Seobok

I was looking forward to the movie because of Gong Yoo but I stayed for both him and Park Bo Gum. This is the first time I've seen Park Bo Gum's acting skills and I must say I really liked him and the way he portrays so much with such minimal expressions. The problem here is not the story line, but the way the film has been crafted, it is somehow a bit too rushed, and doesn't build up the way it could have. It needed some more depth and I can't really put my finger on it, but something is missing. I did like the film but I will not be seeing it again but I wish I could give it more stars just for Park Bo Gum, who is definitely the main star for me here. Gong Yoo is a great actor but the film didn't really give him a chance to develop his character or maybe there's just not enough there for him to portray. I wish the film was made better. I want to give it a 6.5.

There are many philosophical questions here ... what makes us who we are ... what keeps us sane ... the power of "immortality" (you can still die, but in theory you could also live forever) ... there are so many things that are being asked. Is death really the one thing that keeps us sane? How can we know for sure? Of course same can be said about the live forever theme ... as Queen asked in their song too ... though I reckon the first instinct always is to say yes. Survival instinct and all that.

Having said that, while this is about quite the philosophical themes ... it also has quite a lot of action in it. I personally like a lot of Korean movies and while I am not completely enamoured by this one, I still think it is more than a nice effort. The melodrama is a bit much ... and there is a lot of things that remain unanswered ... but of course they are ... how would the movie be able to answer things we do not know? See above ... still a neat Science Fiction action brain teaser to say the least.

I love both leads who worked hard to overcome a mediocre script. The film began okay, quickly became muddled, developed large holes, and then fell apart. But I did think the ending worked okay.

The two main characters have good acting skills, but the storyline is boring.

Entertaining big-budget sci-fi thriller. I have to say I mostly got what I wanted out of it, and that's a mix of pathos, road film and some action for good measure. It does have its shortcomings that keep it from being great, though.

Imagine having a male Asian version of Eleven from Stranger Things. Then give him a Frankenstein-type backstory and pair him with a skilled secret agent who has his own brand of unsavory past. They're the centerpiece of the film and their gradual bonding is at the heart of the story. This is the kind of thriller that takes cues from modern Hollywood cinema, but keeps that Korean flair in trying to wring out real emotions from its characters while putting them in some tough spots. It even goes overboard in that regard, with some slightly predictable, almost underwhelming scenes in the second half. The film's focus switches from an entertaining, sometimes touching road trip to borderline-corny melodrama with occasional SFX-heavy sequences. Still, even then the film has its moments; there's a particularly effective beach scene that manages to find a sense of melancholy amid all the obvious sugarcoating.

Overall, this is a polished, mostly fun and exciting ride that's worth a watch if you're into Korean genre fare and don't mind formulaic plotting. It won't blow you away, but it's got just enough going for it.