Confidential Assignment utilizes the Korean Unification premise in a thrilling film that you can finish in one sitting.
The film stars Hyun Bin as a North Korean elite detective Im Cheol-ryung, who is on a mission to capture a rebel officer Cha Ki-seong (Kim Joo Hyuk) by working with a South Korean police officer Kang Jin Tae (Yoo Hae Jin).
- ACTION/THRILL METER:
- OVERALL RATING:
QUICK PLOT RECAP
When an urgent command to mobilize and seize a factory fell through, the troop led by Special Investigative Force North Korea Captain Im Cheol Ryeong (Hyun Bin) was obliterated. He earns the ire of the Republic’s high officials while grieving for the death of his comrades and wife.
He is tasked to apprehend the runaway comrade, Special Force Commander Cha Ki Seong (Kim Joo Hyuk), by tracking his whereabouts while a joint Korean summit is being held in Seoul.
At the expense of betraying his country, Ki Seong pulled a heist to obtain master plates that can produce fraud bank money, which would instigate international conflict if it gets traced back to North Korean soil.
MUSINGS
We get a yin-yang officer combo, who provides the charm for the story, while the mischief-making villain balances it with his sporadic angst and greed. Hyun Bin personifies a stoic North Korean detective against Yoo Hae Jin’s free-spirited South Korean police officer. Both are compliant of the orders given to them, and are vigilant in trying not to expose the furtive orders attached to their missions.
When their connection hit the bromance point, they defy the orders given to them, and stick to their convictions as upholders of law. Kim Joo Hyuk projects your usual action film rival with his ability to outwit the protagonists for the most part of the story until hitting the conclusion, when he is finally subdued.
Hyun Bin is far from his usual debonair vignette, and is ascetic all throughout the story. That unfortunately played at his disadvantage because he is not required to unleash his acting prowess, and goes like a textbook action hero in the story. As usual, Yoo Hae Jin nails his character role, giving the zest and humor in the story.
Confidential Assignment relies on hurling heightened action scenes through its modest writing. The Korean unification themed plot maintains the intensity for most of its run, albeit a little emotional frames and fillers that did not suit the flow of the story.
The pinches of humor insert every now and then, function as breather while the protagonists plunge to a gripping roller coaster ride to pin down the anti-hero.
Confidential Assignment delivers in showcasing high-octane action sequences and easy to follow narrative. That being said, having one central conflict which I think helped a lot for its easy to digest story line even when it moves to a rapid pacing. Action films tend to work well with minimal dialogues and straightforward approach, and that is achieved well by this movie.
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*Originally posted on abbyinhallyuland blog and Hellokpop
Source/Photos: CJ ENM
