Dokjeon

Remake of the Drug War, which lacks the rawness and urgency of the original. However, it has a more interesting final third, where it deviates fundamentally from the original, and instead of the events it relies on unraveling in the form of traditional “cat - mouse" thriller essentials. The original openly referred to the Heat. Here, however, these elements are purely out of duty (night conversation over the highway in the bistro) and gradually they will be completely forgotten. It's not bad in any way, just useless and average. (20/08/2018)

Lee Hae-yeong decided to make a remake of Johnnie To's Drug War and it turned out surprisingly well. I don't remember the original well enough to compare, but the newcomer handled it decently. He had some more familiar faces, the traditional excellent visuals are a given, the snorting scene is the most thrilling of the film here too, and there are only two action scenes: one big shootout and a final double female vs male fight that was more than solid. I wasn't bored for a second despite the slower pace, but I'm still forced to only give it a better 3* since I think the original had more charm. But I'm glad to see something from Korea again after a long time. 70% (19/08/2018)

I've always seen Korean filmmakers as capable of directing both utterly disastrous and absolutely brilliant films. While this film wasn't a disaster, it lacked that extra something to elevate it to greatness. For me, the biggest flaw in this crime drama was the glaringly obvious identity of the main villain right from the get-go. I'd love to mention the striking resemblance to a certain infamous film character, but I want to avoid spoilers. However, that was the only significant downside; overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this work. The atmosphere, tension, and solid action were commendable, but what truly impressed me was how each character was fleshed out. Not a single one felt flat or one-dimensional, leading me to unexpectedly sympathize with a drug producer and murderer rolled into one. Though I quickly got over it, the creators still deserve credit for making me root for such a character. / Lesson learned: Looking for unconventional experiences? Consider becoming a sign language translator. (24/01/2024)