Mission Cross

While action dramas are not my favorite genre, I do occasionally enjoy them for a change of pace and this film filled the niche nicely. I really enjoyed the plot line - it has some good twists that are well set up by the previous story-line (I hate plot twists that are set up via misleading scenes and fortunately, this show doesn't stoop to that level).

I thought the action scenes were very well played except for the climactic scene which did go for the cannon fodder trope (having masses of enemy combatants blindly run thru doors or around corners so they can be mowed down by the protagonists). I'll give them a pass on it since it was at the end and thus did not detract from the rest of the show.

I really enjoyed the nuanced humor that was interspersed within the more series aspects of the show and I thoroughly enjoyed the dynamic between the two leads, Hwang Jung-min and Yum Jung-ah. Their interactions as a married couple was fun to watch.

Well worth the 100 minute run time.

That enjoyment is largely drawn from the relationship between the married couple at the centre of this drama. Their misadventures provide plenty of room for sparky dialogue amid a journey of mutual discovery.

The action that otherwise dominates the film is well-staged but not remotely believable. So if you like slick action it might do it for you. If, like me, action gains from emotional investment in the plight of those involved or a sense of palpable threat, then you will gain less pleasure from the shootings and explosions.

But I did still enjoy the husband and wife in the middle of it all.

MISSION: CROSS is kind of the Korean version of MR & MRS SMITH, following the story of an unhappily married suburban couple. The wife is a top police officer while the husband stays at home and runs the place, but of course he holds some secrets too and eventually the characters collide in a typical spy/action/suspense plotline. I found this one a bit of a disappointment as although the action is okay, it's too mannered and hyper-stylised to really work. Hwang Jang Min is a reliable screen presence but the actress playing his wife overacts horrible and the repeatedly forays into slow motion just look silly. It's an entirely forgettable action comedy.

Keuroseu or mission cross is a netflix orginal korean comedy film. I think it does very well and actually mixes comedy well with the crime elements. It has a pretty good cast that all work well together and the action elements are both fun to watch and funny, especially when the detective uses her knuckle taser. This film focuses on a couple, kang mi seon the detecitve and her husband park kang moo and she does not know about his previous life, so while investigating something major its not long before the unlikely heroes team up to protect one another in the ultimate test to their marriage. This was overall a pretty fantastic film.

Not too much into Asian movies, let alone Korean, but I was browsing out of boredom and here it was, a movie that was packed with good action, interesting plot, and gave me some good haha moments. 'Mission: Cross' surprised me in many ways. The story is engaging, and the characters are well-developed with unique backstories that add depth.

The action sequences are decent, with good fight scenes and thrilling moments. The cinematography captures the essence of the bustling city and the intense atmosphere of the missions. The humor is well-placed, balancing the serious undertones of the plot.

The cast chemistry was fantastic. At first it gave off the usual useless husband plot but it soon turned out to be great. Highly recommended for a movie night.