The Roundup: No Way Out

Don Lee is back and it's back to the big time. As before, the teddy bear tornado has the endearing charisma of a Bud Spencer and the methods of a Dirty Harry, two fists instead of a Magnum. So everything is the same, which in this case is a quality feature rather than a shortcoming. Tough violence meets humorous interludes, both in the right proportions and underpinned by almost constant (thrashing) action. This time, fortunately, the background rock music has been toned down considerably. Oh yes, there is also a story, a solid means to an end. As always, the salt in the soup is the use of finely scattered political incorrectness. Thank you Roundup Saga, you rarely if ever see anything like this anymore. Another aspect worth mentioning is the consistently fantastic cast throughout the trilogy. Not only Ma Dong-seok, but also his police force are simply endearing. The villains are always charismatic, and this time the enemies of South Korean law and order come from the Chinese triads, the Japanese yakuza and their own corrupt ranks of officials. It can go on like this, there is still a lot of energy in this series.

Directed by Lee Sang-yong, "The Roundup: No Way Out" (2023) is an exciting new entry in the beloved crime action series that has won over fans with its fun mix of humor and high-octane thrills. The film features the incredible Ma Dong-seok, who returns as the easygoing yet tough detective, Ma Seok-do. His performance is truly engaging, striking a perfect balance between the film's comedic moments and the intense action that viewers have come to love - he simply owns the character from the beginning to the end!

The storyline is pretty straightforward, allowing everything to flow smoothly, which makes it easy for audiences to get into. This simplicity adds to its appeal, providing a solid base for the funny and action-packed scenes that play out. The plot revolves around Ma Seok-do's unwavering quest for justice, and his chill personality contrasts nicely with the mayhem surrounding him.

One of the film's highlights is its clever use of slapstick humor. There are plenty of funny moments that genuinely make you laugh, often stemming from the ridiculous situations Ma Seok-do finds himself in.

On top of that, the action scenes are thrilling, showcasing his iconic "steam hammer fist of justice." His physical presence and charm shine in every fight, delivering a satisfying mix of toughness and humor that keeps viewers engaged. The choreography is spot-on, ensuring that every punch and kick hits hard while still keeping that lighthearted vibe that makes the film so enjoyable.

The third film in the Crime City series, Don Lee gets to throw his knockout punches non-stop while the all predictable story takes a backseat. When Detective Ma Seok-do and his team get a murder case to solve which leads them to an illegal drug Hiper. They chase the lead to the supplier of the drug and even confiscate the drugs. This opens up the mystery involving corrupt cops and a rival Yakuza gang trying to get their hands on the confiscated drugs. How Seok-do punches his way out through the baddies forms the story.

The story is a simple one and with the reveal of the villain early on, there is barely any suspense left. The team cop however still succeed to entertain with their humor though it's getting lesser with each film. As the team, conveniently choses to arrive late to the scene, it gives Don Lee enough time to shine. With non-stop action, the story does move in a brisk pace. Considering the baddies are no match to the main lead, the fights are obviously one sided throughout. It takes a step down compared to the previous film and I hope the fourth film offers better balance.

A very average prequel, this movie misses the charming and funny characters of the first two movies and thats kinda sad but this is a prequel and we need to respect that ok, overall the villain is not as memorable as the first two amazing and violent antagonists, this movie has a very pathetic villain and that's kinda sad not gonna lie, the protagonist deserves a better villain to encounter, definitely the worst movie of this awesome franchise from Korea, just like John Wick is the worst of the John Wick Franchise ok, overall good little movie to watch Sunday while doing other activities ok 6/10.

This is just siccccck! Forget John Wick, forget Equalizer, forget James Bond, forget Jason Borne or whichever action movie Hollywood has produced ever, this right here is the ish! Whaaat? I am going back to watch the previous edition just because I enjoyed this one so much.

I can't think of what not to like about this franchise. Yes, I heard people argue that Don Lee should pick on guys his size and that the villains are usually too weak compared to his size and strength. To an extent I understand and would certainly love to see him take on someone equally strong. But watching him kick these weaklings butts works because even though the villains are not as physically as strong, they are unbelievably wicked and you so badly want someone to kick their butt and Don Lee does that so nicely.

Aside that, the cinematography is spot on. The fight scenes are just incredible. The humor too is out of this world. This is the kind of movie that gets you laughing but demands your full respect when things get serious.

I guess the only questioning bit is why the villians don't use guns but choose to use bats, knives and swords. Maybe it's a cultural thing. But then again, I've seen other Korean movies where they used lots of guns. I'll like to see how Don Lee handles such a scenario.