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The Yellow Sea (2010)

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Posted on May 29, 2011 by James

Na Hong-jin’s second film confirms that he is the number one crime-action auteur to emerge from Asia in recent memory. I like his films more than Park Chan-wook’s head-scratchingly abstract work since Oldboy and also Kim Ji-woon’s fun but sadly empty and pointless excursions post-A Tale of Two Sisters. Na’s first film, The Chaser, is a taut, horrific thriller with great momentum and some shocking surprises. It starred two very good but nonprominent Korean actors, Kim and … (read more)

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The Chaser (2008)

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Posted on January 11, 2010 by James

Na Hong-jin’s incredibly assured feature debut is the best Korean crime movie since Memories of Murder. Upon release, The Chaser helped bring Korea’s domestic box office out of a half-year slump and for the first time since the arrival of Choi Dong-hoon (The Big Swindle) and Jang Jun-hwan (Save the Green Planet) announced a new genre auteur worth following.

From the first few opening moments it’s clear we’re in good hands. Aided by some wonderfully … (read more)

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