Akinjeon

09/10/2019 (3) The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil (2019) 7.3/10

Non-spoiler-ish review :)

A serial killer with a heartless soul roaming around towns. A cop that is dedicated to catching him at all costs. And a gangster leader with a special mission to annihilate this serial killer.

This piece of work has more goods than bads. I would start off by stating the fact that the idea of the movie is fairly original or at least, well-executed.

There was a mutual relationship that gives viewers comedic relieves every now and then. This light up the mood of the movie in lots of times.

There are some acts of the movie that felt rushed. Some Infos seem to be setting up plot lines and major future reveals but they weren't. There were characters that seem to be important but then forgotten.

The director and the writers have good directions in the dialogues and setting up motives for characters. However, some of the scenes were strolled by too quickly for me to feel the burden or the punishment level of certain actions.

Nevertheless, the movie is pretty alright alright. Some flaws every now and then but overall, quite entertaining and satisfying. A good thriller/action flick.

For this year, I was pretty impressed with suspenseful/ action-comedy Korean movies like Parasite and the Hit-and-Run squad. They were both pretty good and worth mentioning really.

S I have said before , I don't think I've seen a bad film come of of South Korea.

I especially love their cop films which have an over exaggerated energy that is quite unique and The Gangster, The Cop , The Devil is no different .

After barely surviving a violent attack by an elusive serial killer, crime boss Jang Dong-su finds himself forming an unlikely partnership with local detective Jung Tae-seok to catch the sadistic killer simply known as "K".

This is a blood thirsty serial killer movie that gets straight to the point .

Everyone seems to be on edge as nobody trusts anyone .

It's full of casual violence as well as full on violence, a little bit like a cartoon in some ways.

The story is simple to follow , if not a bit over the top but you don't get to know the serial killer's motives which is a shame .

Ma Dong-Seok is the star of the show . Previously seen in Train To Busan , here he is perfect as the head of the crime organisation and provides a bit of calmness when around the cop who acts like he's drunk fifty cans of Red Bull.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is remade for the American market because the idea of a Gangster teaming up with a cop to catch a killer is a really good one .

This movie was such a treat, it engages you from the first minute till it's last scene. Ma Dong-Seok's performance was extraordinary and impressive. It's not one of those dark serial killer movies that Korean cinema is known for, however it's a great movie filled with great chases, tense moments, laughs and but will surely keep you on the edge of your seat. Furthermore what makes it more interesting is that it's based on true events. If you are into Korean cinema, this movie is a must watch.

The film tells quite a unique story of cops joining forces with gangsters to go after a serial killer.

If you single out all these elements (cops, gangsters, a serial killer, a cop teaming up with a gangster), then I've seen and enjoyed them many times before and yet, I don't think I've ever seen them all come together like this.

So, a unique story that relies on well known archetypes. I thought it handled them well enough.

However, if you're looking for a very plausible story line and a masterful intricate plot, well that's just not what this is about. It's more of a fun, entertaining and somewhat gritty movie that mostly revolves around the dynamic between the cop and the gangster. As such, it was also my main source of enjoyment while watching it.

I also liked the cinematography, the acting (cop, gangster and serial killer), action sequences and fight choreographies. It also has a comedic aspect to it, which surprised me but was very welcome and appreciated. Ma Dong-seok's character was the one that stood out the most to me, then the cop. Like I said, the main strength of the film is the dynamic between them. At least that's how I experienced it.

One thing that frustrated me during this film is the dynamic between the cop and his superior. The dialogues were overly repetitive and I think that this is a good example of where the film is lacking. There isn't a lot of depth in this movie and it suffers from it. Especially when you start to stray away from the dynamic duo (cop and gangster).

That's about it. I had a good time watching it and I'd recommend it to those who enjoy these kinds of detective stories and want to have some fun but don't expect exceptional writting and depth.

I give it a 7.5

Like so many of the genre that hail from Seoul and its suburbs, this one punches well above its weight with an inventive reworking of well-worn plot tropes and slick production values.