Instead of the
revenge narrative which has seemed most common in Korean crime films in the
past decade or so, A Company Man
takes another approach with this thriller about a professional hit man. This
doesn’t necessarily ensure that the storyline is original, often resembling
numerous other box office hits. With a silently morally superior protagonist, A Company Man often resembles The Man From Nowhere in style and tone.
The boldest
choices that A Company Man makes in its narrative occur within the first ten
minutes, when we are exposed to the cold-hearted ruthlessness our protagonist
Hyeong-do (SO Ji-sub) is capable of. Unfortunately, the remainder of the film
shows the redeeming choices that this character makes, hardly appearing to be the
same man. Unable to continue the lifestyle of working as a hired killer,
Hyeong-do attempts to plan a way out of his employment with the ruthless
corporation dealing in death.
The storyline
advances toward familiar territory as our antihero becomes a hero, not only
longing to get out of the business but also providing help for the family
members of victims. His kind nature is what is meant to draw the audience into
caring about him as the corporations assassins are also drawn in to eliminate
him and provide some of the films most visceral thrills.
The Blu-ray
includes a making-of featurette and a trailer, though the high definition
presentation of the film is more impressive than any extras. This is an
entertaining action thriller, albeit one which is easily forgettable among many
other Korean films.
Entertainment Value:
8/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7/10
Historical
Significance: 6/10
Disc Features: 5/10
No comments:
Post a Comment