Misiones cruzadas

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.

Park Kang-moo is a sincere and kind house-husband to Kang Mi-seon who is a top detective in violent crimes division. What she doesn't know is that Kang-moo is an ex-spy and was forced to leave his past life after a failed mission. As he leads a boring yet satisfying life of an house-husband, a chance encounter with Jang Hee-joo, his junior will make him to go back to his life as a spy in order to help Hee-joo save her kidnapped husband. This case gets entangled with the one Mi-seon is investigating on and she soon suspects Kang-moo of having an affair with Hee-joo. As they both get into the game without knowing the players, the danger that follows will bring them closer. How do they get out of the mess and save their marriage, forms rest of the story.

The writing is basic at it's best and after the only big reveal about the mysterious villain, half way into the film, Mission: Cross literally is devoid of any intriguing moments and the action too is quite generic to stand out. All it leaves is the two main leads to kick up the spark and the comic timing to salvage what's left but that just proves to be not enough. Even with the runtime of barely 100mins, the film gets boring and the half baked screenplay doesn't really offer anything to remember. Spoiler, the film does end on a note opening up for a sequel but there is hardly any interest left to care for it.

A tough female cop is married to a house husband who secretly turns out to be an agent with skills. When he is lured out of his retirement to help rescue another colleague. His actions overlap with his wife's investigatio. The story is fast actually too fast. It is not confusing just if they had slowed things down now and then I would have understood the jokes better.

The action sequences are inventive and original and funny. Generally the humor is quite good with some laugh out loud moments amidst the fighting and shooting. Hwang Jung Min is versatile and adept at comedy. Look out for a homage to his other roles.

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.

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.