The Unjust
2010 ‘Bu-dang-geo-rae’ Directed by Seung-wan Ryoo
Synopsis
A series of murders holds the nation in its sway and the longer the police fail to catch the murderer, the more the public begins to panic. Choi, a highly successful investigator whose methods have always held him back from promotion, senses that this case might be his last chance to make something of his career. He and his old mentor Jang agree to arrest the next best suspect as the serial killer – whatever it might cost. Just when it looks as if all the dirty tricks, dark deeds and treacherous secret deals are about to be exposed, all the stakeholders find themselves drawn deeper into the morass of questionable morals and open violation of the law. The search for the murderer begins to unite the four men, even though none are particularly interested in finding the culprit.
Popular reviews
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Grimly effective crime thriller about the struggle for truth within an almost absolute culture of corruption. Jeong-min Hwang gives a standout performance as a cop who chooses risk over conscience.
Recent reviews
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It gets a little bit confusing at first as there are lots of information, different characters with different interests, however, all the characters, and especially the main characters, are in the end rather cynical and selfish, using corruption, blackmail, fake procedures, and so on.
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I usually turn to Korea for movies with a different feel compared to, say, Hollywood. The Unjust didn't come close to giving me that feeling.
Don't get me wrong, it's an entertaining ride, and I love that it portraits a cynic and nihilistic community. It's more the look and feel of the picture that rubs me the wrong way.
In the end, not what I had hoped for, and I think I'll give the director a pass from now on, having tried two of his films with one moderate success. -
I've not yet seen A City of Violence or Crying Fist (now ordered after viewing The Unjust) so this was my first film by Seung-wan Ryoo. It's a pretty typical Korean cop thriller in that it shows the flawed justice system and dodgy double dealing cops seem to be a recurring theme. Where this film excels is in its complex narrative and sharp dialogue. You really have to pay attention here or the plot will swallow you up quickly and you will not have a clue whats going on. There are a number of characters, all relevant to the story, and they are all utterly compelling to watch. The standard of acting in Korean films is nothing short of excellent…
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Corrupt people trying to out-corrupt each other. It moves very fast and can draw you in, but it is held down by questionable pacing and some twists that feel pretty tacked on.
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Grimly effective crime thriller about the struggle for truth within an almost absolute culture of corruption. Jeong-min Hwang gives a standout performance as a cop who chooses risk over conscience.
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El cine hecho en Asia está repleto de historias y thrillers de policías, de mafiosos y de corruptos, y además de ello todos los ingredientes necesarios para engrandecer la historia para llenar una sala de butacas, como los políticos, los adinerados, los indiferentes, ladrones de cuello blanco, asesinos y como siempre, aquellos que son inocentes de los crímenes del entorno en donde se involucran. Podemos situarnos en la trilogía de Internal Affairs (2002,2003) y establecer a partir de ella, los puntos de comparación necesarios para medir o por lo menos intentar medir los trabajos que se hacen en el cine de detectives y thrillers en China, Corea y Japón.
The Unjust es un caso especial en donde convergen una serie…