Film: The Man From Nowhere
Year of production: 2010
UK Release date: 11th April 2011
Studio: E1
Certificate: 18
Running time: 119 mins
Director: Lee Jeong-beom
Starring: Kim Sae-ron, Kim Hyo-seo, Won Bin
Genre: Action/Crime/Thriller
Format: DVD
Country: South Korea
Language: Korean
Lee Jeong-beom directs this tale of redemption through violence which went on to became the highest grossing film in Korea last year, winning national and worldwide acclaim across the board. Following in the footsteps of Shiri and A Bittersweet Life, Korea continues to establish itself as a force to be reckoned with on the action cinema front.
The story follows a reclusive pawnbroker Cha Tae-sik (Won Bin), as he tries to forget a past which still haunts him. His only human contact comes in the form of Jung So-mi (Kim Sae-ron), a young girl who steadfastly refuses to give him the peace he desires and slowly starts to draw him out of his self enforced solitude.
When So-mi's mother gets involved in a drug deal that goes bad, she and her daughter are kidnapped and Cha is drawn into a race against time in order to save them. However, the deal that he is assured will see the two released turns out to be a double cross that leaves So-mi's mother dead and Cha caught between the law and gangsters vying for control of Korea.
After realising he has been betrayed and that the life of his only friend is in jeopardy, Cha flees the police and sets out on his own quest to rescue the girl. Unknown to the rest of the world, Cha was once a decorated black ops soldier, until he lost everything after a failed assassination attempt on his life.
Cha must become the man he once was if he is to stand a chance of ever seeing So-mi again. Using the skills and abilities he thought he had left behind forever, he slowly starts to work his way towards the men who took So-mi, hoping that he will he be able to prevent another tragedy before it is too late…
This movie borrows heavily from other sources, most notably from the gangster and the heroic bloodshed genres but even hints of Taken and the Bourne trilogy can be seen. Whilst the story is well written, it is nothing new and, unfortunately, predictable. However, what stops this from becoming simply a mash up of good ideas is the direction, editing and acting. Lee Jeong-beom brings the city to life with his striking imagery and settings, whether it is the poorer parts of town where Cha and So-mi live, or the garish opulence which surrounds the gangsters. His use of the colour blue, which is almost always present when the gangsters are on-screen, is used brilliantly to bathe Cha himself once he has entered their world. All this is accompanied by a mostly orchestral score that is used in all the right places, both for building tension and hauntingly setting the scene for the quieting moments in the movie.
A movie of this kind relies upon a strong actor in the lead role and in this regard Won Bin delivers. As Cha Tae-sik, he gives a performance that deserves the awards and plaudits he has received. A man hiding from the world behind his pawnshop window, the only bright spot in his life is So-mi, a surrogate reminder of the life that was taken from him. His seemingly gruff tolerance of her is offset by the fact he is the only parental figure in her life. He takes a subtle joy in that fact, whether making dinner for her or offering her a place to sleep when her mother is indulging in her drug habit. Though his anguish is evident when he fears he may never see his friend again, his transformation into the man he once was takes a lot of the emotion out of his performance, as what is left behind is a cold blooded killer. He dispassionately takes down anyone in his way, and the fact that he remains calm and never raises his voice during the scenes of extreme violence make them all the more affecting - and Cha all the more terrifying to behold.
Young actress Kim Sae-ron is brilliant in the role of So-mi. Her earlier interactions with Cha are filled with her talking incessantly about things that can only seem important when you're young yet also getting into trouble, as she tries to make the best of what life has thrown her. However, behind this tough façade, we can see a child in need of a friend and, more importantly, someone to look up to. With her mother addicted to drugs, she finds solace and refuge within the pawnshop. An absolutely heartbreaking scene where she shows a maturity and understanding of selfworth far beyond her years becomes the main driving force behind Cha's mission to save her and mark her as a talent to watch in future years.
As the gang leaders responsible for kidnapping So-mi and her mother, Kim Hee-won and Kim Sung-oh both give solid performances; even if Song-oh sometimes crosses the line and hams it up too much. They are men who deal in human lives as a commodity and never truly understand why Cha comes after them. Both have a false bravado that the violence Cha inflicts on their underlings slowly erodes. This leaves Ramrowan as the main antagonist of the piece. A henchman with a penchant for bladed weapons and the only person believable as a viable threat to Cha. His respect and happiness at finding a worthy adversary are evident and lead to two of the film’s best fight sequences.
As mentioned earlier, the editing is a crucial part of this movie and it is during the fight scenes that this is best shown. They are quick, brutal and bloody, yet always easy to follow, even with quick cutting and extreme close ups. This is especially true when point of view shots are used to brilliant affect as Cha and Ramrowan finally face each other in a climactic showdown. Won Bin excels in these action scenes. Moving with a speed and grace that conveys that he is a man trained in the art of killing as he makes short work of these apparently hard men who rely on their numbers and brute strength to deal with their opponents.
The only major problem with this movie is the length, coming in at just under two hours and aided by good pacing, it isn't so long that boredom will set in. However, with a slightly convoluted plot and too many incidental characters, it could easily have been shortened. The most obvious sections to take out would have been those involving Kim Tae-hun as detective Kim Chi-gon. He is the man in charge of jailing the gang members and subsequently trying to find Cha as he leaves a trail of bodies in his wake. Whilst he is good in the role, and brings some added black comedy to the film, he has too little to do. He spends much of the movie surveying the carnage Cha creates and all of the information he uncovers is nothing Cha doesn't figure out on his own. Even his discoveries about Cha's secret past are irrelevant as they are later revealed during flashbacks to much greater effect.
Whilst the influences of American blockbusters can be seen throughout, this proves Korean talent can match and, in a lot of ways, better anything Hollywood can produce. A familiar story of friendship, revenge and redemption which is often violent and bloody, it stands above similar titles in the genre. Brilliantly choreographed fight sequences and strong performances from the two leads make this much more than just another action film. DM
