Tag Archives: Thriller

Phantom (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): Catch the Spy

Posted on January 19, 2023 by kaist455

South Korean film “Phantom” surprised me more than expected. At first, the movie presents itself as a taut mystery mainly unfolded within a limited background, but then it suddenly shifts itself onto a very different genre mode later in the … Continue reading →

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The Point Men (2023) ☆☆(2/4): A hollow hostage thriller flick

Posted on January 19, 2023 by kaist455

It was hard for me to care that much about what was going on in South Korean film “The Point Men”, which is incidentally inspired by the true events of the 2007 South Korean hostage crisis in Afghanistan. Sure, I … Continue reading →

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The Menu (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): They surely won’t forget this dinner, you know

Posted on December 9, 2022 by kaist455

You may have some ideas on what “The Menu” is going to serve, and it will occasionally surprise you as serving as much as you can expect. After all, this is a pungent satire on class and culinary business, and … Continue reading →

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The Night Owl (2021) ☆☆☆(3/4): He saw what he was not supposed to see…

Posted on November 28, 2022 by kaist455

South Korean film “The Night Owl” is a well-made period drama thriller which mixes fact and fiction a bit better than I expected. While its story and characters are inherently limited by the story from the beginning, the movie still … Continue reading →

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Remember (2022) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Isn’t he too old for this?

Posted on October 27, 2022 by kaist455

When I watched South Korean action thriller film “Remember” at last night, my mind was often more occupied with wondering how old its hero actually is, instead of being engaged in the film itself. As far as I could see … Continue reading →

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Orphan: First Kill (2022) ☆☆1/2 (2.5/4): A little killer coming into US

Posted on October 8, 2022 by kaist455

“Orphan: First Kill”, a belated prequel to “Orphan” (2009), attempts to present the backstory of that little creepy but compelling villain of the 2009 film. Although it unfortunately stumbles more than once during its second half after steadily building up … Continue reading →

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I Came By (2022) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Competent but ultimately flawed

Posted on September 5, 2022 by kaist455

I must confess that I found it rather challenging for me to talk about Netflix film “I Came By”, which was released a few days ago. Because many of crucial moments in the film depend on unexpected narrative turns, I … Continue reading →

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Bullet Train (2022) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Killers on a Train

Posted on August 28, 2022 by kaist455

“Bullet Train” gives us a brutal and relentless mix of comedy, action, and thriller which worked to some degree for me. While it is often entertaining to watch the game efforts from the cast and crew members of the movie, … Continue reading →

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Carter (2022) ☆☆(2/4): An intensely hollow action flick

Posted on August 14, 2022 by kaist455

South Korean Netflix film “Carter”, which was released early in this month, is an intensely hollow action flick which did not impress me much for many bad reasons. Its frantic and relentless presentation of stylish action sequences may grab your … Continue reading →

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Hunt (2022) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A tense but convoluted spy hunt movie  

Posted on August 11, 2022 by kaist455

South Korean film “Hunt” tries really hard, but I observed it from the distance even while admiring a number of good moments in the movie. It wants to be not only a serious spy drama movie but also an intense … Continue reading →

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