Hoi-sa-won

From the very start to the end this is yet another example of the Korean way of making action movies.

On one hand, a lot of bloodshed and fighting (not to be misunderstood, the action moments are very well chosen) and on the other hand touching moments and a gentle exploration of the characters. For me this is quite an interesting recipe and a breath of fresh air from the clichés of the "classical" action movies.

Enough generalizing. Just thing about it: how would you live, if every morning you would punch your card and than head into an office in which you would get an assassination mission. Business as usual, right ? Well, have you thought about it ? Good. Now let's guess. What would a man with no family and the desire to head another way. A man who had his taste of blood, who satisfied his inner need for violence. Wouldn't he try to make a connection with the real, human world ? Wouldn't he try to befriend someone trustworthy ? Well, if you do want answers to these questions, watch this VERY interesting movie. One more thing. Hope you're not a vegetarian...

South Korea has really carved out a place for themselves by releasing some pretty awesome dramatic thrillers. This is one of those movies. A professional hit man working for a group who use a metal company as a front for their illegal enterprise, begins to rethink his career choice. After been given the task to eliminate a young and expendable coworker, he meets his co worker's mother, a former musician who he admired as a teen, and starts to develop feelings for her. This makes him want to leave all the more but how do you leave such a dangerous position unscathed?

I enjoyed the subtle drama used to build our characters and story in this film. There is an air of romance to this but it is really focused more on the relationship between the hitman and company. This was filmed and acted well and the action choreography was good. There's not much to complain about other than a bit of tweaking the story and adding a bit more to the end to tie up a few loose strings. This is a movie that I would recommend to a friend. Check it out.

An impressive movie. More than just a crime-thriller/action flick, this film takes a hard look at the Korean/Asian work-ethic, underlining the dangerously soulless nature of 'Corporate Family'. That's what The Company featured in this film is, beyond it's cover as metal-traders and its hidden, darker nature. The young field employees all see their Boss as a father-figure, "I love you, boss." the literal mantra of their interactions with him, something they say with such casual ease as to suggest this is, in fact, a relatively common way to greet your boss in South Korea. The lieutenant of the Boss, who doles out and reviews 'assignments', is like the jealous older brother; his position assured by the hierarchy, but his self-worth frequently challenged by the skills of his underlings, for which he punishes them frequently, and for which they desperately apologize. The protagonist is immersed in this family, seeing it as his life entire. He truly does love his boss, and his devotion to The Company borders on the absolute. As he leaves youth behind however, crisis of conscience begin to afflict him. He begins to question the worth of his own assignments, the value of the lives he's taking, and more and more he comes to feel that living should mean something more, and his love and devotion to a Company so callous and cruel has been gravely, woefully misplaced.

It's rare to find this kind of social commentary hovering over an action/thriller film, and I found it to be treat. It gives one a window into a way of living that one otherwise might only hear about, and explores the emotional anxieties surrounding that way of living in a gripping, often very heartfelt way. There's plenty of blood, violence and gun-play to keep the viewer entertained, but the deeper themes running through it provoke real sympathy and hard thought in those receptive to such things. The catharsis of the film, the 'redemption' of the protagonist, comes in the simple form of a conscious decision to smile; to seek happiness over professionalism. It's an odd moment, hard to place in time and setting, but a potent and highly uplifting one.

"A Company Man" is an average, not especially original, but mildly entertaining, story of the everyday life of a hit-man, who (you can imagine) will rethink his lifestyle.

Ji-seob So plays Ji, who does his job very well and cares for his 'family'. But on one job, he kind of starts thinking too much (how come all those hit men always end thinking too much) and doubting about the lifestyle he has. Cue our man trying to figure out how to be 'human' will being also a 'killer'.

The plot, as said above, is 'hit-man-with-a-heart' 101, and someone should tell the writers of this kind of movies to be a little bit original (here the originality is that the assassin's company has a... well, company, in a building, where people 'work' as your average salaryperson).

But even lame plots can be made great by acting, production, direction, scenery, pace... Here all of this is more or less average, the best the acting (even if we still fall into the blank, expressionless acting for the hit-man). All enjoyable enough, with a couple of set-pieces that are good. However, the movie neglects its raison d'etre (action), because the direction and pace of the action pieces is not as good as it should. Especially, because the movie falls into the we-cannot-shoot-for-the-love-of-all-the-gods pit trap.

"A Company Man" will be an enjoyable one hour and a half for fans of this genre, but it offers absolutely nothing new.

The only thing these Company Men have in common with the other Company Men (movie with Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones and more), is that they're struggling to survive after they are fired. On a more serious note though: This is a really good action drama, with a central performance that is understated and played very small.

Of course you have to wait quit a bit for action pieces, after an initial amazing stung at the beginning of the movie. But while it is foreseeable most of the times, it does deliver on everything it promises. There is over dramatization a few times, but you'll either accept it as part of the movie or just hate it happening. Depends on your own view.