This is is hot Garbage
The only thing that has been adapted are the names of the characters. What do you mean that the mc who experienced so much bullying to the point that he wanted to unalive himself leading him to discover the novel became the bully? MAKE IT MAKE SENSE!!! They can't even make a good cgi, I wouldn't be surprised if there's a sudden product endorsement because this shit looks like out of a low budget commercial. SERIOUSLY! THE ONE WHO THOUGHT OUT ALL OF THE CHANGES SHOULD REALLY RECONSIDER THEIR CHOICE OF CAREER, FCKING EMBARRASSING.Was this review helpful to you?
Underwhelming thriller mostly saved by Siwan's acting
Very interesting thriller with an interesting, albeit common prose. In our times, when access to someone else's information can be achieved easily, it's terrifying to imagine what would happen if one monitored my whole life through my phone.The first half was very interesting, I was very curious to learn about the stalker's identity and purpose and it was so scary to watch him monitoring Na-mi's steps. But after the first half, the movie became kinda boring to me. Although I still wanted to see how he would be caught and how Na-mi would solve her problem, the plot became predictable and lost its spark. Some of the characters' actions were so silly, it was clear that their purpose was to pace the way for the story's development but couldn't it been done more conveniently? The third act wasn't that dramatic and the ending was kinda anticlimactic.
There were many themes that could have been explored more but the movie didn't delve into them. I expected more commentary regarding the loss of human connections and the way people rely on their phones. It was brought up sometimes in a subtle way but it wasn't enough to highlight this message, which the movie intended to. Yes, it's clear how dangerous online activity can be but I wanted something more. Instead of telling and not showing, it was little telling and little showing.
Si-Wan's performance was the best, he was absolutely captivating as Oh Jun-yeong. His body language, the tone of his voice, his gaze, his demeanor. He knew how to embody his character and he made me feel sick yet unable to take my eyes off my screen when he appeared. It was a pity that the movie didn't do more with his character. I know that some villains do bad actions for the sake of it and that I shouldn't expect every villain to have a sob story but I still wanted to see more of him. He felt one-dimensional which is a pity because there were many layers to explore.
The rest of the characters were decent but not spectacular. Na-mi was good, I really liked Chun Woo-Hee's performance, but oh God, some of her decisions just pissed me off so bad. For example, how could she seriously trust a guy she met a few times over her best friend whom she has known for years!?
All in all, Unlocked was a gripping yet lackluster thriller. It hold my attention for the most part but it's not the best out there. I do not regret watching it and if you're new to korean cinema, it could be a decent option.
Was this review helpful to you?
Eww
1 star is way too generous. Everything is so wrong about this live action. Not respecting the story by changing IMPORTANT parts of it, changing character's story, personality, and backstory, even making misogynistic decisions and not respecting their own south korean history for the sake of "Realistic". Wtf do you mean realistic? realistic in a fantasy story? Youre joking.Ass looking CGI, even Hamood habibi looks better. Changing the dokkaebis looks until it looks like a labubu without makeup. Not giving a fuck about making the actors dress like the real character at all. Actually, to the hell with clothes. They cant even tell the difference between a sword and a gun, how blind. And not even giving a fuck to actually reading and understanding the story. This is not a live action. Theyre just borrowing the character's names for a new trash story because the random name generators couldnt work. "The film is good" Either youre a people pleaser or youre paid to say that. Dont lie.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
As a Fan Of Orv for 5 years, I'm HONESTLY DISAPPOINTED
The LA Changed many things from the Novel. A lot of things doesn't even Match the OG Story. Totally Ruined the PlotThere are a lot of people out there saying that all the negative ratings are Bot accounts & that we are Saying negative comments for no reason. But did you even read the novel???
Do you even know why we are so Angry about the LA ???
If they only cut some scenes from ORV novel I wouldn't really have much of a problem since no Movie can Adapt completely same things that are on the novel. I get it. But no . Did they even try to make it similar???
A BIG NO !!!
Like I don't even know why I even watched this in the first place
Right at the first scene of the movie , Kim Dokja said that He hated the TWSA Novel's ending WHERE only Yoo Joonghyuk was Alive & got told that he should rewrite it then & got a writer skill . Meanwhile in the Novel He NEVER not even ONCE said that he hated TWSA. Like he wouldn't care as long as Only his fav Character, Which is Yoo Joonghyuk is ALIVE. He NEVER EVER GOT A WRITER THE . TO HIM TWSA IS LIKE A HOLY BOOK & YOO JOONGHYUK IS A GOD HIMSELF. So him saying that TSWA is bad is literally like ruining Kim Dokja's Character.
They almost didn't give Yoo Joonghyuk enough screentime at all. They even said that To Kim Dokja Heewon is the main Protagonist & the one Kim Dokja has been Rooting for all the time. But in Novel, Kim Dokja DIDN'T even Remember her cuz she got killed in the early chapters.
In the LA, the reason Destruction Method failed was because it “didn’t make sense and lacked plausibility,” but in ORV it failed because the author was overly obsessed with excessive explanations.
On the train, only 5 people were supposed to survive—so why did 17 survive?
Why wasn’t it an even-numbered bridge
why did Yoo Sang-ah reveal her skill so early?
In the movie, Yoo Joonghyuk asked Kim Dokja on Dongho Bridge, “Why do you think this world became like this?” But in the original, he asked:
“If you’re really a prophet, should I let go of this hand?”
And Kim Dokja’s original reply was:
“Just let go of this hand and get lost. You son of a b//tch.”
But in the movie, it was just: “Yoo Joonghyuk, you b//stard.”
In the LA , Kim Dokja's mother didn't go to jail & Kim Dokja took care of her....... Bro What ??? The whole reason why Kim Dokja started reading the Novel is because Her Mother Killed his father & went to Jail & now that everyone says that he's the son of A Murderer & Bullies him , he got so much depressed that he tried to attempt Suicide . After he failed to suicide did he found TSWA NOVEL & since then HE ONLY WAS ALIVE & DIDN'T THINK OF SUICIDING CUZ HE HAD TO READ THE NOVEL.
YESS THATS HOW IMPORTANT THE NOVEL IS OT HIM!!!
Prison of the Afterlife was clearly supposed to show Kim Dokja’s trauma with his mother, but in the movie it became a scene where Kim Dokja killed his friend. I was so dumbfounded I could only laugh.
Yoo Sangah got a Healer Skill in the LA . Meanwhile in Novel , she alone killed numerous People. She ?? Healing Other people??? That never happened!!!! Yoo Sangah played a great role in Kim Dokja's life as his colleague & Friend ( Not a ship. They are friends. Like brothers & sisters). It's like they literally Turned her whole personality into 360 degree .
In movie they showed that Kim Dokja killed a kid........ BRO THAT NEVER HAPPENED IN THE NOVEL!!!!! BRO DIDN'T KILL ANYONE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL BRO . He instead was the one being Bullied .
He NEVER EVEN TRIED TO HELP KIM NAM WOON . HE LITERALLY TRIED TO KILL HIM & KILLED HIM IN THE FIRST SCENARIO CUZ HE HATED HIM!!!
Kim Dokja NEVER EVER WANTED TO save THE WORLD LIKE THEY SAID IN THE LA . He literally said :
" I'LL SEE LATER IF THIS WORLD IS WORTH SAVING OR NOT "
" IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO MY INCARNATION, I'LL DESTROY THE WHOLE WORLD"
In Chapter 482, during a dramatic press‐conference scene with the Incarnations demanding rescue, Kim Dokja declares bluntly:
“I have no thoughts of saving you. I don’t intend to save you guys at all.”
Gosh whose saving who ??! Bro literally Struggled to survive in almost Half of the Novel .
Lee Jihye is supposed to use a sword—so why does she use a g/un?
At Chungmuro Station, why does Lee Hyunsung evolve his attribute?
And why does the movie add a dragon that doesn’t even appear in Chungmuro Station?
Also, why does Yoo Joonghyuk d/ie there and start his regression? That made no sense at all.
AFTER ALL THESE REASONS I SHOWED, can you even tell me any reason not to hate the LA ???
They didn't just cut scenes . Bro they LITERALLY RUINED EVERY CHARACTERS IMAGE.
The ONLY THING THEY KEPT THE SAME IS THE NAME. OTHER THAN THAT NONE OF THE PLOT OR CHARACTER'S PERSONALITY OR CHARACTERISTICS DOESN'T MATCH AT ALL !!!
Was this review helpful to you?
History wasn’t blurred
Prepare a tons of tissue and a plastic bag if you're going to watch this 😭The story tells about an album photo being hidden here and there from the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) The photo albums contains direct evidence of the cruelty of what IJA did to people of Nanjing. It does reminds me the diary of Anne Frank.
The film is very very very disturbing, so much blood and brutality, so different than other historical film I've ever watch.
The director, Shen Ao said he made the film to honor the past, the survivors and the victims, so he doesn't really shy away from making it so graphic.
Theres so much silence during the film that just made you feel like you're there in Nanjing during the massacre and it just painful.
What i love from Shen Ao is that he doesn't use much CGI in his movies
Everything was shot beautifully
But i wouldn't recommend to watch more than once, due traumatizing the film is. Also if you have weak stomach and can't handle seeing blood, just skip this film
Was this review helpful to you?
Please know that the movie is NOTHING like the actual material
Know that I am not attacking anyone, I am just saying that as an adaptation it is bad. An adaptation should be as true to the original as it can be (reason for why it is an adaptation). That is not what this is. It has gutted what Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint is and has stuffed its insides with straw.ORV is supposed to be about being a love letter to readers and to the novel medium. The movie has taken out many details that lessen the dimension of characters or outright rewrites their character. Yoo Sangah is a woman who flips what it means to be a good female character. She can be both a kind person and someone who will not hesitate to put her foot down. She is on the subway because her manager is creepy and wants to drive her home, so he steals her bike that she takes to get to work to try and make that happen. She is constantly harassed for being a beautiful woman and constantly under minded for being a woman. Jung Heewon was never mentioned in Dokja's novel and he was surprised to find out that an extra turned out to be as powerful as she is. The reason why she is traumatized when Dokja finds her is because she was nearly raped by another group of survivors. Kim Dokja would not bully someone to try and avoid being bullied himself. He is always at the bottom of the school social rank because his mother published a book on how she killed her abusive husband, Kim Dokja is known in the school as a "murderer's son". Dokja's mother is not sick or a single mom, she was married to an abusive man and killed him in retaliation and was taken to prison because of it. Dokja clings onto the novel because he literally had no one on his side, he would kill himself if it wasn't for that novel. That is also why he would NEVER badmouth the author of the novel. Just please understand that the hate for the movie, THE MOVIE AND DIRECTOR (not actors, they were just doing their jobs), is warranted from ORV fans because this movie is barely close to replicating the original novel.
Was this review helpful to you?
WORST OF THE WORST
What kind of film adaptation changes the story so drastically from the original? How is that even reasonable? it called an adaption for a reason.The plot of this movie is a complete mess, it’s nothing like the original. How could they turn someone as precious as Kim Dokja into that? Every character in the original ORV is deeply valuable, and this film completely ruined everything about ORV.
Was this review helpful to you?
DO NOT WATCH IT!
The adaptation uses the fame of ORV. This isn't ORV live-action at all! The way they make changes, the disappearance of an important character, and the plot changes are awful. At this point, the director just wants to make an adaptation like he wants and completely forget the true story. This is disrespectful to the fans and the author themselves. Korea had better think seriously about taking a live-action novel. Shame on you!Was this review helpful to you?
Heartbreaking Letdown for Fans (READERS ONLY)
As someone who absolutely loved the original web novel, this movie was nothing short of a massive disappointment. Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint had so much potential—complex characters, rich world-building, and intense emotional stakes—but the film completely butchered it.The pacing was rushed, major plot points were either skipped or glossed over, and the character development was almost non-existent. Kim Dokja, who is supposed to be a deeply layered protagonist, felt flat and emotionless. Even Yoo Joonghyuk, a fan favorite, was reduced to a generic tough guy with barely any depth.
The CGI felt unfinished at times, and the action scenes, while flashy, lacked emotional weight. Worst of all, the storytelling felt shallow, like it was made for people unfamiliar with the source material. For fans, it felt like a betrayal. For newcomers, it probably just felt confusing.
Honestly, if you’re a fan of the novel or webtoon, save yourself the heartbreak. This adaptation missed the mark completely.
Was this review helpful to you?
if you guys interested in orv, read the novel instead.
at this point this movie is not an adaptation of orv, it's more like a random movie using orv character's name. bcs wdym they change the plot?? and they make kim dokja hate twsa???? and they also make yoo sangah a healer?? AND suddenly yoo junghyeok is not a protagonist anymore?? yeah ts is NOT an adaptation. the director wanted to make a lot of money by using orv but not respecting the original work. oh yeah and the cast sucks too.Was this review helpful to you?
A Disappointing Misread of a Masterpiece
As a fan of the original Omniscient Reader, this live-action adaptation was a huge letdown. The casting feels off, especially for Kim Dokja and Yoo Joonghyuk, whose dynamic was completely flattened. The pacing is a mess—rushing key arcs while dragging out irrelevant scenes. The worldbuilding is lazy, the CGI is weak, and the script lacks the depth and philosophical weight of the source material.It’s flashy but soulless. Fans will be frustrated, and newcomers will be confused. Read the webtoon or novel instead.
Rating: 1.5/10
Was this review helpful to you?
weird at first, but it gets better
At first, when I started watching it, I thought that it wasn't worth my time and I should just drop it. But almost a quarter of the way through it, I thought it was getting better. The plot felt kind of rushed at the beginning but then near the end, you realise why. I'm not going to say any spoilers but I really like the second half of the movie, it makes it a lot better. If you struggle to find anywhere to watch it, because I know I did, I watched on Daily Motion, Link: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x98dbleWas this review helpful to you?
I wish I didn't know about this adaptation.
Did the film crew actually read the original work?Except for the same character name, I don't feel like this adaptation is similar in any other way.Tell me the truth, is the director trying to assassinate orv's fans?They treat us, the original readers, as three-year-olds and think we'd support an adaptation like that.I don't know if my standards for cinematic techniques are too high or if the aesthetic taste of filmmakers nowadays is too low, how could they create such a disaster.
The fight scenes are really bland, after watching it the only thing that remains is celebrities trying to force themselves into someone else, not getting into character.
I am really sad that my favorite work is being dragged out to be made into a cheap, empty industrial "dish".
I really advise if you are a fan of the original, you should not watch it if you want to keep good memories or add new frustration.
Was this review helpful to you?
A Disgrace to the Original
My first and last review on this website because I'm honestly so upset that one of my favorite novels has been turned into a trashy adaptation that isn't even the same story! You can tell this was made just so the director can get a quick cash grab from fans of the original and fans of the actors (if you're a Blink fan and want to watch this for Jisoo don't bother; the director literally just used her to get money from yall and threw subtle shade towards her, she barely has any screentime too!) There's so much I want to say, but I don't want to repeat what others have said, so just read the rest of the reviews on this because a lot explain in detail how much they butchered the original!READ THE NOVEL, DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME ON THIS TRASH!!!!!!
Was this review helpful to you?
A really overall Good movie with passionate acting
It's been already two years ago I watched a movie in Theaters This movie is the first movie I watched after hiatus watching a movie in theaters. Very pleasing experience. I really didn't expected I would be understand it more than When I read the novel which very boring and totally confusing for me. The storeytelling is being presentQuite well by the director. They present it well about the world building which conveyed by the male lead who drive the story . Despite stereotype storyline, I enjoy it alot. Really passionate performances by the actor especially Ahn Hyo Seop. His character drive the story. Without his acting performances and his versatility, this movie won't be as enjoyable and work for me. I really appreciate his performances here which is one of his best. Yet. Imo
I'm glad I don't listen to the haters. This is peak cinema based how much I enjoy the acting. The plot want to showing it too much at times just for 2 hours. The character other than dokja is just not being well present because this is too focus on the mc. For an ensemble cast this huge, it's pretty surprising. But nevertheless, i enjot it alot.
Was this review helpful to you?
