Reviews

Actors with great chemistry does wonders

I will say this movie is not for everyone. I was lucky to grow up very diverse with many different genres of movies. Watching a story of a "family" going thru struggle is not my go to; however, the director masterfully tows the line between what could be boring and what is engaging story telling without explosions, guns, and high budget special effects. The plot is of a low income 'family" who all have somewhat of an honest living, yet it's not enough to support one another and thus break moral values to simply survive. The addition of a new family member will inadvertently cause a chain of events where everyone will have to reelevate the relationship with one another.

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"I want to do everything in my power. No regrets."

I am one of those people who thought this was a kdrama, and when I finished this movie, I STILL think it should've been a kdrama.

I was so intrigued by Kim Woobin's character, his friends, his boss and the people that surround him at work---I wanted to know their stories, their families, motivations and how they, too, might continue to inspire others. This is one of the major themes of the movie, which inspires us to find intention in what we do as a living beyond the simple happiness we might find from it. Because the one thing that transcends happiness is the ability to share the pouring passion from your heart and watch as this passion transfers and glows in someone else. Thanks to Officer Jeongdo's dad for that, by the way. Their scenes together as father and son made me cry.

As a sucker for action films, this definitely reached my expectations and I was excited to see how he combined moves from his holy trinity black belts in taekwondo, judo, and kendo. The action scenes were well-orchestrated and made it believable enough that he could take down tens of men at a time.

Now, the surface issue is presented as monitoring ex-convicts with ankle monitors for any suspicious activity, and to especially be on high alert for those with a high chance of committing the same crime. The deeper issue tackles at Korea's criminal justice system, which gives out way too generous sentences for serial rapists and rapists, period. 20 years for permanently damaging 15 children's lives really made me scoff.

But it's true, this is happening as we speak and it's important movies and dramas like this have been bringing light to the issue----recently No Way Out has done it as well. That's why I thought the movie deserved more storytelling that could possibly dive not just into our beloved main characters' lives, but also the journey to combating the system.

That's enough of my spiel though, and my real review is that this was a fast-paced, heavy-themed, but motivational movie. It makes room for you to ponder these issues like I did, appreciate the amazing action performances, and grieve after being emotionally wrecked. The lighthearted comedic moments give you a little bandaid in-between. I love Kim Woobin's simple-minded character so much, even his life motto is so simple, which is to "have fun" at everything he does. And it's crazy how much character development we got from him in less than 2 hours, because beyond this "fun" bloomed his purpose to continue serving, saving, and inspiring.

Hats off to this amazing cast for bringing this movie to life.

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It's a mundane slice of life?

I'm all for relaxing pieces of art, but it needs to have emotion and a purpose or message at least.
I watched this movie on a plane ride, zero expectations, just me and the movie.
It had some nice scenes that made me smile and feel something at least, the main duos relationship was wholesome and very uplifting, but then the movie just ended.

Honestly, I was waiting the whole movie for something to actually happen. I didn't expect romance or anything but I expected a friendship. Heck, they spent so much time with each other they should've become good friends. But the whole build up of the movie was honestly toward nothing. There was very slight healing themes, other than that it was just mundane and slow. Not horrible, definitely not my go to choice to spend time on.

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Pedofile Busters

When theres a sexoffender in the neighbourhood, who you gonna call, Pedo busters...

An action filled movie that goes beyond the individual secoffender and shows it in a larger context, While I am not really sure of how close this actually is to reality and I am pretty sure peoples abiltay to heal in this is extraudanary. The pacing, and flow of the story where pretty good. Acting is top as they casted Koreas A list actors even for the minor roles.

The villains are trulley evil... probably as evil as it gets. The good guys are chamring, fun a cross between ghost busters and armageddon type of crew... Saving the world from pedofiles and sexoffenders.

I want to say that it is an easy movie to watch, but at the same time the issue in hand is pretty dark so I am conflicted about what to say about it... But I guess just like a spoon full of sugar makes the medicin go down ... an oppa and a dose of freindship can make the darkest story go down...in true korean style but without the slapstick....

Ps, there are no annoying over the top characters in this, so if you are in the mood for some darkness, evil and blood this is not a bad place to find it.

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Fantastic Action, Meh Story

With Officer Black Belt, Jason Kim seeks to further cement his legacy as a master of the action drama, However, unlike previous works such as Midnight Runners, and Bloodhounds, Officer Black Belt is a movie that falls flat in really everything except action.

Let me start by saying that the action in this movie is fantastic. The choreography is really impressive, well executed, and easy to follow. One thing I really loved about the fight scenes is that there is a dedication to truly incorporating the martial arts that Lee Jeong Do knows. I have been practicing Judo for a good portion of my life, and I watched this movie with a friend who does Taekwondo and another friend who does Judo. One thing we could all agree on about the action scenes is that there were a lot of clearly identifiable moves from both Judo and Taekwondo (I won't be able to speak on he Kendo sadly). You don't see that often in dramas, sometimes they'll use maybe a few moves and then it ends up just being a kinda flail of limbs. In this case there were a lot of moments where we could call out the techniques. The action really is impeccable in this movie, and a lot of work and love went into it. It's fun to watch and really exhilarating.

Unfortunately, the action is really the only thing this movie has going for it. The story can't exactly decide what it wants to be, somewhere in between being about following the law, but also about vigilantism. Many characters feel like caricatures of certain archetypes (like gamers, and nerds), and there are a lot of questionable moments logically. Why does no one call the cops early on? Why do people keep turning their backs in fights? Why do people not make sure weapons are out of reach? Why were there no repercussions from authorities? It feels like in an attempt to draw out the action and to have conflict, there are a lot of dumb moves done by characters. There are also a lot of unnecessary triggering scenes, particularly in implied rape and child sexual assault. Which don't really need to be there. We don't need to see a child in distress and about to get assaulted to understand what is happening. At some point it feels like too much, especially for a movie advertising itself as a comedy (the contrast between the trailers I saw and the actual movie tone/scenes really surprised me).

There are odd tone shifts, and the pacing in the movie suffers from a somewhat jilted story-line. The action really is the saving grace of this movie, its fun to watch which is what you want in an action movie. If I were to rewatch this I would probably just skip past all the non-action scenes and just watch the fight scenes. All in all, I think this is a movie you kinda need to turn your brain off for. If you are looking for action, this movie is great, but don't expect anything revolutionary in the way of story line or characters. It's good, not great, and the action really does the heavy lifting in stopping it from being worse.

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A fervor that leaves you breathless

I'd be lying to myself if I gave it a lower rating. I really liked this movie a lot, and it's kind of funny since I've never seen Unintentional Love Story (I watched it on sept 11th halfway through to learn more about these characters). With huge expectations, one would fear the disappointment, but it's quite the opposite. I was expecting a lot and they gave me everything I expected. I like it so much that I'm making an FMV, and this gave me a lot to analyze. Let's see!

▸I don't think we give enough credit to the photography. It could be overlooked, but if you look at the movie/series carefully, the photography is beautiful. The colors are enveloping and so captivating. I loved the transitions with the whales and nature. I loved the montages, the scenography. Visually this movie is a pleasure. Seriously, PLEASE, appreciate those visuals, the color management, they are a delight to see. Honestly, this production has a lot of work behind it, more than one would think.

▸ While the soundtrack is not outstanding and there are no memorable songs, I really liked that they didn't put music in the romantic or tense scenes. They let the performances speak for themselves without any accompaniment that forces us to feel something, this intensifies everything. The music distribution is really smart. As its name says, "the time of fever" or "I feel your warmth", it was ESSENTIAL to let us hear their agitated and sonorous breathing to demonstrate that desire and nervousness of the first love.

▸The performances, phenomenal. At no time did I feel the actors acting, I only saw the characters. The chemistry they share is undeniable, one of the best there has been in k-bls. Not to mention the kisses, because they are, again, one of the best kisses in k-bl. I love that reflected intimacy, it feels very real. God, I loved how much DongHee conveyed with his eyes, I couldn't help but draw them. His eyes said so much without words and it's fascinating to see.

▸While the story itself is not that great, just a first love romance with a childhood friend, they did what they could with what they had and executed it well. I know many were disappointed bc there was no "closure," but you have to understand that this is a spin-off. I don't really feel the movie is the problem, but rather the series, which didn't give these characters the closure as they should.

▸ I liked Ho Tae's character. He is a simple person and at the same time he's not. He is simple because his mind doesn't work with abstract ideas and he has a hard time understanding what is implicit, he feels comfortable with what is physical and tangible. However, because of this, he has a very hard time connecting with his own feelings and those of others. He has an even harder time handling them. That gives him quite a few problems.

▸Also, while it might feel like we know a lot about Ho Tae but little about DongHee, I think his actions speak for themselves. He is a character who, although he wants to protect himself, can't help but be selfless. He defends the fact that his father mistreats him because he believes that "he hurt him more." At first he wanted to distance himself from Ho Tae because of his "unrequited" crush because it is painful, but he couldn't help but connect with him and slowly became more hopeful.

Nevertheless, when he realized HoTae might feel the same way as him (or maybe he thought Ho Tae was just confused), he became scared because of his internal homophobia and the fear of others' reaction. He is so grateful to "his aunt" and loves her so much that it doesn't seem right to him to date HoTae. That's why he decides to go to Seoul, knowing that, and with his own words, he would regret it a lot. We can say that he had a bad time just if we consider that he did not even dedicate what he studied and returned to his city to open a coffee shop.

▸ My only criticisms, or rather, things that I didn't like, were the last two chapters, which naturally became somewhat tiresome and boring to watch. I don't blame them because it was inevitable. They are not together, after all. We lacked a protagonist.

In conclusion, a great movie! A worthy spin off, considering that ULS is not that great. They put love and attention into the production, and that is always appreciated.

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needs warnings but loved it

First I want to talk about how this movie needs a few warnings, because there are things in here such as sexual assault that can affect people. Maybe you're casually looking for something to see, find this movie and think it'll be fun but it's not like that 100%. It has such laughable scenes, but it has triggering scenes too. This is not to criticize the movie, I loved it. Just would love to see more movies writing warnings so people don't get triggered while trying to see something new and fun.

Now, the movie. I laughed, got emotional and fristrated. It makes you feel like you're in a rollercoaster of emotions.

Really liked that the main character knew what he wanted for himself since the very beginning, that helped to know who he was without further introduction to his life and gave the main focus to the general plot of the film. Sometimes they focus too much on the main character own story and the focus of the real plot is missed.

He just wanted to have fun at the very beginning and I was worried because of that. It's not a job to just have fun, you're watching over serial killers or assaulters. But then he started to like it and ended doing it for the wellbeing of others.

I could relate to that a bit. Liking your job and doing it for others is what I feel as a nurse.

Thank you to every character in this movie, specially to Jungdo. Thanks Woobin for bringing him alive. He's my one and only actor and I would love to spend hours just watching or listening to him. Really liked how he did every fight, he's such a talented actor (and person) that I admire. Can't wait to see more of him.

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PORTRAYS REALITY OF LOVING WITH A SAME GENDER

The Story was not something new for me, two guys that is confused and ended up falling in love with each other since child hood or young days, but this show presented it in a different way that it was so beautiful, it feels like a Korean Version of Your Name Engraved Herein , if you knew that show .. I got the same feeling
I just really felt bad that the characters have to choose to run away from what they were feeling becuase it was not common and not accepted during those years even more than it was in some parts or ways being accepted this present years.
It feels like too short but at the same time it felt enough, I was not okay with the ending that they only have shown the two of the lead characters met again and probably continue their love, but at the same time It was okay for me that it ended up like that. The last scene was like the director have given us the choice of how or what we wanted to think what happened after they met when it was shown .. it was a good idea
I felt really sad about their story, i really hope they will be able to continue their love.
I have nothing else to say about the acting specially Won Tae Min .. I have seen him in quite some dramas, he always does great, be it a thug , a collector and about the kissing scene ! I was really glad about it, it felt real.
All in all, even the story was common for me , but I am again for another time impressed about how this drama or movie made .. it was beautiful and heart warming and above all , it presented what really happens in real life for those who falls in love with their same gender
Highly recommended show !

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Hit so close to home

i had my eyes on this film ever since its announcement since my girl Tu is in it and all the acclaim it was getting making me even more excited to watch
i was engrossed the whole 2 hours of runtime, never once did i feel bored. the story moved well along and was told with so much love.
i had recently lost both of my grandmothers that too within a month of each other. both of them had become so sick for quite a while that they had become the shells of the people they used to be. this movie reminded me a lot of who they were, the loving and comforting people they were, always welcoming and waiting for my return. i hope they are resting well and i was able to give them back at least a bit of the comfort they had given me

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Its confusing. i loved it.

Dont mind my bad english :,)

THE STORY
The storyline plays with your imagination, and at first, you might feel a bit confused, which can come off as slightly annoying. However, by the end, everything becomes clear, and you gain a deeper understanding of what's going on in Rino's mind. She believes everyone around her disappears, which seems to stem from her intense emotions and psychological state. Jun, on the other hand, forgets everything after sleeping, but as we see in the end, Rino stays with him until they grow old together (at least, that's my interpretation).

ACTING/CAST
At first, Rino’s character comes off as a bit cringe, afterall she’s a young girl living in her own world, chasing after her "love" like she’s in some romantic movie (she is indeed). But you get to see more of her inner struggles and emotions, her performance becomes much more compelling. By the time the movie starts diving deeper into the psychological aspects, Rino’s acting feels more layered, and you begin to sympathize with her emotional journey.

Jun, the male lead, plays his role with an understated intensity. At first, he’s hard to read, but that makes sense given his condition of forgetting everything after sleeping. You can feel the weight of his situation without him over-expressing it. The chemistry between the two leads becomes more believable as the movie progresses, and by the end, their connection feels raw and genuine.

Both actors bring out the complexity of their characters well, making you feel their pain, love, and confusion without it feeling forced or overly sentimental.



REWATCH VALUE
You might want to rewatch it to fully grasp the story if you didn’t get it the first time, or just rewatch it when you're bored. It’s perfect for those moments when you want to feed your delulu ass, imagining you could find someone who would love you even if you forgot them every single day lmao.

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Good Sentimental Historical Movie

I like seeing historical Filipino films that focus on the sentimental. Films like Moments of Love and Eternity. This film feels like on the same vibes as those movies hence I watched this one.
I like how the story of the two people from the past is seen from the eyes of people living in the present. We see how their characters and their problems related to love and even career can be similarly compared to the characters from the past. Then actors playing the present day characters, Eddie Garcia, Christopher De Leon, and Dennis Trillo all portrayed their characters well.
Eddie Garcia's character is the one connecting the present to the past. His younger version from the past is portrayed by Mark Herras. Two women admire him from the past, Azon and Cora. While it was Azon whom he loved at first, it was Cora who found him and took care of him after World War 2. He later married Cora but Cora ran away after giving birth to their son (Christopher De Leon in present times) since she didn't feel that her husband truly loved her (especially since he denied her request to dance under the blue moon with him when the conditions were perfect). Jennylyn Mercado as Cora portrayed her character's sincerity and desire to be loved by her husband very well, I thought she's really good in this. So is Pauleen Luna who portrays the livelier Azon, we see in her fun portrayal why Mark Herras's character loved her at first. I thought Mark Herras did not act as well as the two women, but he has chemistry with them both. Polo Ravales played the friend of the Mark, Pauleen, and Jennylyn's characters who had a one-sided crush on Pauleen's character Azon (who died during the war). He did good in the role though he did not make as much as an impression as the 2 female actresses.
Later in the story we found out that an older version of one of the two women that Mark Herras's character loved was still alive. Portrayed by Boots Anson-Roa, we later found out that her character was the older version of Cora/Jennylyn's character. I like Boots' acting, she has good chemistry with Eddie Garcia. Seeing them dance under the blue moon is really sweet, especially since it's the wish of Cora's character for a long time. We come to later understand that Cora was actually truly loved by her husband even though she wasn't his first love and that the graveyard visited by Eddie Garcia's character in the beginning of the movie (where he revealed that he will still look for his true love) was actually Azon.
I know that some people felt that the main male character never truly loved his wife and felt he only looked for her since he was dying already, but I thought otherwise. Since it was his wife who chose to leave after giving birth, I think he was just giving her the space that she needed. The difficulties he experienced as a single father raising his son (plus the fact that technology wasn't really developed yet) could be a reason why he didn't look for his wife after a few years. It was wrong of him never to dance with his wife under a blue moon when the conditions perfect (it led to his wife thinking he didn't love her) but it is also really possible that he never realized that he already loved his wife more than his first love until his wife had gone away.

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