Assassination (2015)

So much average

Fresh and Exciting

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

I thought Assassination was really good, and it was an enjoyable and worthwhile watch at 2 hours, not overstaying its welcome.The acting was great all across the board. Jung-woo Ha and Dal-su Oh worked really well together on screen as the contract killer duo. Jung-jae Lee was also really great as the defector. Ji-hyun Jun and Jin-woong Jo were also good in their roles, and the supporting cast also did a fine job.The cinematography and editing was really well done, giving us a lot of smooth shots which worked excellently during the action sequences, giving it a punchy, yet clean feel to it. It was gorgeous to look at and wasn't hard to follow at all.The story was really good, providing plenty of twists and turns and backstabbing delight, throwing the characters into more and more trouble. It portrayed a harsh world to live in and the Japanese were not portrayed favourably at all in this film. They were essentially asian Nazis, evil bad guys, cannon-fodder. The most interesting antagonists were the Koreans who had aligned themselves with Japan.There are a few moments where you might ask yourself why certain things were allowed to happen throughout, such as letting a suspect walk away into a room on their own when they're in the middle of being arrested. But nothing major enough I feel to take away from the film overall. Sometimes the story may seem a little clustered and muddled, but it doesn't insult your intelligence and everything falls in place as it goes along and becomes fully cohesive by the time the credits rolling, creating a satisfying spy film.My only gripe with this film that I don't see any of the other reviewers has a problem with, was the films soundtrack. I didn't like it at all. It seemed like royalty free music and really brought the movie down at points which was disappointing. Over-dramatic and cheesy at points, unfulfilling and un-epic when it needed to be at others. The sound design is well done though and the action scenes sound great.The set design, costumes, lighting, atmosphere of the film looks stunning, genuinely taking you back to the 1930s. It's a feast for the eyes and is awesome to look at. It was humorous, however, with the vehicles as they didn't move fast at all most of the time, moving at a running pace, but thankfully the gun-play amped up the tension and excitement.This movie has its problems but I still recommend it, as it is engaging, fun and thrilling. It's not the best Korean movie by any means and it's far from the worst. Dong-hoon Choi has done a really good job here, but not as good as his 2012 film, The Thieves. So overall, I recommend watching this movie as it was a satisfying 2 hours for me, with a good story and cool characters that you care about, with a satisfying pay-off. 7.5/10 really good Korean film.

Based on real events, this may seem a bit convoluted at times, but still very engaging to watch. You can feel the desperation and the pressing times this is portraying. The introduction of the characters takes its time and still sometimes you wonder what the real motives are behind some of the actions being done here.Still the action is well shot and choreographed, which is crucial, but the drama bits work too. The pace is nicely done and you almost don't feel this is a long movie at all. The ending might be a bit over dramatized, but it should work with most viewers, especially after the journey we just went through.

Although the first half was some slow paced, the second half of the movie got motion & was overall capturing . Ahn-OK-yun (Jun Ji-Hyun), her small team for assassination mission & Captain Yem (Lee Jung Jae) seemed to be main characters of the plot line in the first place.But then, gradually Hawaii Pistol (Ha Jung-woo) & his sidekick Old Man (Oh Dal-su) got involved , geared up an entertainment show . By the mean time, the plot also developed some momentum to be intrigued. CGI effect,action scenes & the ancient background was so believable & realistic for this movie- so was the acting.By the ending, the movie got some symbolic meaning too.Although it could be a little more jam-packed, more artistic till the last to be memorable & greatly appreciated , Kudos to the director Choi-dong hoon - for accomplishing much improvement from his previous hit- heist movie "The Thieves" (particularly in emotion rendering section). So if you wanna check the outcome of some tremendous efforts from director & actors to set up an epic, historical drama film based on true event - independence of Korea, it will be worth watching obviously.My Rating: Somewhere between 7 & 8 . :)P.S: By watching this movie,completed checking all IMDb enlisted drama-movies of "Sassy girl" Jun Ji-Hyun so far. From TV drama "Happy Together (1999)" to "Assassination (2015)" - there's a daring & frequent transformation from innocent/romantic heroine to hardcore action lady.She's lucky enough so far to receive such co-operative support from directors & co-actors + appraisal from audience along with her ambitious consistency!

The plot to assassinate Japanese high ranking officers takes a group of Korean agents into spiral of betrayal. It is told in surprisingly large scale, shifting back and forth to events preceding and following its historic attempt told by numerous characters. In heart, it is an excellent drama with focus on stylish noir cinematography and slick visceral action.Story admittedly takes a bit to gain momentum. There's an intricate web of espionage and it might get overwhelming with its many timelines and characters. The back stabbing or direct front shooting could get confusing early on. Fortunately, after it sets the foundation the pace pushes forward relentlessly until the end. Ji-hyun Jun as An Ohk-Yun the lady sniper is impeccable, she's attractive on-screen and also looking very capable for the demanding spy role.Acting is great all around, considering there are many intersecting personalities, everyone plays their part amicably and these characters are presentably memorable. It offers a few subplots, which might seem overly dramatic or cliché at first, although the presentation is adequately precise in ensuring that it remains a legitimate drama thriller.The action is superb, capitalizing its last century setting and multitude of fancy oriental scenes. Barrage of bullets and deception are portrayed with massive intensity. It plays with fight scenes as well as gun-slinging action remarkably well. Furthermore, the slick nature resembles the quirky bloody showing from Tarantino movies, the flamboyant flair is a treat for action fans.There's no lack of treachery, vengeance and sheer animosity in the harsh era which may feel overburdened at times. Still, with exquisite human drama and solid action, Assassination keeps the aim steady to deliver a delightfully exhilarating spy thriller.