MovieChat Forums > Uneun namja (2014) Discussion > Korea continues the trend of America's 8...

Korea continues the trend of America's 80s action flicks

posted 9 years ago by cyguration
11 replies | jump to latest

This would have fit right in with the Van Damme's and Norris flicks. It's definitely more hardcore and bloody, but equally as relentless.

It's not as over-the-top with the stunts or fight choreography from the Hong Kong 80s action era, but it's like a new-age version of the American action genre from the 80s, usually dubbed by critics as "Bad-action movies".

If it just had one more solid fight scene in there between the slow start or the fast finish I think this could could have been tied up there with The Man From Nowhere or The Company Man... though, I do think I prefer this over The Company Man.

Slightly better pacing or tension and I think this also could have rivaled Drug Wars, which was a really, really, really solid thriller.

Still, score another win for South Korean cinema. At least I know where to go to get unbridled action machismo since America seems to have traded in their iron dumbbells from the 80s for fuzzy, politically correct balls for the aughts.

[–] JohnBonDon 9 years ago

If you think this movie is just like a Van Damme or a Norris flick you are clueless.

Those Hollywood action movies were horrible nonsense that were made more for ego reasons of the "stars" rather than actually giving a damn about making a good movie. Plus, they were filled with garbage one liners because the tradition in America is not to take action movies seriously. On top of that, the so called "action stars" were horrible actors. This is why they have fallen completely from whatever grace they were in and are struggling for spots in the direct to video market.

This movie has far more in common in terms of tone of the great Hong Kong action movies like The Killer in terms of actually taking the action genre seriously while having deep themes and great acting. The script could've been much better though as it had great ideas but was not executed as well as it could've been.

This movie is unlike Hollywood action movies except for the action scenes itself, which is unfortunate. The action in this and The Man From Nowhere (as it was directed by the same person) is very disappointing. Sadly, the bad direction and editing of recent Hollywood hacks is being copied in South Korea rather than taking lessons from Hong Kong action cinema which is the highest form of action film making. The so called "over the top" stunts and fight choreography you mentioned are the greatest action the world has ever scene. Nothing in Hollywood has ever been able to match it and the only times it has come close is if they hired Hong Kong action film makers or if those doing the action scenes are taking inspiration from Hong Kong action cinema.

[–] cyguration 9 years ago

they were filled with garbage one liners because the tradition in America is not to take action movies seriously.

Aw, I liked the one-liners. =(

This is why they have fallen completely from whatever grace they were in and are struggling for spots in the direct to video market.

I think coke habits also had something to do with it. ;)

This movie has far more in common in terms of tone of the great Hong Kong action movies like The Killer in terms of actually taking the action genre seriously while having deep themes and great acting.

Didn't really remind me of The Killer. I can see the similarities but The Killer felt more like a thriller where-as this was more of a straight-up action flick.

This movie is unlike Hollywood action movies except for the action scenes itself, which is unfortunate. The action in this and The Man From Nowhere (as it was directed by the same person) is very disappointing.

Hm, weird. I thought the action sequences in this and The Man From Nowhere were pretty good, especially The Man From Nowhere. That movie had "grounded" action sequences that felt hard hitting and real.

The bad direction and editing of recent Hollywood hacks is being copied in South Korea rather than taking lessons from Hong Kong action cinema which is the highest form of action film making.

Ehh, I wouldn't go that far. Have you seen Chrysalis? That has some of the best fight scene choreography since The Matrix.

Nothing in Hollywood has ever been able to match it and the only times it has come close is if they hired Hong Kong action film makers or if those doing the action scenes are taking inspiration from Hong Kong action cinema.

I don't like Steven Seagal but his fight scenes are VERY real. They used to make me wince. I do agree that majority of Hollywood's best fight scenes are usually hijacked from Hong Kong fight choreographers.

[–] JohnBonDon 9 years ago

Didn't really remind me of The Killer. I can see the similarities but The Killer felt more like a thriller where-as this was more of a straight-up action flick.

I'm not sure how this was a "straight-up action flick" where there isn't that much action until towards the end. Most of the movie is a drama.

Anyway, I was specifically referring to the the fact that it took itself seriously not the specific genre elements of the movies.

That movie had "grounded" action sequences that felt hard hitting and real.

None of that means anything if the editing and direction are poor in the action scenes which they were.

Ehh, I wouldn't go that far. Have you seen Chrysalis? That has some of the best fight scene choreography since The Matrix.

I have no idea what that is. Are you referring to this: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2544879616/tt2836260

I do agree that majority of Hollywood's best fight scenes are usually hijacked from Hong Kong fight choreographers.

I'm glad we agree. 

[–] sneak64 8 years ago

Could you give me another example of some 80's films that are similar to the recent stylish thrillers from Korea? I've seen twenty plus Korean films from the 2000's and 2010's that I liked.

And I'm of course familiar with some Van Damme and Norris but when I read your thread title I felt like you had some other 80's movies in mind that have a similar tone to The Man from Nowhere or Open City, etc.

[–] cyguration 8 years ago

Some timing... I was literally just about to shut down the PC when this popped into the inbox.

Could you give me another example of some 80's films that are similar to the recent stylish thrillers from Korea?

To Live and Die In LA is really something. Plenty of twists, turns, and bloody, thrilling action: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090180/

The Day of the Jackal. It's actually from the 1970s but it has that slow burn build and some of the plot-stylings of recent Korean thrillers with the "Ohhh, snap! I didn't see that coming!" kind of twists in there: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069947/

Cobra... a Stallone flick. You've probably already seen this but it's another pretty cool movie with some serious 80s visual style and heavy action toward the end: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090859/

Nighthawks is another under-the-radar flick. If you like more realistic thrillers with with subdued drama, this isn't a bad one: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082817/

No Mercy... this is one I used to watch ALL the time. It's a guilty pleasure for sure, but I liked the balls-to-the-walls vibe of this film: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091637/

I know it's a little goofy, but I had to add it... Murphy's Law. A decent Charles Bronson flick that moves at a steady pace and keeps the violence rolling at almost nonstop intervals: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091575/

Obviously Lethal Weapon 1, Lethal Weapon 2 and Die Hard make the list, but those are films everyone have seen.

Another cool one is Black Rain, which is yet another slow burn film with spurts of high-action in between. It's definitely more character driven than anything, and the visual style really stands out: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096933/

Blue Steel was another one I used to watch all the time. A gun fetish movie for people who love gun porn: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099160/

The Hidden is one of my personal favorites. This movie starts in a high octane manner and never lets up. It's definitely more sci-fi than the other movies on the list but if you like a cat-and-mouse chase with incessant gun violence, this movie fills the void perfectly. Think of it like a goofier version of I Saw The Devil. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093185/

And finally, I would suggest The Joshua Tree. It's not quite as serious as the other movies listed but it's still good. And if you need a Hong Kong fix, obviously Hard Boiled, The Killer and Police Story.

[–] IMDb-Rot_in_Hell 8 years ago

Snob d!ckhead.

[–] Korios 9 years ago

Has any film ever topped the martial art choreography at the end of The Man From Nowhere film? Krav Maga I think it was, and quite possibly both the most beautiful, most savage and most realistic single combat sequence I have ever seen. Can you think of any film that tops that? The Hero's sequences, for instance, are very impressive but you know they are largely fake and heavily edited. They feel like long rehearsed, carefully constructed choreography than real, brutal, bloody, to-the-death, martial arts.

Fanboy : a person who does not think while watching.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] cyguration 8 years ago

There was really only that one fight scene at the end of The Raid 2 that was really good. Everything else was kind of "meh". It felt forced and nowhere near as natural or as frenetic as the first film.

Now SPL 2... that had some awesome fight scenes.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] chilone (17310) 2 years ago

Korean movies are in a league all their own and I generally love them.