I’ve been getting into more South Korean films lately after loving Parasite (and the OG Oldboy back in the day) and these two movies were amazing. Train to Busan follows a group of people trying to get to, well, Busan, as a zombie outbreak hits. The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil is about a gang leader and a cop teaming up to catch a serial killer on the loose. While both films are dark and violent, they both manage to be so exciting and fun, with moments of humor and humanity throughout. I was on the edge of my seat during both movies, the pace is so sharp and quick, there’s really no dull moments in either movie. I’d highly recommend them both. Train to Busan is on Netflix right now.
Both movies feature one of the most effortlessly charismatic actors I’ve seen in awhile, Don Lee (Ma Dong-seok). He’s a big bruiser who can somehow switch his vibe from deeply menacing to wholesomely compassionate at the drop of a hat while barely changing the look on his face. He’s got a role in the stacked cast of Marvel’s Eternals (with a ton of my other favorites) coming out at the end of the year and I can’t wait to follow this guy’s career. He’s got some other movies I want to check out, like the Good, the Bad and the Weird, along with more South Korean films that I’ve seen get a ton of love, including the Handmaiden and Burning. Really grateful for Parasite and Bong Joon Ho nudging me to check out more international and out there films.