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Hard Hit

Original title: Balsinjehan
  • 2021
  • TV-14
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
2.7K
YOUR RATING
Hard Hit (2021)
Sung-Kyu (Jo Woo-Jin) works as a manager at a bank branch. he sets off to drive his kids to school and then go to work, but he receives a phone call without a caller ID. The caller tells him "when you get out the car, a bomb will explode."
Play trailer1:53
1 Video
30 Photos
ActionCrimeDramaMysteryThriller

An ordinary family navigates the unpredictable circumstances caused by a mysterious phone call that puts them in a horrific situation.An ordinary family navigates the unpredictable circumstances caused by a mysterious phone call that puts them in a horrific situation.An ordinary family navigates the unpredictable circumstances caused by a mysterious phone call that puts them in a horrific situation.

  • Director
    • Kim Chang-ju
  • Writers
    • Kim Chang-ju
    • Alberto Marini
  • Stars
    • Jo Woo-jin
    • Ji Chang-wook
    • Lee Jae-in
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.3/10
    2.7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Kim Chang-ju
    • Writers
      • Kim Chang-ju
      • Alberto Marini
    • Stars
      • Jo Woo-jin
      • Ji Chang-wook
      • Lee Jae-in
    • 26User reviews
    • 23Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:53
    Trailer

    Photos30

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    Top cast10

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    Jo Woo-jin
    Jo Woo-jin
    • Lee Seong-gyoo
    Ji Chang-wook
    Ji Chang-wook
    • Jin-woo
    Lee Jae-in
    • Lee Hye-in
    Kim Ji-ho
    • Park Yeon-soo
    Lee Joo-han
    • EOD team member #4
    Haerry Kim
    Haerry Kim
    • TV reporter
    Jin Kyung
    Jin Kyung
    • Ban Yeong-hee
    Ryu Seung-su
    Ryu Seung-su
    • Police chief
    Jun Suk-ho
    Jun Suk-ho
    • Jeong-ho
    Kim Tae-joon
    • Man leaving the court
    • Director
      • Kim Chang-ju
    • Writers
      • Kim Chang-ju
      • Alberto Marini
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews26

    6.32.6K
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    Featured reviews

    6tccandler

    "Speed" crossed with "Phone Booth"... a good thriller.

    This is a remake of a 2015 Spanish film, which will also soon be remade in Hollywood with Liam Neeson at the helm. The premise is exciting -- combining elements of Keanu Reeves in "Speed" and Colin Farrell in "Phone Booth". Hostages, Bombs, Car Chases... It's all fast-paced and well produced. My one quibble was the final outcome. I wish they had been a little braver in the final ten minutes.
    7Muvilava

    Korean production keeps kicking Hollywood

    The actors playing father and daughter pulled off their roles very well. The cinematography was excellent. Midway the story almost fell apart, but the good quality of everything else made me look away from that misstep and still enjoy immensely.
    7toskomst

    90-minute thrillride

    The main character in "Hard Hit" is taking the kids to school one morning - a boy and a girl - when he gets a restricted call. The unknown caller informs him that a bomb has been placed under his seat. It will explode if he leaves the car.

    This is all you need for 90+ minutes of frantic action, I guess, and the unknown caller soon supplies a demand and an explosive argument for making our hero do just like Toto. That is hold the line.

    The reliable supporting actor Jo Woo-jin tackles his first lead role playing an ordinary bank employee who gets pinned behind the wheel. His rapport with Lee Jae-in, playing his daughter, provides a human element in all the frenzy. He's understandably desperate. I mean, I would be too, if I had to handle at least two phone calls simultaneously while at the same time calm the kids down and actually drive the car.

    It's a saddening reminder of COVID-era realities, by the way, to see beaches and intercity highways in Busan all but deserted with no CGI enhancements needed.

    The movie is a remake of an excellent Spanish thriller, "El Desconocido" (2015), starring Luis Tosar in one of his best roles. The Korean version follows the original unusually closely, to such an extent that all they've really done is to translate it to the Korean idiom. And both movies surely owe something to "Speed" (1994) and Dennis Hopper's scheme as the bad guy.

    Anyway. The movie keeps the pace up, and it never feels as if the entire plot actually takes place inside or in the immediate vicinity of the hero's car. The unknown caller is online most of the time (those familiar to K-movies and K-dramas will undoubtedly recognize the voice right away), and the Koreans do love their phones and gadgets.

    The flow may get a little lost with subtitles, I imagine, but this movie worked for me, built around its ingenious plot. So fasten the seatbelt. Or then again, thinking of the unfortunate hero, maybe better not.

    PS: The Korean title refers to a "Restricted Call" as opposed to the meaningless English title, and in everday slang, it's also known as a "black call". Shouldn't miss a chance to show off...
    4vleeazn

    It was alright, the execution of the plot not so much.

    The filming quality and views were amazing, the music was also okay-ish at adding suspense however there was something I really did not like about the plot.

    At the very start, MC gets a call from the bomber telling him his car is bombed then gets another call from his colleague (that has his wife on the car) & realizes that he's also received a similar call and their situation is about the same so he drives all the way to him.

    The wife however is adamant that the bomb is fictional and just cannot control herself on not getting off, practically has an urge to jump off the car by any possible means knowing there could be a possibility of death to... go to work.

    Anyway the wife gets off, effectively blowing : herself, the car & her poor husband (I applauded) the first thing MC does however is driving off at full speed then later realizes his son is hurt so he wants to drive to the ER but ends up in a remote area where the plots begins.

    There are two things that are massive plot-hole ignored so the movie could happen that bothered me :

    -The first is when he didn't switch the audio from earpiece to the car's after he's already told his kids what is happening.

    -The second is he had to flee the crime scene at full speed so he could avoid policemen, firemen & medics after the bombing.

    The movie happening in a narrow space limiting the movie set & budget will have to heavily rely on the plot, not to spoil but I watched until the end & I just found it was alright.

    The wife blowing off everything to go to work honestly was the highlight for me haha.
    6T-xoo

    Intense thriller

    Definitely has some flaws. Everything is not perfect like the police's actions. However, the film is intense. From the first minute to the end, the movie is really fast pace. The 90 so minutes will pass super fast. There are a couple slow moments in the middle of the movie but this is to introduce the villain. Overall, great to watch.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      This Korean thriller is a remake of the Spanish film Retribution (2015) with Luis Tosar in the lead role and directed by Dani de la Torre. According to the director's statement in The Korean Herald, it should be similar to the original film with special settings that fit Korean circumstances. The same story was filmed once again in Germany as Don't. Get. Out! (2018). An American remake of the Spanish original titled as Retribution (2023) with Liam Neeson in the lead role is also planned.
    • Connections
      Remake of Retribution (2015)

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    FAQ16

    • How long is Hard Hit?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 23, 2021 (South Korea)
    • Country of origin
      • South Korea
    • Language
      • Korean
    • Also known as
      • Restricted Call
    • Production company
      • CJ Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Gross worldwide
      • $116,184
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 34 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39:1

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