics are kept to a minimum.

In fact, this is a good, honest thriller with the story at its core.

7.4/10. Recommended

[athanasiosze · 7/10 · 6 September 2023]

Back in the day, when Koreans knew how to create a good movie. For many years, Korean movies were probably the most exciting movies internationally. Or at least, amongst them. Last 8 years are not that good for Korean cinema. I hope they find again their groove.

This is a very good crime thriller movie. Sure it's flawed. With all due respect, Uhm Junghwa's acting is bad. And the story is too far fetched. But still this is exciting as hell, it doesn't drag for a second. There are some nice twists and turns, viewer cares for these characters and it's an intense experience for sure. Kim Sang-kyung and Hie-bong Jo are excellent. In general, this is a well acted and well directed movie. I liked also the comedy element, it blended perfectly with the dark tone of the movie.

Nothing else to say. Watch it if you are a fan of this genre. Not many good crime thriller movies recently.

A "montage" full of wonders

[BitingMovieJunkie · 8/10 · 21 April 2020]

So, here we go: another great thriller coming (not surprisingly) for South Korea. Wonderfully written and well directed by Jeong, Montage is hands-down one of the best South Korean movies of 2013 (on par with features like Miracle in Cell No. 7, The Berlin File, New World etc.).

Montage presents a well-rounded script that triggers a mesmerizing narrative mechanism, full of almost unbearable suspense (especially in the last half-hour). We are in the presence of an excellent movie that will leave you on the edge of your seat and will definitely immerse you in its narrative till the very end (and the totally unpredictable final plot twist of a long series of them)

The effectiveness of the plot is due to its clever way of twisting viewers' expectations by playing with the "montage of the timeline", that always comes back and forth between the present and the past... I cannot say more to avoid spoil anything to you.

I'll just say that you should not let yourself be lead astray by the seemingly conventional beginning 'cause as it goes on the movie becomes more and more interesting and gripping and starts to pack some real plot twists that'll almost ever leave you astonished. Montage is the work of a clever screenwriter that knows how to masterfully play with a lot of genre tropes just to, as I already said, deceive the viewer.

And, even though its main purpose may very well be pure entertainment, it anyways somehow manages to convey some interesting points of social critique in the way it portraits the lengths we are disposed to go (or, sometimes, forced to go) as to try to survive in a ruthless world where, when there is a crisis, the ones paying the highest toll are always the weakest and the poorest. And, apart from direction and screenwriting, Montage is also well-served by a gloomy cinematography and a perfect acting ensemble.

So, to sum it all up: if you're in for a masterful thriller that will leave you constantly guessing and will amaze you over and over till a final plot twist that it's totally unexpected well, hurry up and give Montage a try.

Clever

[Foutainoflife · 9/10 · 4 September 2018]

I loved this movie because it kept me guessing! It thrilling but also very sad I loved how it was shot and felt that some scenes were beautifully done. The actors were spot on with their characters and the emotions they portrayed came through nicely. It had a lot of twists and corners that you just couldn't see around leading to an ending that was carefully and meticulously constructed. Check it out.

Nail biting Thriller ..!!!

[nell_416 · 10/10 · 18 October 2014]

Another nail biting thriller from Korean movie makers I guarantee you that it will keep you edge of the seat thriller. It is one of the greatest script and it was well written with an outstanding screenplay. You might have seen more kidnapping movies but am sure that it will stands tall above all because the depth of the story. I must say about that lead cast everyone done their part very well. Korean's background always top notch so does this..!! At the end I was shed a tears and share deep feeling with main character when she hugged the tree and call her daughter's name some movies very rare like this you shouldn't miss it.

Really touching twisted story

[Misss25 · 9/10 · 4 April 2021]

I really dont think this would happend. I think about several suspects but proving me wrong, it started bringing more twist. Actually this was beyond my expectation. You won't be able to blink your eyes while watching this.

Another great Korean movie.

[deloudelouvain · 8/10 · 15 February 2021]

You got to give it to the Koreans, well the South-Koreans that is, as they yet again made a most enjoyable movie to watch. They did it again and I'm not really surprised as over the years the Korean movie industry is one of my favorites. This time it's writer/director Geun-seop Jeong, another name I will try to follow, as I'm curious if his next movies will be of the same quality as Mong-ta-joo (or Montage for the English title). Montage is well written, full of suspense, good twists, and an almost incredible ending that nobody will see coming. The cast also contributed to make this movie stand out from the rest. Korean actors are unlike their neighboring Asian countries never overacting, which is a big problem in those other countries. I never remember their names though, and I'm sorry for that, but I certainly recognize familiar faces from the Korean movie industry. Mont-ta-joo is another great Korean movie, the list is getting long.

Excellent. Top Notch mystery/thriller

[majgotra · 10/10 · 27 August 2018]

Excellent direction.lots of nail biting scenes. Overall awesome.

Hollywood is Dead, long live S Korea

[bartbull-1 · 10/10 · 6 September 2023]

This film has a great story line. Doesn't get bog down in aimless story telling. Not once did I look at the clock to see how many minutes were left, manly because the story moves fast and the characters are interesting.

Hollywood has lost its mojo in story telling and S Korea has happily taken over. Hopefully with the writers strike, writers will take this time to come up with better storylines. There are many worth while Korean films you can check out for free especially on Tubi app that you can download. They have a deal with major Korean film companys that show their stuff. Well worth checking out.

Do you're self a favor and stop watching Marvel films and watch this film. If you like a gritty interesting films this is for you...