Prison arc is awesome, but followed by typical American style
From the very start, I was impressed, hooked, and so happy that this movie seemed to be living up to my high expectations—but I couldn't have been more wrong.
Ji Chang Wook never disappoints. His acting was phenomenal, and to be honest, his performance is what carries the entire film. The first half—specifically the prison arc—was flawless. You feel so much empathy for Kwon Tae-jung as you watch all these horrific things happen to him. It was gritty, emotional, and perfectly paced.
However, after the "race" sequence, the story went downhill fast. It shifted from a grounded thriller to a typical, over-the-top American-style action movie. The "plot armor" became too much to ignore; Tae-jung would be lethally injured in one scene, only to appear perfectly healed in the next. It felt incredibly unrealistic and took me out of the story.
To make matters worse, the villain just did not fit. Their acting felt "off" and lacked the depth needed to match Ji Chang Wook’s intensity, which really ruined the experience for me. While the cinematography and the fight scenes were great, the side characters didn't add much value, and the script ultimately let the actors down. I really wish they had stayed with the darker, more serious tone of the prison chapters. It had so much potential, but it was ruined by a messy second half.
Ji Chang Wook never disappoints. His acting was phenomenal, and to be honest, his performance is what carries the entire film. The first half—specifically the prison arc—was flawless. You feel so much empathy for Kwon Tae-jung as you watch all these horrific things happen to him. It was gritty, emotional, and perfectly paced.
However, after the "race" sequence, the story went downhill fast. It shifted from a grounded thriller to a typical, over-the-top American-style action movie. The "plot armor" became too much to ignore; Tae-jung would be lethally injured in one scene, only to appear perfectly healed in the next. It felt incredibly unrealistic and took me out of the story.
To make matters worse, the villain just did not fit. Their acting felt "off" and lacked the depth needed to match Ji Chang Wook’s intensity, which really ruined the experience for me. While the cinematography and the fight scenes were great, the side characters didn't add much value, and the script ultimately let the actors down. I really wish they had stayed with the darker, more serious tone of the prison chapters. It had so much potential, but it was ruined by a messy second half.
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