Where film demands dramaticism, realism is forfeited, Ransomed is the latest piece of Korean cinema to take a bit of history and whip up a fun action flick around it. The true story it’s based on of a Korean diplomat’s abduction in Lebanon is like a small meringue, sitting atop a thick lemon tart of humorous writing and charming characters. Nothing will make you blissfully accept the occasional lack of logic and fully immerse like the characters that are just so likeable, to their actors’ credit. Lover of realism or not, you’ll be enjoying the ride.
Kim Seong-hun, the director, is no stranger to action dramas. He’s built his reputation with A Hard Day and Kingdom, as well as Tunnel, which he worked on with Ha Jung-woo, who also stars in Ransomed as Minjun. We’re delighted to see the film’s budget was well spent on decent actors like the aforementioned, as well as Joo Ji-hoon, Marcin Dorociński and Burn Gorman, who can keep viewers – even those with thinning attention spans – engaged from start to finish.
It’s a fulfilling ride with all the right touches. Mowg’s music is warm and epic, and lives up to the action in high-stakes sequences with violins of terror, as well as some trumpets for drama. And with stunning production design, from a mansion on a crystal blue Swiss lake to the rugged streets of ‘80s Beirut (filmed in Italy and Morocco respectively), the film is as stylish as the decade it takes place in, of which Pan-soo’s (Joo Ji-hoon) red leather jacket is a constant reminder. In short, our eyes and ears are given a treat, despite the story’s dark subject matter.
Ha Jung-woo and Joo Ji-hoon are just stellar. Though the latter’s character is a fictional one, he’s a much-welcomed addition to the story. Pan-soo, whenever not slapping on a cheese grin and demanding extra coin, is quite the lovable sidekick. In the film’s 132-minute run, he matures from pushing an injured customer aside to wipe their blood off his taxi seat, to crying in an airport over his new buddy (the same person). And he’s not the only one we see experiencing some growth. Minjun’s only drive, in the beginning, was to earn the praise he envied of his coworker, and be rewarded with a transfer to the US. We feel like proud parents watching these two characters who started out with selfish motivations ultimately putting their comrades ahead of themselves, and by the end, driving into the sunset together.
The film’s humour comes in shades of irony and wit, its jokes warranting the odd snort of the nose. For reference: endless uses of foreign language to insult someone to their utter oblivion, a man’s great care in spraying every one of his coworker’s flowers with bug killer, and car chases being won by narrow walls and herds of sheep. Even without the glossy cinematography and locations, the dialogue is still engaging. Ransomed stands tall on the actors’ brilliant chemistry, and it’d be an enjoyable watch even for those who don’t go near action films. You could probably throw Ha Jung-woo in a small room and have Kim Seong-hun direct, and it’d turn out as a captivating thriller. But they already pretty much did that with Tunnel.
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Written by Maddie Armstrong
View of the Arts is an online publication that chiefly deals with films, music, and art, with an emphasis on the Asian entertainment industry. We are hoping our audience will grow with us as we begin to explore new platforms such as K-pop / K-music, and Asian music in general, and continue to dive into the talented and ever-growing scene of film, music, and arts, worldwide.