The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil

Ticks off all the right boxes:

Lots of cool, vicious bad guys with one of them being really creepy and sick. On the other hand there are lots of dumb, ambitious cops, which are a laughing stock.

Lots of chases, that are quite riveting to watch. Lots of fist and knife fights, that are beautifully choreaographed and thrilling.

And to top it all off there is this contineous drive and suspense that keeps this story propelling forward.

THE cliffhanger: will they get the serial killer?

This story seems to be based on an actual true story, which is out of this world, because the police and the mob were actually really working together to catch a vicious serial killer.

Any bad? The cops are way too dumb to be real. And the gangsters are often way too cool, to be real as well. They used too many exagerated crime movie stereotypes, but then again, they didnt go too much overboard with these exagerations, therefore it still is an exciting and enjoyable crime flick!

The film tells quite a unique story of cops joining forces with gangsters to go after a serial killer.

If you single out all these elements (cops, gangsters, a serial killer, a cop teaming up with a gangster), then I've seen and enjoyed them many times before and yet, I don't think I've ever seen them all come together like this.

So, a unique story that relies on well known archetypes. I thought it handled them well enough.

However, if you're looking for a very plausible story line and a masterful intricate plot, well that's just not what this is about. It's more of a fun, entertaining and somewhat gritty movie that mostly revolves around the dynamic between the cop and the gangster. As such, it was also my main source of enjoyment while watching it.

I also liked the cinematography, the acting (cop, gangster and serial killer), action sequences and fight choreographies. It also has a comedic aspect to it, which surprised me but was very welcome and appreciated. Ma Dong-seok's character was the one that stood out the most to me, then the cop. Like I said, the main strength of the film is the dynamic between them. At least that's how I experienced it.

One thing that frustrated me during this film is the dynamic between the cop and his superior. The dialogues were overly repetitive and I think that this is a good example of where the film is lacking. There isn't a lot of depth in this movie and it suffers from it. Especially when you start to stray away from the dynamic duo (cop and gangster).

That's about it. I had a good time watching it and I'd recommend it to those who enjoy these kinds of detective stories and want to have some fun but don't expect exceptional writting and depth.

I give it a 7.5

Like so many of the genre that hail from Seoul and its suburbs, this one punches well above its weight with an inventive reworking of well-worn plot tropes and slick production values.

This movie was such a treat, it engages you from the first minute till it's last scene. Ma Dong-Seok's performance was extraordinary and impressive. It's not one of those dark serial killer movies that Korean cinema is known for, however it's a great movie filled with great chases, tense moments, laughs and but will surely keep you on the edge of your seat. Furthermore what makes it more interesting is that it's based on true events. If you are into Korean cinema, this movie is a must watch.

Great thriller with some really awesome background score. Don Lee really steals the scene. I would have given it a 9 if they had laid out the motive to the mode of the serial killings. Without that, it was slightly unfulfilling. But everything else was great fun.