Emergency Declaration

A typical stab at a disaster movie from Korea, fairly good and watchable but instantly forgettable at the same time. My favourite Korean movies are their thrillers with harder bloody edges while this one lapses into shameless melodrama towards the climax. The first half, a tight thriller set on an aeroplane with a documentary feel, is certainly the best and keeps you watching thanks to strong direction and assured performances from Lee Byung-hun and Song Kang-ho among others. The second half is totally different, a wider-scale traditional disaster flick like one of those old AIRPORT movies of the 1970s. Not bad, but I wanted more.

The South Korean movie, EMERGENCY DECLARATION, is an on-the-edge-of-the-seat thriller. While investigating a terrorist threat that goes viral online, Korean authorities discover that a suspect has recently boarded an international flight bound for the United States. When a healthy passenger on the same flight suddenly dies a gruesome death of unknown cause, panic erupts both in-flight and on the ground. With steadily decreasing fuel and international refusals to offer aid, the captain and crew will be forced to take unprecedented emergency measures to save the lives of their passengers.

This is a non-stop action-packed film with excellent acting by the entire cast. The tension mounts with each passing minute as the authorities race against time to find the source of the deadly virus before it claims any more victims. The special effects are top-notch, and the film's ending is sure to leave audiences breathless.

The cinematography must have been incredibly challenging. The interior of the aircraft is shot so that we feel we are right there with the characters. This adds to the suspense and makes for a truly harrowing experience. And the fear and anxiety we have all experienced about dangerous viruses as we have lived through the pandemic intensified the impact of this film for me. (Note: The movie doesn't exploit the pandemic -- it was conceived before the pandemic had begun).

EMERGENCY DECLARATION is a well-crafted, edge-of-your-seat thriller that is sure to keep audiences entertained from beginning to end. It is a must-see for fans of the genre.

For those unfamiliar with the aviation term 'Emergency Declaration' (as I was), the film explains this in the beginning: If an aircraft cannot fly safely due to lack of fuel or other problems the pilot makes a declaration to the Authorities. This plane then has first priority to land.

As we discover in the film, though, although the pilot declared an emergency declaration, airports did not want the plane to land due to circumstances. So, lets start at the beginning and find out why. Jin-seok, a biochemist, uploaded a video to the Internet saying he is going to attack a plane. When Sergeant In-Ho sees the video, he decides to look into the matter despite his colleagues viewing it as a prank. Arriving at Jin-seok's apartment, though, they make a gruesome discovery.

Meantime ex-pilot Jae-hyuk and his young daughter Soo-min prepares to board a plane to Hawaii. When Soo-min accidentally notices Jae-hyuk hiding something under his skin, he starts following them and then takes the same plane.

On the plane, suicidal maniac Jae-hyuk releases a virus. With passengers starting getting infected - and dying - the film becomes a race against time to land and find help. However, this is easier said than done as we discover. The film takes so many turns and it is thrilling, exciting and nerve-wrecking.

'Emergency Declaration' is a very well made film with convincing performances from a seasoned cast, and a good score. It provides excitement for the entire 142 minutes runtime, and there honestly never was a dull moment. The film grabbed me from the beginning, and kept me glued to the screen and on the edge of my seat until that nail-biting finale. This is another fantastic Korean production.

This movie is slightly above standard. As a fans, I complain that the story behind Lee has not been portrayed more. His part in the movie is less than expected. His image and outlook is not also in par with a pilot. I look for a more handsome and smart Lee, rather than an average middle age father.

Overall the plot of the movie is logical and sensible, though the story line is not very intricating. The story development and the ending is all expected without surprise. The transport secretary chuen is good at acting. But she is not given any chance to show her super acting skill. So does Lee.

All in all, it is not a bad movie but not a super one.

In 1968 a Canadian writer named Arthur Haley wrote AIRPORT, a bestseller which is generally acknowledged to be the spark, the trigger, for the dozens of similar stories and films that followed. (That book itself spawned two feature movies, in 1970 and 1975). As I have explained in my other reviews, South Korea prides itself on picking up themes from the west and raising the stakes. So it is with Emergency Declaration, the definitive Korean take on the airplane disaster movie. Boasting a 2hr20min runtime, it follows the typical story arc -- well known to K-drama fans -- of setting up the factual circumstances and then taking extensive detours into the personalities of the various characters in the story. Which is why South Korean zombie films also shine so well -- character development. Recommended. I have two Korean films on my IMDb list of the best films of all time. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))