I'd be lying if I claimed, after acquiring Miss. Conspirator, I didn't just put it away, concerned that purchasing the product was a bad decision on my part. I mean, when you think about it, the plot seems absurdly ridiculous - how could the creators and actors alike execute such a feature? Surprisingly enough, despite the deranged script, the ludicrous characters, and the unrealistic plot, the film actually works, bringing this entertaining comedic, action drama to life.
Soo-Ro (Ko Hyun-Jung) is very impressive in her role. Not only is she stunningly gorgeous, the facial gestures and mannerisms Ms. Hyun-Jung adopts, although over-exaggerated, beneficially add to the humorous climate. Her costume, which often involves what is described later as a 'hippie dress' and long sleeved jumpers, that hide her hands from view, make Soo-Ro appear as a woman who is not only adorably cute, but who legitimately deserves to be saved. An illustrator by trade, who wishes to professionally develop herself in the field, Soo-Ro's drawings assist in depicting her interpretation of the world and the characters around her, layering depth to her character's emotions and helping her become even more sympathetic in the eyes of the viewer. One particular scene where fellow character Red Shoes (Yu Hae-Jin) discovers her illustrated depiction of him, is especially charming. Moreover, the filmmakers occasionally employ animation during the feature, that adjunctively draws us into Soo-Ro's mind.
Her illustrations have a connection to the fascination she has with crime, wanting to develop fictitious stories regarding a detective, the research she has accumulated over her life coming in handy over the duration of the plot. Soo-Ro's past moreover, although only subtly touched upon, is emotionally well developed, and scaffolds the kind of individual she has become. Consumed by tragic circumstances when she was young, Soo-Ro is as anxious as she is agoraphobic, exhibiting communicative issues and difficulties with socialization. This is not helped by her psychiatrist (Lee Won-Jong) who appears about as professional as an incomplete assessment task, or her sister (Ha Jae-Suk), who appears only too desperate to get away from Soo-Ro at the beginning of the narrative.
Soo-Ro's desperate emotional state, coupled by her tears, after been abandoned and called an embarrassment, would make any audience member want to hold her close and say 'everything will be alright'. Taken advantage of by Miss. Go (Jin Kyung), an intermediary between two rival gangsters, Bong-Nam (Park Shin-Yang), otherwise referred to as the White Tiger, and Young-Cheol (Lee Mon-Sik), who are involved in the selling of drugs, the nefarious scheme they are involved in orchestrating, is valued at $40 billion. Handing Soo-Ro a cake box, which she ignorantly believes is for Miss. Go's former paramour, Soo-Ro agrees to deliver the contents, only to unfortunately discover that those at the rendezvous have been assassinated. Thrust into a world of crime, murder and deception, Soo-Ro discovers it isn't just the gangs who are after her, but the police, led by Detective Sung (Sung Dong-Il) as well, who suspect her as being an equally complicit criminal.
Despite the occasional predictability of the plot, the action scenes, although lacking the stylized beauty of other Asian themed features, are certainly entertaining, and though the chase sequences offer nothing new, they equally fit with the plot. The ridiculousness of the narrative is well executed by the actors and script alike, the eccentric, delinquent gang member Toad (Kim Byung-Chul) being especially enjoyable. It is unfortunate the romantic sub-plot is not provided the same level of attention, however, audiences will generally know from the beginning, this is not destined to be a love story. For the most part, the film efficaciously demonstrates how those we often stereotype as heroes are not continuously reliable, and over the course of the feature, Soo-Ro is forced to undergo a transformation, in order to ensure her safety, which depicts her strength of character, determination and intellect.
By suspending your disbelief, and acknowledging the film's lacking realism, one is bound to discover that Miss. Conspirator is probably one of the best handled action comedies of the last ten years.
