South Korea is a country that despite its medium size, has a lot of talent when it comes to producing original and entertaining films, well the fact that a Korean movie won the last Oscars as the Best Picture is proof enough of their exceptional talent.
The movie I watched yesterday, Inside Men, is a crime story involving a journalist, a politician, a prosecutor, and several other key characters. The crime itself is about the use of illicit money to help a politician become the president of the country. Several important people are involved in these corrupt activities, but there are also 2 important individuals that are willing to do anything to expose them.
Being a crime movie it will be no surprise knowing there is some violence in it. There are some bloody scenes where different characters are tortured but it is nothing like the Saw movies. There is gore but not something extreme that will make the viewers feel uncomfortable.
The crime plot is very complex so it is necessary to pay attention to the subtitles, and I would recommend watching the regular version of the movie that lasts around 2 hours instead of the director's cut that lasts 3 hours. The plot is dense and 3 hours will probably feel like too much for the majority of the viewers.
There are some fight scenes which I think is typical of action Asian films, but for the most part, this movie is about the 2 sides trying to achieve their goal, 1 side is about their corrupt deal involving politics and illicit money and the other side is about fighting not only for justice but also for vengeance. The film also makes good use of lighting but honestly, the best film I have seen in recent times with the most beautiful use of lights was The Wild Goose Lake, which coincidentally is also an Asian film.
If you are looking for a decent crime film then Inside Men is a perfect choice to watch. Also, if you are a fan of Asian cinema then I think this movie is a must-watch film.
The best
- Entertaining crime plot with good performances and a great twist.
The worst
- The 3 hours length in the director's cut felt like too much, even though the writing of the plot was good.
More information: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3779028/ Review: AAA In numbers: 7.5/10