<독전 2> 'Believer 2' Movie Review

  Although Believer 1 had been a huge success, I didn't enjoy the movie much. Believer 1 didn't have much of a story to it, and all that was left in my mind afterwards were violently shocking scenes of murder which were overly realistic due to superb actors. Not to mention some vague cinematic bravado, apparently to induce a lingering feeling; which surprisingly actually worked, creating many fans for the movie. However since I considered those blank spaces as merely a puzzling bluff, it was a relief that its midquel Believer 2 cleared up those parts to finally complete the story properly.

  Most characters were the same as Believer 1, acted by the same actors. Meanwhile, Big Knife was a newly added character. The movie is about Detective Cho investigating Professor Lee, who is a notorious drug gang leader but with hidden identity. Cho keeps looking for Lee and during his search comes across Big Knife, who seems like the only one who knows Lee's true identity. Besides Cho, many people approach Big Knife, each with their own story.

  Since the previous film had been a disappointment to me, I had few expectations for the movie except for the fact that top actress Han Hyo-Joo had joined the series as Big Knife. So although I was going to watch it anyways, I was feeling a little anxious. 

  But Believer 2 greatly exceeded my expectations:) Since the series is about illegal drug dealing with violent scenes, without caution you can easily feel unpleasant from all the brutality. However, there was something about the movie that made the whole flow seem tranquil, as if some unknown special magic had taken over. In an interview, Han Hyo-Joo had emphasized the silent emptiness towards the end. Her words turned out to be true. The silence was indeed empty, yet oddly at the same time, strikingly beautiful. Especially towards the end, the movie felt "crafted" like some piece of artwork. In the finale, all the missing puzzle pieces that had been scattered here and there in Believer 1 were all gathered and then delicately fit together to form an exquisite conclusion. 

  To add, Han Hyo-Joo must have a thing for glasses! In her recent TV series Moving, there was an impressive scene where she takes off her glasses and finally reveals her true powers to protect her family. In Believer 2, there is also a scene where she takes off her glasses triggered by an important change of heart. This sort of connection gives quite an excitement to Moving fans:) Well, look forward to it~

  The fans of Believer 1 seem to disapprove this film, mainly because a main character's actor changed and there are partial differences in detail. Also, what the fans liked were those "blank spaces", so they felt angry that Believer 2 patched them up, leaving no room for imagination. It's understandable, but this movie itself is unmistakably well-made. True, the new director made some mistakes, but those might have been inevitable. Plus it was already so obvious that the blank spaces will be filled up, since Believer 2 is a midquel. Yeah folks, it's a MIDQUEL... So Believer 1 fans may be upset, but seen from an outsider's point of view, the situation is quite questionable.

Review: What truly lies underneath the peaceful snow field.







Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

<용감한 시민> 'Brave Citizen' Movie Review

Image
  These days, bright and energetic K-movies are said to attract the audiences' attention. Perhaps it's due to recent ugly events regarding crime in society. The audience require movies that can refresh their mood. Due to this current trend, some brilliant masterpieces haven't been getting as much attention as they deserve, while some bright but not-so-brilliant movies have been successful. So many times I felt disappointed and betrayed after watching those numerically "successful" movies.    But Brave Citizen , another bright and energetic movie, was totally awesome. There was this good feeling about it even before watching the movie and to my relief, my hunch was right. Not only did it give off a hopeful vibe, it properly functioned it's role as a movie; creating a thrilling world where our real-life problems can be solved at once. Brave Citizen  killed two birds with one stone; it was both comical and meaningful.   School bullying has been a hot issue these ...
Read more

<시민덕희> 'Citizen of a Kind' Movie Review

Image
  This type of Korean movie is typical, yet strangely rare these days. It depicts Korean's joy and sorrow in a humorous way. Ten years ago, these movies were often screened, gaining immense popularity with little failure. Citizen of a Kind made me reminisce the good old days by evoking familiarity.    Duk-Hee is a common citizen working her busy day to day life. When she is in desperate need of money, she is scammed by voice phishing. In despair she runs to the police, only to find that punishing voice phishing criminals is difficult. The police isn't helpful at all. Then one day she receives a call from the phishing caller himself. He claims that he will help her retrieve money by providing inside information, asking in return for her help.   Everyone will be able to enjoy the movie, meanwhile also feeling sympathy for the characters. There is humor here and there, lightening the overall mood. Based on a true story, the movie raises awareness of voice phishing. Rev...
Read more

<트렁크> 'The Trunk' Drama Review

Image
  A mystery romance series on Netflix, the show is based on a book of the same title. The chemistry of actors Gong Yoo and Seo Hyun-Jin gathered great attention for a long time. My expectations for the show were also high. And it exceeded my expectations wonderfully.   In-Ji works at a marriage company where they provide rich clients with temporary marriage. She has been married for four times, and this marriage with Jung-Won will be her fifth one. In-Ji has always believed that this unique job suits her, but now she isn't sure as she grows feelings for Jung-Won. Jung-Won seems like a mysterious man, and In-Ji is eager to do anything for his happiness, just as any wife should. Since that's what she is paid for. But what happens when Jung-Won uncovers her own secrets? What if he falls for her, too? It's against the rules. But this time, the rules don't matter.   Combining mystery with romance is common, yet difficult to achieve successfully. And yet, the show perfectly...
Read more