Hunt

I think the story line is too complicated for a 2 hour movie, may be better for a 6 episode series so that the story can develop at a slower pace and viewers have the time to process and understand. Maybe it's ok for Koreans, but for me as a foreigner with little knowledge of their history, I find it difficult to take in the whos and whys. I have many questions while watching, why he is doing this, why he is suspecting them, etc etc.

On the whole this movie is not bad for a first time director. Action scenes and acting are great. I like the 2 male leads and other supporting actors are good too.

Hunt is a gritty action packed movie. It hits the ground rolling from the very start and doesn't stop for a breather at any moment. The action scenes are all very well done and feel realistic with a lot of human emotion. The acting is very convincing as well.

Unfortunately, the story is a bit difficult to follow. Sure, it is easy to follow the over arching story but there will be moments where you are scratching your head over the intricate details.

Perhaps Hunt relied too much on action and drama, and therefore forgot to slow things down and explain to the viewers what is happening, who this character is, or what their deal is exactly.

By the halfway point of this Korean spy thriller, I had completely lost track of who was the "good guy" and who was the "bad guy," though it seems this confusion might be intentional. The film is filled with men in suits, constantly second-guessing whether the armed person beside them is an ally or a potential enemy. This uncertainty is at the core of the story, but for non-Korean viewers, the exposition is muddled and poorly handled right from the start.

The film barely provides any background on the sociopolitical context of the country, especially regarding the fraught history between North and South Korea during the 1970s and 1980s. This lack of explanation adds further narrative incoherence for viewers unfamiliar with Korea's political landscape. What could have been an opportunity to explore the long and complex relationship between the two Koreas instead becomes a missed chance due to the film's confusing structure.

Its main weakness lies in its diffuse storytelling. The poorly defined time jumps make it hard to follow the timeline, and the constant betrayals and plot twists quickly become overwhelming, leaving the audience struggling to keep up. Without a clear narrative or context, the story falls flat, making it difficult to stay invested in the film's many twists and turns.

No pun intended - and of course this is not about hunting animals. Also it does not just have one hidden truth - there will be multiple reveals here. And the whole thing is based on history, on real events (as a friend of mine told me). Which makes it almost necessary to dig in and find out more about actual events (because as happens often, this surely has done some heightened reality, which the beginning suggest too).

The characters are well drawn, but also quite complicated. Also for people who may not watch too many Korean or Asian movies in general and have to concentrate on the subtitles, they may have some issues to distinguish the two main characters from time to time - no pun intended here either. Being confused about them may help elevate the suspense even further actually. Guessing game and all that.

Action scenes are more than well shot and the twists will keep you guessing from start to finish. Just do not expect this to ... resolve things the way you want it too. South Koread has a dark history too - they were apparently not always as free as they are now. And the movie is not shy about that fact. As it is not shy about blood and violence (good effects) ... not for the faint hearted, but really well done.

Initially I find it a bit confusing and scattered as there is a huge espionage and political plot here crammed up in 2 hours. Very confusing for someone who has not much history of South Korea situation in the 1980s. I had to pause to read up before I continue with the movie. I understand the movie is fictional but based on real events. It is entertaining and full of surprises, twists, double agents, secrets but it doesn't gel properly. The acting is believable and good. Thankfully the subtitles are good too but one must read rather fast as there's lots of fast speech and action and noise. Would have scored higher if the story flow wasn't so messy.