Desibel

Not all of the actors were convincing or acted well in this drab feature but, for the 2 or 3 who were very good I have given the film a 3 star(instead of the 1 I was going to award it).

This was -for me- the dullest film in every way and, that is a rare thing to say indeed for a South Korean film...no matter what genre it falls into. It failed to light any spark of tension to have me sitting on the edge of my seat and, it failed to explain itself clearly in every single film piece. So! After about 20 minutes into the film I found myself at the point of not giving a damn who or what the the hell was blown up next.

Its a story that has been done before but the director just appears to have not been up to the job of getting his actors to give him what the audience needed to find it worth watching!

Suddenly, I wanted to watch a film about terrorism, and this title appeared, and I just watched it. The first time I saw the setting, to be honest, I am a typical person who is not quick enough to digest the setting of a film and cannot predict the ending of any film. For me, this decibel was less digestible at the start of the film, but when it lasted +- 50 minutes, I was able to digest it :D The film is dramatic, it tells of loyalty, revenge, anger, and honesty, and is very true. , it seems like it really happened, about a brother and boy who love each other, but are so respectful of their leader's decisions.

I like this film, and I give it a 7/10, not quite tense enough, but seeing the characters Kang Do-Young, Jeon Tae Song, and Jeon Tae Ryeong is really real!

Decibel might ride on the damsel-in-distress cliche but scores well in the execution of action scenes. The sound-responsive bomb is an innovative feature that heightens the tension and creates a distinct brand of multisensory suspense. These unforgiving bombs increase viewers' sensitivity to sound.

The cast's excellent screen presence adds to the tension. Decibel is one of the few times fans get to see Lee JongSuk play the antagonist, and he does not disappoint. His performance of villain-grade lunacy, driven by profound pain, elicited gasps from the audience. Cha EunWoo also had his moments to shine, as he conveyed a heartfelt farewell on the submarine. Jung SangHoon balances the intense action with his humanity and some slapstick moments before things get too serious.

To be honest, it was soo heartbreaking to see the aftermath of a terrible accident in which truths were swept under the rug and accident victims were left with mental traumas. With that, I felt, the submarine problem is an important part of the film that may have been overshadowed by the bombs and action. DoYoung's dilemma immediately brings to mind the classic trolley problem experiment, and viewers are called to ponder what they would have done in that situation. However, as it demonstrates, there is no perfect solution to every problem.

In a nutshell, Decibel has a heartfelt plot. It was a film that revealed the weight of being a leader and the decisions that must be made. The decision costs lives and changes the lives of others. Perfect one for one time watch!

I watched this South Korean movie with very bad subtitles which kinda ruined the experience a bit. The translator had problems with the genders as he constantly made the mistake between her and him or he and she. Also the names of the Koreans are just very difficult to remember for an European so that on top of the very fast dialogues just lead to confusion. I wonder if Koreans have the same difficulties to remember our names like John, Paul or Guy? That said the story was very entertaining, with constant suspense and action. I would have scored it eight if the subtitles weren't that bad. The acting was good, not overacting like it's sometimes the case with Asian actors. South Koreans just know how to act and how to make movies. Definitely the best Asian country for quality movies. I see Decibel is also categorized as a horror movie but that's absolutely not the case. It's an action thriller, a good one.

This is the second Korean film I watched on the big screen after Parasite and it was quite an experience. I really didn't expect the audience demography to be this lopsided and their madness for Lee Jong-Suk to be the cherry on top. Korean action thrillers have an unique quality when it comes to keeping the narrative engaging. Decibel is decent enough blend between a nail biting thriller and emotional drama. The emotional flashback do their job in elevating the story.

The fast paced narrative takes a breather during the flashbacks. But the celebrated navy officer being drawn into this run against time game involving bombs spread across the city and uses sound to detonate it. The suspense wrt the mystery bomber was well maintained till the third act, though the glimpse at the poster alone will reveal who is it. There is enough humor as well to cut the tension, not too action packed but the performances ensure Decibel ends up as a worthy watch.