Reviews

One of the funniest movies I've watched

I love comedies. Comedies is the genre I grew up with. In my country (Greece) we have many popular comedy series so I grew up watching them. As I grew older, I watched more movies and series and I can confidently say that Extreme Job is one of the funniest comedies I've watched so far.

The plot is not groundbreaking but it was so entertaining. A bunch of incompetent detectives who want to catch a criminal and prove their worth? Sign me in! I always find myself enjoying these type of stories of people who are desperate to prove their worth so I was obviously rooting for the team, no matter how many mistakes they would make. I went into this film pretty blindly so imagine my surprise when I saw that they bought a chicken restaurant in order to keep track on the criminal, Lee Moo bae.

The first half was mostly focused on the squad's attempts to open the restaurant and keep their cover as chicken restaurant owners. There were so many funny scenes and I admit that watching them cook these chickens made me salivate and crave some. They did a great job at making them look so delicious. The second half focused more on the criminals and how the squad tried to arrest them and it was equally exciting and funny to watch. Although the pacing became a little bit slower in the middle, the movie never lost my attention and I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

As someone who is immersed in the world of kdramas, I must say that sometimes, korean jokes do not land, at least to me. I might chuckle a little but usually, I do not find myself enjoying them that much. However, that wasn't the case with Extreme Job. I laughed so hard while watching this movie to the point my abs got hurt. If you do not feel like doing cardio, this is a great exercise. Of course there were some bits that weren't as funny as other but overal the humor was pretty clever and the jokes were well-thought. The actors did a great job elevating the comedic parts. This is a big pet peeve of mine when it comes to comedies: many actors came across as awkward because their actions and the way they act does not seem natural and convincing. In Extreme Job, every actor did a great job with their roles. Each one of the squad members had their distinquish traits and running gags and the actors owned them. On top of that, their chemistry was excellent and the timing of the humor was to-the-point.

I was familiar with Ryu Seung-Ryong from Low Life, Lee Honey from Aema, Jin Sun-Kyu from Through The Darkness and Aema and Shin Ha-Kyun from Beyond Evil and Evilive. I admit that the actors I looked forward to see the most were Shin Ha-Kyun, whom I loved in Beyond Evil and Sun-Kyu who delivered some excellent performancies in Through the Darkness and Aema, in which he portrayed two very different characters. But all actors did an excellent job as I already mentioned. Seung-Ryong matched perfectly with the tired yet fierce of Chief Go, Lee Honey was captivating yet hilarious as Detective Jang, Lee Dong-Hwi as Detective Young-Ho made me pity him so much for being the voice of reason and Gong-Myung was charming and yet so funny playing the rookie detective Jae-Hoon.

And as for Ha-Kyun, oh my God, I have no words. Aside from the fact I was always at risk of having a cardiac arrest because of his styling and aura, he was amazing as the villain. it's my first time watching him in this type of role and if any casting directors are reading this review by any chance, I beg you, cast him in more roles where he's unapologetically evil! He was charming yet dangerous, funny yet mischievous. He carried the character with confidence and charm and despite his limited screen time, he stole the show.

I really enjoyed the characterisation in this movie. I connected with the team very quickly and at times, I wished I could be part of their little family - for this is what they were. I appreciate that the writers showed their bond through various scenes, although they would bicker and disagree with each other about the methods they should use in order to catch Moo Bae, they clearly cared about each other and did their best to work as a whole. I especially adored how exasperated Chief Go was while he was trying to guide the members, he gave off the vibes of a tired dad (I mean, he was already a dad of a teenage girl but he had to watch over four overgrown children). The chemistry between Detective Jang and Detective Ma was also really funny, their love-hate dynamic did not feel forced at all and despite them fighting or arguing, they clearly matched each other freak, as was shown in some occasions.

Aside from the good humor, the movie also had great action scenes. The fight choreographies were thrilling to watch (Twelve, take some notes how to direct proper fight scenes), they weren't many of them at the first half but the final climax was more than a satisfying pay-off. I keep rewatching them, I can't get tired of them. I also appreciate that they made made the fighting sequences believable by having the main characters getting injured instead of being these almighty superheroes who cannot receive a single scratch.

The soundrack matched perfectly with the comedic yet intense tone of the film. It had many humorous tones yet it added more tension when the film required it. A nice detail i noticed was the parts that resembled chicken noises, kudos to the people involved!

My only complaint (which still doesn't undermine my experience) is that I would have liked it if the writers had explored more the feelings of the team regarding their treatment from their supperiors. Once they got the taste of money and success after the restaurant flourished, they seemed to finally feel content with being good at something and receiving appreciation for that. We especially saw that with the Chief who was finally able to provide for his family. I think the writers could have utilised this aspect some more, it would be a good opportunity to add more depth in the characters and the story. There was an attempt to create a more serious tone but we quickly went back to the comedy.

Nevertheless, I had such a great time watching Extreme Job, it's one of the films I'll go back to when I'm in need of a good laugh. I strongly recommend it to those who seek something light-hearted to watch and if you love comedies, you might love this one too!

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Nearly untangled

The film follows the hollywood concept of casting someway way older to play up the 1 year age difference between teenage characters, but the male lead's acting and styling is good enough to not be distracting, especially as the rest of the teens are played by early to mid 20 something year olds. It's nice to see a high school narrative with no bullying involved and the teen characters are all charming, especially with their friendships, including between the two leads. The way the two realize and express their romance is lovely.

The male lead and his mom suddenly has to deal with a whole domestic violence plot line that is suddenly resolved at the end with nary a verbal exposition to explain how he's free to return to Busan to be with the female lead. It feels like missing a whole episode of a kdrama. I feel like had the movie had even half an hour more instead of being cut off at 2 hours, they could have completed the storyline, it's so weird it's like a whole chunk got deleted. Either the movie needed to be longer or it should have been a mini series or even full drama series instead. It would have been nice to see a bit more of the second male love interest as well as he actually seemed like he had more dimensions to him, not being shallow, top hundred in scholastics, actually appreciating the female lead's actions, but that's not as consequential as the male lead's plot being entirely missing.

The film is still a cute watch, it just feels incomplete.

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What does a creature made of water, an animated piece of paper, and people turning into stone have in common? Nothing, except they all end up in this mess of a movie. The production team, in all their wisdom, decides to take some “cool CGIs” and build an entire story around it.

The story ends up making no sense. The theme is supposedly about sacrificing romance for the greater good. The problem is that the movie never spend any time showing us what that greater good is, and why it is worth the sacrifice. So the poignancy is lost as we waste our time watching pointless scenes (e.g. the Monkey and Co chasing this one piece of paper).

The Women’s Kingdom is one of most intriguing fictional land in classical literature. Yet that never translates onto the big screen. Besides being all female, this place does not have a distinctive look or culture of its own. Even their clothing flashes between xianxia, Tang-era, and Chinese ethnic styling. The costume department and set designer couldn’t agree on one cohesive vision, just as the writers couldn't settle on a clear plotline.

Actors, no matter how talented, cannot save a bad movie. CGIs, no matter how awesome, cannot replace a good story.

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No tangles!

This was a refreshing break from some heavy dramas I've been watching lately. It is simple, short, and sweet. There's really nothing revolutionary about the story. It is a sweet coming-of-age love story wihich tries to show that you should and could be loved just as you are. In a society and culture obsessed with certain beauty standards, it is nice and a breath of fresh air to have something albeit simple to remind us that there's more to beauty than what the eyes see.

The show has no real complicated plotlines, it is a relaxing watch. It is light and a heartwarming watch. I recommend it if you have about 2 hours to kill and just want to have a break from long series, or heavy dramas.

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Wholesome!

The best part of this film was the friends group, whom are literally the definition of "ride or die". Every scene with the entire group was always fun, wholesome and even endearing. There's another good point: a surprising cameo from two big actors that I would have never expected to show up in this film. Ever.

Apart from that, the story is okay and well developed but there are certain points that remain unresolved by the end of the film that I would very much like to know since they are source of angst. Shin Eun Soo keeps growing as a leading lady and Gong Myung delivered, as per usual, but it was really hard to ignore he's a 31 year old man playing a high schooler. Especially, when the rest of the cast is in their early twenties.

This is a good movie to enjoy on a rainy day with some popcorn and just disconnect from the outside world.

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Tug at your heartstrings

A movie starring Lee Jun Ho? Yes please!

Lee Jun Ho as a male gisaeng in said movie? *grabby hands* A thousand times yes!

I thought I would get at least a moderately funny, entertaining movie and with Lee Jun Ho in the forefront as the Joseon's first male gisaeng I was really looking forward to the comedy. But what I got wasn't only comedy... oh, there were a lot of funny parts, hilarious even but more than, dare I say better than that what I did get was an amazing, beautiful, poignant, bittersweet... in short everything I could want in a movie.

The comedy was laugh out loud funny.

The angst was a box of tissues by your side.

The romance was beautifully done. It wasn't in steamy displays or even in words but in feelings captured in the eyes. He does use his words once when he tells her "Pom rak khun" means beautiful but she never finds out until the very end (and not from him) that it really means "I love you" and by then it is way too late.

Lee Jun Ho was brilliant and captivating as Heo Saek. When he smiled I smiled, when he laughed I laughed, when he danced I was stunned and when he cried, I was in tears.

If you're looking for a movie that will tug at your heartstrings this is it. This is a slow burn historical romance of two characters with deep feelings for each that can't be acted on despite how much they both want to. The ending is sad... well neither die so it's more bittersweet in my opinion but still a tearjerker.

Please keep in mind this movie won't be for everyone. If you need fast paced, happy endings, displays of affection in the form of steamy kisses... this won't be for you.

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this was a very short (blurred) porno, the acting wasn't good & the plot was unrealistic. IMO - the chick was a "bread" with mental issues & an alcoholic to boot. so the fact she was up for anything, isn't shocking - as she wasn't right in the head & ironically or not, the guys were all the bad stereotype's that r told about gays.

the fact it all turned out happy families & rosy, positive ending - is hella far fetched IMO - but whatever - didn't spend too much time watching the mains basically f*ck & s*ck their way through this "movie" to a happy end. personally felt bad for the "beard" who in reality would sooner or later suffer from a mental break down & add the amount of liquor she consumed, i doubt she would live more then a few yrs.
given the fact her doctor husband was doing nothing to really help her , just helping maintain the health - she wouldn't survive & then he could be a "sad" widow, that was grieving his wife & would not get pestered by the world or his parents to re-marry ever again. but by the end the only character i felt bad for, is the unborn child she is carrying - what a messed up situation to be born into & more then the threesome, i am talking about the personalities of the "parents" they all f*cked in the head.

so this wasn't worth the little time i wasted watching & this for sure not a rewatch.

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Snitching Games

I was really excited to watch this movie, and it didn’t disappoint. Actually, I was expecting more of an action or thriller, but the movie fits best into the crime-noir genre. The theme is, as the title suggests: Yadang (야당), which officially means “opposition party,” but as slang it refers to someone within the drug underworld who acts as an informant for the police. The strength of the movie lies in the yadang—snitching and outsmarting game—between the drug cartels and the prosecutor. At first, it seems that everyone profits, but the consequences can be harsh for all involved.

The movie also features strong, charismatic characters. There are many of them, so not all storylines are fully developed, but at least we get to see the conclusion of each character’s arc. The movie is fast-paced, so it really requires attention to understand and enjoy all the details.

The final moral of the movie can be summarized very clearly. I don’t think I’ll reveal any spoilers when I say: don’t get involved with drugs!

P.S. The extended cut of the movie has some additional scenes that further explain events and complete the story, but it also contains explicit party scenes, so I would morally recommend watching only the original cut. And note that there is also one important post-credit scene.

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Your Name Engraved Herein is a moving and tragic Taiwanese romantic drama that explores the awakening of love and identity in a socially restrictive environment. The film focuses on the story of two young men, Jia-han and Birdy, who meet during their final years of high school and develop a deep connection amidst a society that does not openly accept homosexuality at that time.

What makes the film particularly touching is how it portrays the tension between personal desire and familial and social expectations. Every scene is filled with restrained emotions: furtive glances, letters written but never sent, and intimate moments that remain etched in the protagonists’ memories. The narrative captures not only the romance but also the melancholy of memories that leave an indelible mark on those who experience them.

Visually, the film is stunning; the cinematography uses warm, nostalgic colors that reinforce the feeling of a time that can never be recovered. The soundtrack perfectly complements the emotions, intensifying moments of joy and amplifying the sadness of farewells.

Your Name Engraved Herein is more than a love story: it is a testament to the struggle for acceptance and identity, a tale of how memories and emotions can remain engraved within oneself forever. It is a film that touches the heart, invites reflection, and leaves a lasting impression on those who watch it.

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