Remember

South Korean action film, a remake of the 2015 Canadian film (which portrayed Nazism, here changed to focus on Korea under Japanese occupation during World War II) a film about revenge after more than 50 years of the events, after all, "revenge is a dish best served cold", well-planned, orchestrated and executed, like the production of the film, very good, it keeps you hooked from beginning to end, and we are rooting for the executioner to reach all his victims, except the last one, good, very good...

Pil-Joo lost his entire family during the Japanese colonial era in South Korea. Even with Alzheimer's and with the help of a 20-year-old, he decides to take revenge on all those responsible, before his memory disappears for good.

What a satisfying vigilante thriller. Involving immediately because of the age and illness of the hero.

The anti Nazi premise of the original movie has been perfectly adapted here to suit the Japanese collaborators and war criminals and their diverse crimes in Korea. From forced labor to comfort women. Completely on the side of the hero as he takes out each bad guy. Perfect ending too. I think it was even better than the original version.

Nam Joo Hyuk looks innocent and vulnerable so he is right for the role. Lee Sung Min acts old quite well. He is only in his 50s. The direction is clear and tight.

Highly recommended. All should watch this movie. It is now on viki.

The main plot of this movie is based on Remember, 2015 starring Christopher Plummer. I watched the movie at the release and I did enjoy a lot, but the premise and the twist at the end gave me a bitter taste simply because the movie wasn't what it was promoting in the trailers. I didn't expect a mind-numbing action movie , but I thought the movie was simply about the revenge delivering the justice which was the point that made me interested in the movie. However, the point was made in a different and more complicated way. This korean remake, on the other hand, it's quiet straightforward. What you see in the trailers is what you are going to see in the whole movie. It's plain and simple which makes it very entertaining. You don't want to think too much about the protagonists in revenge movies. You are pitty for them, you cheer for them, and you are happy for them. You don't need any other gimmik in these revenge movies which is why this remake makes a whole lot better than the original.

Remember is a South Korean drama thriller inspired by an Atom Egoyan movie released seven years earlier. However, this film isn't an unimpressive remake but tells a very fascinating story of its own. This movie is about an Alzheimer's patient in his eighties who lost all his family during the Japanese colonial era. Once his wife has died, he decides to assassinate all those who have brought suffering upon his family and himself. The friendly elderly man tattooes the names of his targets upon his hand and goes on a killing spree with an unsuspecting work colleague from a restaurant in his early twenties. Soon enough, media, military and police are hot on their trails. Will the elderly man be able to see his vengeful plan through before he can be stopped?

This movie convinces on numerous elements. First of all, the sinister story finds the perfect balance between a drama and a thriller. This movie has genuinely caring, saddening and tender moments but also quite brutal, graphic and sinister sequences. This combination makes for a highly entertaining rollercoaster ride that goes by in a heartbeat.

Up next, the two main characters have excellent chemistry despite their obvious significant differences. Elderly Han Pil-joo is senile, gentle and fragile on the outside but actually clever, determined and organized on the inside. His dynamic character development is intriguing from start to finish. Park In-gyu on the other side looks stylish, helpful and confident on the outside but soon appears to be fearful, gullible and naive on the inside. His changes are nearly equally intriguing and contribute to a spectacular finale. Veteran actor Lee Sung-min and youngster Nam Joo-hyuk complete each other splendidly and deliver what might be the best performances of their respective careers.

This movie has a lot of intense scenes involving car chases, intellectual confrontations and obviously diversified killing scenes. The brutality is however never shallow and always serves a purpose. The film avoids unnecessarily exaggerated special effects and focuses on terrifying atmosphere instead which will keep viewers on the edges of their seats.

As you can read, dramatic thriller Remember is a feast for anyone who appreciates contemporary South Korean cinema of the past twenty-five years and counting. Anyone who likes movies in the key of I Saw the Devil, Oldboy or Memories of Murder should certainly give this overlooked and underrated film a try as well. This movie convinces with wonderful depth regarding its characters and gritty intensity concerning the killing spree. While this film might not be a good choice for a particularly sensitive audience, it should sit very well with most people who appreciate vengeful thrillers with a gritty twist.

But maybe not as powerful and convincing as the Canadian genuine material, back in 2015. This South Korean film is however closer to the European style than the Hollywoodian one or even Korean. Other south Korean movie don't usually look like this actually. Yes, this is a true gripping, engrossing piece of work. However, I will always prefer the Canadian feature, starring Christopher Plummer. Compared to this one, I would say this south Korean movie was more American - though not Hollywoodian, as I just said - than the American - Canadian - film, which was really European. The ending is not that surprising, if you already know the original, but deceiving for my taste. But yes, watch it, it deserves it.