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The Man from Nowhere


NO RATING
by Torgo
posted on 2/23/21
The Man From Nowhere

This is another solid entry in the subgenre of action movies about veterans who have lost their humanity, reclaim it, have it stolen from them and seek vengeance such as John Wick and Man on Fire. Like Wick and Man on Fire's Creasy, Cha Tae-sik is as terrifying as he is sympathetic and provides a vehicle for a memorable performance, which we get from Won Bin. By emphasizing his desire to be left alone and touches like his shroud of a getup and unkempt hair, I first questioned why the movie diverted from the action to follow this nobody around, which made that instantaneous knife grab and the revelation of his back story shocking in the best way. Luckily, Tae-sik has a worthy cadre of rivals, my favorites being Thanayong Wongtrakul as requisite "quiet one" Ramrowan and Kim Sung-oh's sadistic Jong-seok. The movie is also a joy to simply look at thanks to camerawork that highlights the size and liveliness of Seoul and the vibrancy of its nightlife; plus, there's those magic tricks of shots during the action scenes. I'm still thinking about the awesomeness of Tae-sik's driving range plunge and the shot that follows his trip through a window to the ground and wondering how DP Tae-yun Lee pulled them off. Also, similar to how Man on Fire explored Mexico City's abduction and ransom plight, I like how the movie takes a look at Seoul's drug and organ trafficking problems. From the children who become orphans as a result of gang rivalries and the punishment they enact on thieves and betrayers to those like Tae-sik who lose the will to live while bringing the gangs to justice, the movie unflinchingly shows how the main product of their activities is discarded people. Besides these examples, I like how the movie presents this theme of being discarded in other ways both subtle and obvious (it's not a random choice that Tae-sik runs a pawn shop). The movie implies that Tae-sik and neighbor So-Mi have known each other for a long time, but it would have been nice to see them spend a little more time together. Other than that, there's little to complain or nitpick about in this movie and it's another reminder that South Korean action is on par with and often better than Western action.