Secretly Greatly

This movie feels like 2 movies. The first part is a comedy about N Korean spies in S Korea. The second part is a protracted martial arts fighting show. The second part felt over long. The movie would have been better if it was shorter and more focused. A Kim Soo Hyun vehicle and the contrast between the idiot and the spy is quite good. This movie doesn't have the broad appeal to go past Koreans and die hard fans of Korean movies.

There are some great parts to this film, and there is some strong craft at work, but as a whole, the film suffers from imbalance and then struggles to maintain pace.

What starts off as ostensibly a comedy changes its genre completely by the middle. Whereas there are attempts at silly humor for the early going, they are dropped completely in favor of the action/intrigue aspect before too long. It's very strange to be halfway through and remember the early tones of the story, now all but forgotten.

There are strong points: the photography is great; the fight scenes are good (too many cuts, but still good); the philosophical struggle the characters face is well-drawn.

There are also some low points, but overall the film I'd say is worth watching - just be ready for two different halves.

It's difficult to live Normally in some countries.

I was really excited to see this movie, but it just fell flat for me. The plot felt like a bunch of great ideas that weren't fully developed. One minute it's a hilarious comedy about spies in a small town, and the next it's a super serious, dramatic film about loyalty and betrayal. The tonal shifts were so jarring, it was hard to get invested in anything. The comedy was decent, but it felt like a totally different movie than the emotional second half.

The ending was particularly frustrating. It felt rushed and didn't give the characters the payoff they deserved. I honestly just felt confused and unsatisfied when the credits rolled. It's a shame because the actors were all great. But a good performance can't fix a messy script.

Is it worth watching? Honestly, I don't think so. While it has some funny moments and great performances, the inconsistent tone and rushed plot make it a frustrating watch.

I think this movie is great and well-balanced. The first halve is funny and entertaining while the second halve has more actions and tear breaking. At the beginning, the story is very entertaining with lots of funny parts and then gradually moved into a more heavy section in the middle of the movie. The turning point was written in a smooth way. It does not make you feel odd. All the action scenes are gorgeous and well-designed.

The scenes are really beautiful and the acting of the 3 main characters are awesome especially the main character played by Kim Soo Hyun. He needed to act as an idiot and also a very cool spy at the same time in this movie. It's not an easy task but this actor nails it. The audiences can see and feel that he had put tonnes of effort in preparing for this role, especially the way that he trained his body in such a perfect shape. The face and body of Mr. Kim Soo Hyun would remind you the image of Bruce Lee.

It's definitely worth to watch. I would recommend it to all my friends.