conan

Queen mantis is a creepy and gritty crime thriller that revolves around a copycat killer case while digging into the dark disturbing past of its characters. It is unsettling in the best way and manages to hold your attention tightly, even if the story itself isn't exactly new.

Jung I Sin's character is the standout for me. Her disturbing childhood explains a lot about her psychotic behavior. The highlight of the drama for me is episode 3, during the confession scene between the two leads. It was eerie, intense, and unforgettable.

On the detective side, Su Yeol's character and the his co detective team unfortunately don't have much chemistry. Their interaction feel a bit off which makes the investigations side of story less exciting compared the darker plot lines.

I was able to guess the killer early on but what caught me was the revelation about the old man who called himself a pastor. That twist for me gives an extra punch for the finale.

While the story isn't particularly unique, it's told in a way that's engaging and well paced. It delivers a disturbing psychological crime story with some good moments and acting. If you enjoy dark thrillers and don't mind a familiar set up, give it a watch.

Plot 7/10
Acting and Characters 8.5/10
Cinematography 8/10
Writing 7/10
Pacing 8/10
OST/Score 6.5/10

Overall 7.5/10