Review of The Man from Nowhere (2010) by Evie H — 29 Jul 2016

Warning: Superlatives ahead. Watch this only if you love spot-on casting, amazing acting, fight scenes that are crisp and out-of-the-ordinary, and direction that is perfect whether the moment be terrifying or tender.

The director's hand is masterly, driving relentlessly in big action moments, then shifting gears from the infinite to the intimate when the smoke has cleared. The performances are moving and utterly convincing. The fight scenes are vivid and new, a pleasure to repeat-watch in detail - I always notice something new.

The characters - whether good, bad, or ugly, or all of the above - are well-drawn, and the actors throw themselves into the roles with abandon. (The villains are particularly fun, and one, Hee-won Kim, seems to be making a fine career of it.).

The protagonist is a mysterious loner who seems to haunt his life like a ghost. The little neighbor girl is pulling him back down to earth, getting on his nerves and then getting under his skin. The child actor, Sae-ron Kim, is a natural talent who does a brilliant balancing act, making So-mi insistent, yet irresistible. Bin Won in the lead is a revelation - haunting, fierce, tender, as Tae-sik resists the agony of being recalled to life.

(Check out his other roles and see how completely he transforms from one to another. Takes my breath away!).

The acting is a treat - I re-watch scenes without the words, just to see how powerfully the actors do their jobs with the other tools at their disposal. It's wonderful how clearly you can tell who are the Feds, who are the home team Task Force, the Good Guys, the Big Bad, etc. - and what each side is after. It says a lot when the performances are eloquent even with subtitles turned off.