A MAN OF REASON – A Review by Cynthia Flores
Korean superstar Jung Woo-sung is a powerhouse in this film that he not only stars in but wrote and directed as well. He has given us a superb Korean action film with A Man of Reason. It was a fan favorite at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, and for good reason. It is F*cking awesome in a good guy fighting to survive kind of way.
After spending a decade in prison, Soo-Hyeok (Jung Woo-Sung), a seasoned hitman learns that he has a daughter and now just wants a chance at a normal life with his old girlfriend Min-Seo (Lee Elijah). But his former mob boss Eung-Kook (Park Sung-Woong) known now as the Chairman wants him back in the pack.
The gang has supposedly gone legit and is a big corporation that builds giant malls and luxury highrise buildings. But the people working for the Chairman are still the same ruthless gang of thieves that ran on the streets ten years before. With the addition of new younger, brutal members. They just have an upscale address to work from now.
After Soo-Hyeok, in person, delivers his decision to change his life to the Chairman, he catches the eye of Sung-Joon (Kim Joon-Han). He is a young up-and-coming lieutenant in the group who wants to prove himself to the boss.
The Chairman is not happy about being shunned by Soo-Hyeok but chooses for the time being to simply watch him closely like you would a wild tiger that is out of its cage.
Everything would have been fine but young Sung-Joon takes the fatal initiative of sending merciless assassins known as “the washers”, Woo-Jin (Kim Nam-Gil) and Jin-A (Park Yoo-Na), after him. Resulting in the death of the woman he loves, Min-Seo, and putting his young daughter In-Bi (Ryu Jian) in peril.
I have heard some of the other reviewers complain about the lack of wall-to-wall action in this film. But I choose to believe that Jung Woo-sung wanted to do something a little slower and with more of a storyline. Besides, the action scenes he does give us are awesome. I don’t want to give away any surprises but I will say there are amazing car chases and brutal fight scenes. Also, you get to hear one of the baddies scream, “Why won’t you die already!” What more could you ask for in an action movie?
I give A Man of Reason 4-stars. It’s a great summer martial arts movie that will have you cheering at the screen. So grab some popcorn with something to drink and enjoy this ode to messing with the wrong dude.
Directed by: Jung Woo-sung
Written by: Jung Woo-sung
Rated: NR
Running Time: 1 hr 39 min
Action / Foreign Language/ Drama / Thriller
Release: In theaters only July 5th on demand July 9th
Starring: Jung Woo-sung, Kim Nam-gil, Park Sung-woong, Kim Jun-han, Park You-na, Lee Elijah
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.
4 Stars – Good movie/show
3 Stars – OK movie/show
2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…
1 Star – Total waste of time.
