Not for Children or Squeamish Adults!
"Moving" can't decide if it's an uplifting, coming of age story about high school kids with extraordinary powers or a graphically violent Quentin Tarantino type flick for those adults with strong stomachs. This is not--and I repeat not--a series for kids even though the description and poster would lead you to believe that. Trust the TV-MA rating. The violence is extreme and completely unnecessary. Had 90% of the violence been eliminated, the series wouldn't have suffered one iota and the viewing audience could have easily doubled. If not for the fast forward button on my remote, I would not have made it through this series and that's a shame because the acting was superb and the story was very engaging. (I also loved the catchy OST.) I purposively stopped watching U.S. films/TV and gravitated toward Hallyu to avoid the gratuitous violence and sex--and I'm no prude. It appears that when U.S. stream services, i.e., Disney/Hulu, Netflix, etc., are involved the S. Korean film makers cave to our morally corrupt culture rather than importing everything that has been good about Hallyu. Come on S. Korea! You attracted an international audience for a reason. Please don't lose us!Was this review helpful to you?
Weak Conclusion
Great acting. Thrilling action scenes. The ending ruined the entire movie. If you want to really estrange an audience, write a (non)ending that begs a sequel, deny that it was ever your intent to produce a sequel, and then refuse to deliver one. How stupid do they think we are? Wish I had read the reviews about the ending before getting into the movie. I was furious!
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Daily Life Before Armageddon
If you're looking for an exciting "action/disaster" drama, this isn't it. It's not about a cast of characters attempting to save Earth from an imminent asteroid strike that is certain to occur within 200 days nor is it about surviving the aftermath of that strike. The asteroid cannot be diverted from its path and Armageddon is certain. Rather, this drama is about how a group of people live their lives knowing that their time is limited. The first three episodes have many flashbacks and flashforwards from "real time," that are confusing. But if you can get past that, the series can be lovely, violent, disheartening, hopeful, sad, funny, and filled with joy. Just don't expect any superheroes to soar in and save the day! This story of how ordinary people face extraordinary challenges is most satisfying and the acting is marvelous.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Most reviews pan the final episode. They're correct. Lower your expectations and enjoy!
Since I read the reviews panning the final episode ahead of time, I wasn't as disappointed in the ending as I otherwise would've been. Yes, this was a predictable K-drama with all the predictable tropes, and the writer threw an unnecessary monkey wrench into the final episode that was annoying but ... it's still worth watching.Was this review helpful to you?
Lighthearted Spoof
This movie is a funny spoof on fashion and those who take it seriously. It's the type of film that is entertaining, lighthearted, but won't win any awards. Just what I needed for a pick-me-up on a dreary day. Since I watched it more than 10 years after it's 2014 release, it was sad though knowing that Sulli, one of the female leads, would commit suicide only 5 years later.Was this review helpful to you?
Disappointing but worth watching
I have very mixed feelings about this series. Human experiments designed to manipulate voters into supporting legislation that forces the abortion of babies who test positive in utero for a "psychopath gene" doesn't bode well as enjoyable subject matter, but the moral issues were skirted over, anyway. The acting was solid and the story fairly suspenseful but it bogged down mid-way through with unnecessary complications and confusions. There were so many "coincidental" associations between characters that I was groaning in anticipation about what absurd twist was coming up next. It became impossible to make the huge leaps of faith that the screenwriter demanded. When that happens in a drama/film, I become irritated and wonder if the writer thinks the viewers are really that stupid. The series would have been far better had the plot and subplots been more believable. And it could have been made far more believable by simplifying the story and cutting out what were intended to be clever twists and associations but ended up being absurdities and distractions. With this in mind, it's worth watching.Was this review helpful to you?
A nailbiter from beginning to end.
Fasten your seat beats and return all trays to their upright position. You're in for a wild ride. A bioterrorist releases a deadly virus on a flight from Seoul to Honolulu with 150 passengers/crew aboard, including the wife of the detective leading the ground investigation and a psychologically scarred, former ace pilot traveling with his daughter. Will any of the countries on the doomed plane's flight path allow them to land considering that the virus heretofore had no cure? This film is a nailbiter from beginning to end and raises moral & ethical questions that have been argued in classrooms throughout modern history. A must see.Was this review helpful to you?
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Characters with Depth
I loved watching this series from beginning to end. The main characters were written with more depth than in many K rom-coms. They were quirky, vulnerable, and "human." Choi Woo-shik was terrific. The relationships between the supporting characters was entertaining, as well. It's well worth the watch.Was this review helpful to you?
Hilarious and Heartwarming
I'm surprised this hasn't earned a higher rating on MDL. It was a successful combination of side-splitting funny, incredibly sad, and heartwarmingly romantic. The acting was superb--all actors, leads and supporting, had incredible charisma with one another--overemoting when appropriate and understated when necessary. Glad I discovered it!Was this review helpful to you?
Don't Bother
Not even Park Shin-hye as Kang Bit-na, the "Judge from Hell," could save this series. Her character was totally unredeemable , which left viewers with an inability to connect and no reason to root for her. There was a lack of chemistry between Park Shin-hye and Kim Jae-young as Han Da-on, a police officer who is aware that Bit-na is a demon. But I found Bit-na so unlikeable that a lack of chemistry more than likely wasn't due to poor acting. YES, Bit-na was from hell, after all, but the screenwriter failed to develop a relatable, antihero protagonist. Bit-na was one of many villains in the story and she never adequately rose above a despicable, demonic level of moralilty. The graphic violence was unnecessary and much of that violence was perpetrated by Bit-na. What's to love? Thank goodness for fast forwarding. The ending was unsatisfactory, leaving an open for "part 2," which I will definitely skip. What a waste of good lead actors! Kim In Kwon and Kim Young Ok were, as always, reliably great in their supporting roles. More screentime for the incomparable, Shin Sung Rok, as Bael, may have helped the production, as well.Was this review helpful to you?
