Both the films went on to score a high number of admissions at the box-office combined but the more successful of the two was clearly director Kim Min-ho’s “Unstoppable”. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? A Korean American arm wrestler goes to South Korea for a competition, and finds a sister that he didn't know about. One evening, while trying to convince her that a new opportunity in the fishing industry with the supply of King Crabs is the one that will finally click for them, Dong-chul’s car is rear-ended by that of Gi-tae, a human trafficker who deals exclusively in Korean women and for whom money can get you everything. Henchmen are knocked out with single blows, tossed like ragdolls into lockers, and even smashed through ceilings, and the impact of every punch can certainly be felt. While driving home one night, a chance encounter with Ki-tae (Kim Sung-oh), a leader of a human trafficking ring and his henchmen, leads to Ji-Soo being kidnapped in the middle of the night by Ki-Tae and his crew to be sold into prostitution. What we’re left with, instead, is a mundane semi-action comedy that can’t even hold a torch to Don Lee’s much superior The Outlaws from a year prior. A high-tech police surveillance team attempts to take down a gang of ruthless bank robbers. Starring: Ma Dong-seok (마동석 Don Lee), Song Ji-hyo (송지효), Kim Sung-oh (김성오), Kim Min-jae (김민재), Park Ji-hwan (박지환), Lee Sung-woo (이성우).

Profile. Stagnant since 1903, at an elevation of 2,744 m, a volcano erupts on the mythical and majestic Baekdu Mountain. His charm, wit and indeed his strength all work in his favour, making the audience yearn for more. An actor who is mostly cast in small, negligible supporting roles, he is a delight to watch having so much fun with the role. 2 (Kimchi DVD) – Blu-ray Unboxing. "Unstoppable" is a surprisingly light-hearted movie. A honest cop seeks justice for a common man against all odds. The true standout however, is Kim Sung-oh’s antagonist, Ki-tae. For even more, visit our Family Entertainment Guide. This FAQ is empty. Look forward to more upcoming reviews on both mainstream and independent releases in the near future. One can say however that the bad guys are convincing psychos and that they come across as truly "bad" without needing much melodrama. Even the few scenes that are dedicated to her character are poorly executed in the sense that they could be edited out entirely and it would not affect the overall plot in the slightest. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. In fact, this is a storyline that has been done to death in various film industries with minor difference to mixed results, but “Unstoppable” succeeds in standing tall as a film of its own. UNSTOPPABLE (2018) - Korean Movie Review - The Movie Beat Film & Blu-ray – News & Reviews.
Unstoppable doesn’t fall under any of these categories nor does it have much of its own identity. Directed by Kim Min-Ho. Sadly, the film doesn’t quite stick the landing in this department either. Alas, the overall execution ultimately results in an instantly forgettable film that is starting to make this new wave of Don Lee action movies appear tired and redundant before it even gains any significant traction. Ma Dong-seok is the korean version of Bud Spencer, but a good actor also. There is also much enjoyment to be found in action movies that are fully self-aware and sensibly exploit its own stupidity. His punches could make a grown man wince. Song Ji-hyo as Ji-soo is well-suited as Dong-chul’s equal and partner-in-life. I even hold a special place in my heart for Jason Statham and his series of barely distinguishable action films. “Unstoppable” may not break new grounds for the genre, but it is still a vastly enjoyable experience, chiefly due to its larger-than-life leading man in a film that is well-suited to the “Ma Dong-seok genre” as well as the fiendishly fun Kim Sung-oh. Check out our picks for family friendly movies movies that transcend all ages. In the month of November 2018, the box-office juggernaut that is Ma Dong-seok had two films featuring him in the leading role in Korean cinemas. Desperate to find his abducted wife, Dong-chul sets out on a mission recover her with the aid of his companion Choon-sik (Park Ji-hwan) and a private investigator, Mr. Gom (Kim Min-jae). Gi Cheol begins work as a contract gym teacher at a high school in a quiet countryside village. A lot of the times, with films that feature larger-than-life actors in equally larger-than-life roles, the supporting cast doesn’t get to do a lot apart from fill the screen until the lead comes in, but that certainly cannot be said for this film. Don Lee does his best with the material that he is given and does a serviceable job in portraying Dong-chul with a quiet intensity with flashes of ferocity and desperation. That is not to say that the action is bad, but none of it is especially memorable and there is not nearly enough of it. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Yes, there is a fear that he might be getting typecast with these kind of roles, but Ma Dong-seok makes each role his own. Dong-chul is a polite, meek fishmonger who tries to hit the big time with various business opportunities that eventually go bust, losing a lot of money on the way for Dong-chul, much to the annoyance of his beautiful wife Ji-soo. I'm just a regular guy from the States currently working and residing in Korea who happens to have a rather unhealthy enthusiasm for film. This is far from 2018’s worst film, but it’s also not something that I could ever imagine myself re-watching and if this current trend of subpar efforts continues, I foresee this new era of Don Lee action films becoming stale before it ever has the opportunity to fully ripen. A rich boy seeks revenge on the cop. Choose an adventure below and discover your next favorite movie or TV show. She may be the damsel in distress, but she is not going to just sit around for her knight to come rescue her. I'm an avid consumer of anything movie-related (both domestic and foreign) and I also have a lot of interest in the inner-workings of the film industry and movie production. Kim Min-ho’s own script is focused, funny and thrilling at the same time. Jazz Nicolas, Scotland Loves Anime Festival Comes to Screen Anime This Month, Film Review: Young Sangye (2019) by Zhang Guodong, Film Retrospective of Wang Toon, Nov 17 – 22 @ Louis Koo Cinema, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Film Review: The Champions (1983) by Brandy Yuen, Short Film Review: Mom Fight (2020) by Mickey Finnegan, Manga Review: Pop Life Vol.1 (2016) by Q-ta Minami. Unstoppable puts itself at risk of derailing with far too many unbalanced comedic respites from its hard-hitting punches delivered by lead Ma Dong-seok. Aside from that there is also a lot of emptiness. Please log in again. Both the films went on to score a high number of admissions at the box-office combined but the more successful of the two was clearly director Kim Min-ho’s “Unstoppable”. Penjahat ni jenis bila dia suka seseorang, dia akan culik tau orang tu untuk dia perdagangkan jadi pelacur ataupun jual organ! Even if some of the characters disappoint and the film is an overall tonal mess, I had hoped that the action, at the very least, would be this film’s saving grace. Unstoppable is a simple, efficient, and thrilling movie that scales back the action from something like Taken while pumping up the character and emotion. When Dong-chul comes home the next day, he finds Ji-soo missing and suspects she’s been kidnapped, a suspicion that is confirmed when he receives a bag full of money from Gi-tae in exchange for the “purchase” of Ji-soo. Instead, the movie proves to be much more sophisticated and comes along with a soul. A crime boss teams up with a cop to track down a serial killer. With Dong-seok Ma, Ji-Hyo Song, Seong-oh Kim, Min-Jae Kim. However unfortunately the story is not very captivating and it is boringly told, it is also pretty babbly, apparently trying to establish some sort of relatable themes, however this doesn't work. Movie: Unstoppable (English title) / Angry Bull (literal title) Revised romanization: Sungnan Hwangso Hangul: 성난황소 Director: Kim Min-Ho Writer: Kim Min-Ho Producer: Park Joon-Sik, Jang Jae-Ho, Kang Won-Suk Cinematographer: Lee Sung-Je Release Date: November 22, 2018 Runtime: 115 min.

I'm just an all around super nerd when it comes to this stuff and I hope to share this passion with our readers/viewers via "The Movie Beat" while bringing more attention to East Asian cinema to Western audiences. This is unfortunate because the film had the right material to possibly become the next Korean action/film-noir classic similar to the likes of The Man From Nowhere (2010), yet it settles on being a generic, tonally ambiguous, action comedy that isn’t particularly enjoyable, even in a B-movie sense.
Was this review helpful to you? Lastly, Song Ji-hyo is pretty much wasted in this film and her character doesn’t amount to much more than a prototypical damsel in distress.