The Borderland

I have to say I strongly disagree with those reviewers praising this movie. It really really is just horrible. The script is just awful. The plot is so full of holes- that it is unbelievable. I have never seen the lead actor in anything else, so I don't know if his performance is a result of his lack of ability or a result of bad directing. His line delivery is worse than a second grader reading a book out loud for the first time. It is an action movie lacking much in the way of action. The few action sequences are bland and unexciting. Any attempt at comic relief falls flat. So if you come across this flick, pass it by and spare yourself the suffering.

We all know what these type of movies are trying to do, and as such, give them the benefit of the doubt. However, "Covert Operation" has too many flaws to rate any higher than a 2 out of 10. The portrayal of the North Koreans alone is horrible. I can only recommend this film as a poor attempt at a dark comedy. The dialogue is difficult to hear, and the accents are also very heavy. Much of the action is shot with the camera moving, another reason I do not care for the film. I like to see the action in my action films. The plot was hard for me to follow, but it seemed to contain more holes than substance. Also used through out the entire film was poor lighting, again making it difficult to follow the action, and plot. In conclusion, "Covert Operation" is a poor attempt at action, and should be watched with caution, if at all.

I had a real pleasure watching this movie... It's actually a good surprise for me. The story takes us to different and surprising places during the whole movie. The characters are well written and the actors make a good performance. The cast is international and brings an interesting variety of acting. The action is well directed and martial arts sequences are amazing with every time a different place with different opponents always extraordinary choreographed. The director succeeds to mix many genres and each of them has it own "Momentum". Some shots of Hong Kong are outstanding as well as the "special one" in the bunker. I look forward to watching the sequel. A must see action film

... you are ever likely to see.

The genre is ... confused.

It is has simultaneously elements of a martial arts film, a spy film, a comedy, and a horror film.

For example, there is a lot of humor around and about the topic of North Korea. Being from the west, I was not even aware that this was a bountiful source of material for comedy, but the screenwriter clearly saw the matter differently, and wrote jokes accordingly.

The shifts in mood & tone are unpredictable, and that is not necessarily a good thing.

A North Korean officer runs into the barracks only to find one of the soldiers reading a porn magazine. So he takes out a gun and shoots him in the head. In an adjoining scene a captured spy is being tortured by having his intestines removed while he is still alive.

Not quite as funny, that second bit..

All this takes getting some used to.

Nor does it help that the protagonist, the hero, speaks English with an odd accent. Now, in fairness, Jean Claude Van Damme did the same thing at the beginning of HIS career but I somehow doubt that Sedina Balde is about to follow in Van Damme's footsteps. More likely, he is simply going to be a bottom-tier action hero with an annoying accent.

The director TRIES. Boy does he try. There is a scene where simultaneous fights are taking place on two contiguous floors of the same building and I swear the camera angle actually inverts (goes upside down) to prepare the viewer for what comes next.

That is a very cool scene, perhaps the highlight of the film. Seriously cool.

Other directors will see it and copy it. It's THAT good.

Unfortunately, it comes near the half way point and its is all downhill from there.

------------------------------------------------------- PS added 11-12-14. Noticed 4 new reviews added, all rating this film at the level of THE MATRIX or GODFATHER, all by reviewers with only one single review in their IMDb profile. Make of this what you will.

I am not normally a follower of these types of films, though this one is unlike anything I had expected. The genre is an interesting blend of action, thriller, adventure, martial art, and even some comedy. If you are expecting something in particular, then you may not get the full appreciation of this film. I came in not knowing what to expect and I was very impressed. The action scenes are professionally done (for once!) and some of the camera work is also quite beautiful. Immediately after watching the film I wanted to watch it again. Even simply the visuals of the scenery and exotic setting were captivating. I simply loved this film.