It's almost like watching a film noir in the 50s. Limited sources of light and shadow create a mysterious and suspenseful vibe. Low-key lighting and toned-down colors and even a little bit of melancholy. 'Harbin' narrates the story in a slightly detached and aloof manner.
Film noir is the right 'form' to maximize 'the content'. The director wants to describe a human Ahn rather than a hero Ahn. His anguish, doubts, and mistakes are all included, and it's not a story of a hero who saves the world. He's a human who carries out the responsibilities given to him at a difficult time in history. Ironically, after seeing him as an ordinary human being, the audience respects him more because one begins to feel closer and more attached to Ahn.
For example, for the battle scene in the beginning, Ahn's army does not fight with refined techniques or delicate choreography. It's a street fight and gang fight, throwing punches in the air and covered with mud. That feels more real and more down-to-earth the same as how the director wanted to portray Ahn.
The only weakness is that the storyline is too lineal and simple. It's not like there are no dramas in the movies, but it does not feel dramatic not even once.
