L'organisation

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.

Ji Hyeong-Do (So Ji-Sub) works at what appears to be a regular company, however, this is just a convenient smoke-screen for the actual modus operandi: contract killing. Using this particular business as the backdrop for the illegal operations is uniquely entertaining, as much as it is thought provoking, while comparing the assassins to regular employees offers an interesting approach in depicting these methodically trained killers. Under the guise of company president Jeon (Jeon Kwak-Han), who truly appreciates Hyeong-Do's capabilities, and the unlikable, egotistical Kwon Jong-Tae (Kwak Do-won), who ironically appears to psychologically evaluate the staff, Hyeong-Do's career has admirably flourished, his impeccable record readying him for many promotions.

Despite this, we are able to witness Hyeong-Do outside of his employ, affiliating with retired assassin Ban Ji-Hoon (Lee Kyoung-Young), an old acquittance of his, who serves as a figure of guidance and support. Hyeong-Do is seen to be questioning his stay with the company, alongside harboring feelings of resentment and fatigue, Ji-Hoon being tactically used to put into words what Hyeong-Do cannot, revealing the life that those working for this particular organization are forced to endure.

After hiring an impressionable young man, Ra-Hoon (Kim Dong-Joon) to assist with the assassination of a target, Hyeong-Do is ordered to terminate all loose ends, but finds this particular assignment more difficult than previous experiences after forming an attachment with his temporary partner. Overcome by regret, he fulfills Ra-Hoon's wishes and meets his family: his sister, Bo-Seul (Han Bo-Bae), who is as spontaneous as she is disrespectful, and his mother, Yoo Mi-Yeon (Lee Mi-Yeon), a former one time pop idol, who Hyeong-Do has a past connection to, being not only appreciative, but inspired, by this beautiful woman and her family.

Over the course of the feature, Hyeong-Do appears legitimately introverted, experiencing difficulties in socialization and communicative practices, that are conveyed effectively through facial expression, an occasional inability to look others in the eye, and difficulty in finding appropriate words to accommodate a situation. Mi-Yeon on the other hand, although suffering the shame of never successfully completing her professional endeavors, is quite the opposite, being garrulous, sweet, compassionate and family oriented, always looking out for others, rather than attempting to secure her own happiness. Although these two characters have almost nothing in common, with the exception of a unanimous attraction, the film depicts them as not necessarily wanting to be in a relationship, as much as they need to be together, both individuals having the capacity to complete and compliment the other.

As Hyeong-Do's lacking dedication to the company becomes increasingly more noticeable, questions regarding his professionalism begin to plague those in command. As an inquisitive detective, Myung-Duk (Park Jin-Woo) begins to investigate the authenticity of the company's business, and his contact with Hyeong-Do is revealed, the once revered assassin discovers the company he has worked tirelessly for, have a strong desire to terminate his contract - permanently, putting not only himself, but those he cares about, at risk.

The action segments in the film are well executed, and despite the predictability that often accompanies their execution, the locations, that are not always stereotypical for action movies, offers entertaining backdrops to the genre. At the same time however, though South Korean action features have established themselves as frenetically enjoyable experiences, they are also renown for their melodramatic atmosphere. In the case of A Company Man, there were more than a couple of moments where the filmmakers had the opportunity to invest the audience more emotionally in the story, yet, these moments appear to be wasted, and for the most part, despite the interesting characters and appealing visuals, this film is one that will not invest its audience entirely into the plot.

Further characterization regarding Hyeong-Do's original motivations for becoming an assassin, alongside knowledge on Mi-Yeon's past life, would have been additionally advantageous. This aside however, A Company Man, despite its South Korean origins, is capable of reflecting the kind of action we have come to expect from American features, and with this in mind, will surely entertain its audience, though if a viewer is after something with further depth, perhaps they ought to order from another menu.

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.

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 Korean filmmakers are top of the field when it comes to pumping out incredibly intense, superbly directed action-thrillers with breakneck stunts and action sequences enlivened by super-fast editing and gritty realism. Such films are clearly inspired by the BOURNE movies directed by Paul Greengrass, yet they're very much the equal of those movies.

A COMPANY MAN is another instalment in this particular sub-genre and a film whose plot bears more than a passing resemblance to the Korean classic, A BITTERSWEET LIFE. There's plenty of room for social commentary as the main character plays a guy caught in a corporate world, unable to quit the job he's grown tired of and forced to work under his despicable superiors. The twist? That he's a hit-man.

What transpires during the film's running time is easily guessable and yet at the same time it's eminently watchable. Ji-seob So does a great job as the gaunt and tired lead you get behind, and the film features a sequence of top-class action sequences to keep it bubbling merrily along. It's a slow builder, this one, leading up to a taut, frenetic and mayhem-filled climax which truly doesn't disappoint. If only all movies could be this entertaining.