- Director : Han Jae-Rim
- Actors : Song Kang-ho, Lee Byung-hun, Jeon Do-yeon, Kim Nam-gil, Yim Si-wan
- Dubbed: : English
- Studio : Well Go Usa
- MPAA rating : PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
- Country of Origin : South Korea
- Number of discs : 1
- Media Format : Subtitled, Widescreen
- Run time : 2 hours and 27 minutes
- Release date : November 29, 2022
It wasn’t that long ago that Hollywood made
movies like Emergency Declaration, with big budgets and spectacle
involving everyday people put in extraordinary situations. Nowadays it seems
like all of those budgets and spectacle are directed towards fantasy films,
primary in the superhero subgenre, so it is a welcome change to see South
Korean cinema providing some variety. Although the film was made prior to the
Covid pandemic, Emergency Declaration has themes that perfectly
encapsulate the current paranoia about public spaces, especially when traveling
in a confined space like an airplane.
As a commercial
flight from Incheon Airport to Hawaii departs, police detective Gu In-ho (Song
Kang-ho) responds to reports of a video posted with threats of a possible
terrorist attack. After investigating further, In-ho discovers the threat was
made by Ryu Jin-seok (Im Si-wan), a man who worked with contagious diseases
before being fired. In-ho also discovers Jin-seok has boarded the same flight
as his wife, and quickly alerts all authorities of the threat. When Jin-seok
unleashes a contagion on the plane, it creates panic among the passengers,
including former pilot Park Jae-hyuk (Lee Byung-hun), who is on his way to
start a new life as a flight instructor with his young daughter.
Jae-hyuk stopped
flying after a previous incident during a flight resulted in the death of
flight attendants, but he must step up and help the pilot, Choi Hyun-soo (Kim
Nam-gil), who he has a complicated history with. As is often the case in South
Korean films, the suspense and action of the plot are balanced with a heavy
dose of melodrama and emotional sentimentality. In other words, the characters
and their journey is just as important to the story as the action itself. This
is a welcome addition, grounding the narrative when some of moments of
spectacle become slightly outlandish.
I was skeptical
that the storyline of Emergency Declaration would be enough for the lengthy
run-time of 140-minutes. While it could have been a bit tighter, the film does
make the most out of the premise with a surprising number of twists and turns.
Although I would hate to be on this flight, it is an exciting one to watch from
the safety and isolation of my couch. The themes also have universal relevance
to the current climate. If Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion saw increased
attention following the outbreak, I can imagine the same audiences would appreciate
what Emergency Declaration has to offer.
The Blu-ray release
for Emergency Declaration a handful of extras, including a making-of
featurette and interviews with cast and crew from the Cannes Film Festival.
There is also a featurette about the characters and a 360 shot in the film. The
high-definition presentation of the film should also be mentioned, as the film includes
a reliance on CGI that is improved by this.
Entertainment Value:
7/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7/10
Historical
Significance: 6/10
Special Features: 6/10
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