Bi-gong-sik-jak-jeon

In my review of the movie "Ransomed" from a Lebanese perspective, I found it disheartening that despite the story being set in Lebanon during the 1980s civil war, the film was shot in Morocco. The landscape, including scenes like the airplane landing, lacked authenticity, making it challenging for me, as a Lebanese viewer, to connect with the narrative. The discrepancy extended to actors, houses, and language pronunciation, diverting from the genuine Lebanese experience.

While I empathize with the historical event of the Korean diplomat's kidnapping in Lebanon, it was unfortunate to witness a portrayal that deviated from our reality. As a Lebanese, I believe it's crucial to honor history accurately, even when showcasing it through cinematic lenses.

Ransomed is a captivating film that combines the thrilling true story of a real-life hostage situation with creative imagination. Director Kim Sung Hoon, known for his ability to portray intense struggles in films like" A Hard Day " &" Tunnel", shines once again in this gripping suspense...

One of the great strengths of "Ransomed" is that it doesn't try to do too much and keeps a good balance. It doesn't rely too heavily on humor or push for tears. The movie strikes a perfect balance as it takes us through the hostage rescue process with a delightful mix of lighthearted humor between the characters, thrilling action sequences, and a gentle touch of emotion stemming from the personal growth of the characters...

Ransomed delivers a perfect blend of humor and action that makes it an enjoyable summer flick. Moreover, with thrilling car chases set in 1980s Lebanon, it offers a refreshing and exhilarating time...

Also with few lead characters Director manages the pace seamlessly with effective camera work that holds the soul of the flick & Not to forget the actors did a fantastic job not to say in particular...

When a Korean diplomat is kidnapped in war-torn Lebanon, his government is conflicted about paying his ransom demand. It falls to "Min-joon" (Ha Jung-woo) to travel there and execute quite a complex plan to extricate their citizen and stay one step ahead of the warlords and the authorities who all want a share of his rather valuable luggage! Luckily, his airport-escaping antics find him in the back of the taxi driven by "Pan-soo" (Ju Ji-hoon). Now this fellow just happens to be a Korean ex-pat, he's also a slightly dubious character who can think on his feet, and who has had dealings with their government in the past. What now ensues is quite an engaging series of adventures as the pair face more and more perilous tasks trying to stay alive and rescue "Mr Oh"! It is too long, and at times it drags a little - but director Seong Hun Kim manages to create one of the more authentic looking desert adventures featuring loads of gunfire, some rabid dogs, a fun car chase down an alleyway and I found this to be way more watchable than some more recent, bigger budget, action films with Hollywood stars atop them. It's a fun watch this, with a good dynamic between the two men on their quest; the script is occasionally quite funny and the whole thing has a sort of light-heartedness to it that I quite enjoyed. Based on a true story, too - who'd be an emissary?

Korean political action thriller in the same vein as Mogadishu and The Point Men.

Ha Jung-woo stars in the really entertaining film by up-and-coming director Kim Seong-hun (who already proved his worth with A Hard Day, and continues to do so here). Possibly a better offering than the other two films mentioned before, in a sense that it melds geopolitical concerns with plenty of action and humor without ever hitting a false note, bar an occasional scene.

I find it hard to believe there would be a genre fan out there who wouldn't at least enjoy parts of what Ransomed offers. It's so, so fun, intense, creative in its action scenes that its two-hour runtime zips by.

Very much recommended to genre fans, and/or if you simply like commercial entertainment done right.

Great movie with a mix of drama and action. The whole movie is action packed and I, as a viewer, find it interesting to watch a wide variety of characters who want something of their own. It's worth adding that the movie is really based on real events and it's a payoff. Koreans were able to convey the atmosphere of a real case.

There are a lot of funny moments in the movie, which together with the fight scenes look decent. And the dramatic moments make you feel completely different emotions. The movie raises eternal questions such as friendship, betrayal, etc.

I would also note the excellent camerawork and music accompaniment.

This is one of the few decent movies where the main genres are action and comedy.