(Content warning: The review contains spoilers)
The star-studded casts do not only capture and hold the attention of the audience; it’s the unforeseen and startling twists that captivates viewers’ interest in “I, the Executioner.”
The sequel to the successful action comedy film “Veteran,” which was released in 2015, captured the attention of global audiences with its premiere at the Festival de Cannes and Toronto International Film Festivals. Award-winning director Ryoo Seung-wan did not fail to produce another film that brings fresh action scenes while depicting the issues in society.
The Korean action thriller movie revolves around a veteran detective Seo Do-cheol (played by Hwang Jung-min) teamed up with rookie cop Park Sun-woo (played by Jung Hae-in) to track down the serial killer.
Following a professor’s murder, the serial killer, known as Haechi, rose to fame when he was linked to the assassination of those individuals who murdered or put the lives of others in danger.
Although it was against his will, Do-cheol still followed the orders to protect a culprit who accidentally killed a pregnant woman after pushing her away from the feud with her husband. The public was enraged with the decision of the police force to release the perpetrator.
During the transport, an individual from an angry mob attempted to stab the culprit. Yet, Sun-woo’s leg movements impede the action, making him known as the “UFC policeman” in the movie.
The serial killer took advantage of the case to intensify the trouble for the police force as he provoked the public to cast a vote for killing the said culprit through an online influencer’s channel.
Every heart-stopping move, may it be a punch, kick, or shove that Do-cheol and Sun-woo make, leaves one’s eyes and jaw wide open as if they take the hit.
Just like its sequel, “Veteran,” the movie still included some comedic scenes that drew laughter. Do-cheol mostly threw those comical lines and acts, even if he was just talking with his wife Joo-yeon (Jin Kyung), showing that he has humor behind his justice-minded identity.
Veering away from the main challenge, other societal issues were also depicted in the movie, such as bullying and the indifference between Do-cheol’s family.
Since Do-cheol was having a hard time balancing his work and family life, he sometimes missed the opportunity to spend time with his wife and especially his son, who was being bullied at school. He was unaware of the cause of his son’s isolation and other mental health concerns.
With the help of Sun-woo, the bullies left his son alone. Yet, Haechi knows Do-Cheol too well to use bullying incidents against him when they encounter one another.
As the film goes on, the identity of the serial killer becomes more mysterious as the clues point out to diverse individuals, leading to a dead end. The wayward hints confuse one’s mind with no idea whether Haechi is another character to jump in the movie or just a role hiding in plain sight among the actors.
While the movie centers around Do-cheol and Sun-woo and their sweet action moves, some characters, like the police team, which consists of Bong Yoon-joo (Jang Yoon-ju), Min Kang-hoon (Ahn Bo-hyun), Detective Yoon (Kim Shi-hoo), and Captain Oh Jae-pyeong (Oh Dal-su), must have given more identity or personality to build up their story and relationship with the veteran detective.
Sun-woo’s charming face and great fighting and defending skills may awe his fans or ordinary moviegoers. It is undeniable that his role changed throughout the movie, yet it still lacks background details on why he had character developments.
Overall, the movie still projects a great storyline imbued with exceptional acting by the casts and good cinematography, leaving the audience still surprised with the unexpected twist.
“I, the Executioner”, now showing in cinemas, started screening on September 25. The movie runs for 1 hour and 58 minutes.
The film is from CJ ENM and is distributed in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Discovery company.