The Merciless

Would definitely recommend

There are some spoilers ahead !!

The cast is definitely a 10/10. Sol Kyung-gu and Im Siwan really had good chemistry and really sold it from antagonist to bromance. The plot can be confusing as they jump from timelines to timelines so it was a bit hard to keep up however as the story goes on it will slowly merge into a storyline that makes sense. The only character I had a problem with was the chief, like I felt like besides wanting the drugs and arresting the gangster she had no depth to her character in my opinion! Im Siwan's character did not deserved to go through what he did!

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Fast pased, gripping story with A-Ha moments and surprising twists.

The story has no linear telling, so there are some twists, because the actual fact get´s only later revealed. That´s common practice in this kind of movies, and nothing new. The movie is also no original story, it´s been done many times. But it´s fast pased, gripping, griddy and bloody. If you´re a fan of cop and gangster stories, you definitly going to enjoy this movie! The action is well executed and not unrealistic at all.
Story: Not original, but there are twists I very liked, the first time I watched it. 8/10
Acting/Cast: Very good actors. I discovered Yim Si Wan through this movie. 10/10
Music: fitting 9/10
Rewatch Value: watched it three times till now 10/10
Overall: 9,5/10

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English and Portuguese Review

𝐀 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭 (No spoilers for the ending)
From the very beginning, The Merciless already grabs your attention with its concept. An undercover cop who gets too involved with the criminal he’s supposed to watch and ends up stuck between two sides. That alone creates a really strong sense of tension.

The movie takes a bit of time to fully get going. The plans take a while to unfold, and at times it feels like the story is moving slower than it should. We follow the protagonist deliberately getting himself arrested to get close to a certain character, and that relationship starts to go beyond just work. He forms a real bond there, and that begins to completely mess with his choices.

The timeline can be a little confusing, so it’s worth paying attention so you don’t miss important details. But once things start connecting, the impact hits much harder. The plot twists are great and genuinely surprising, constantly making you change how you see the characters. You can really feel the protagonist’s inner conflict, and it’s impossible not to empathize with him.

The atmosphere is heavy and tense from start to finish. The ending makes sense within the film’s proposal and does what it needs to do, but the way it wraps up left me feeling like it could have been better. It doesn’t ruin the experience, but that feeling is still there.

Overall, it’s a dense film, full of tension, betrayal, and difficult choices. It’s not fast or easy, but if you’re into this kind of story, it’s definitely worth watching.

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𝐔𝐦 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞 (Sem spoilers do final)
Desde o começo, The Merciless já chama atenção pela ideia. Um policial infiltrado que acaba se envolvendo demais com o criminoso que deveria observar e fica preso entre dois lados. Só isso já cria uma tensão muito boa.

O filme demora um pouco para engrenar. Os planos levam tempo para acontecer e, em alguns momentos, dá a sensação de que a história está andando mais devagar do que deveria. Acompanhamos o protagonista sendo preso de propósito pra se aproximar de um certo personagem, e essa relação começa a ir além do trabalho. Ele cria um vínculo real ali, e isso começa a bagunçar completamente as escolhas dele.

A linha do tempo é um pouco confusa, então é bom prestar atenção pra não perder detalhes importantes. Mas quando as coisas começam a se conectar, o impacto é bem maior. Os plot twists são ótimos e realmente pegam de surpresa, fazendo você mudar de opinião sobre os personagens o tempo todo. Dá pra sentir o conflito interno do protagonista, e é impossível não criar empatia por ele.

O clima do filme é pesado e tenso do começo ao fim. O final faz sentido dentro da proposta e entrega o que precisava entregar, mas a forma como termina acabou me deixando com um gostinho de que poderia ter sido melhor. Não chega a estragar, mas deixa essa sensação.

No geral, é um filme denso, cheio de tensão, traições e escolhas difíceis. Não é rápido nem fácil, mas se você curte esse tipo de história, vale muito a pena.

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excellent

Une infiltration de la police dans un gang, c'est du classique, mais quand c'est joué magnifiquement c'est superbe !
Les deux acteurs principaux délivrent une vraie performance ! Cette amitié improbable entre ce jeune flic infiltré et ce "vieux" chef de gang est construite petit à petit, couche par couche, avec quelques surprises.
Un peu comme dans "the worst of evil" avec Ji Chang Wook, l'action est toujours là, violente, avec en toile de fond des liens profonds qui se nouent entre nos deux leads. Du respect puis de la confiance et enfin de l'amitié.
Bravo à Yim Si Wan et Sul Kyung Gu pour ce film magnifique où on ne s'ennuie jamais

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