Even when Park Hoon-jung doesn't create an excellent film with deep meaning and emotion, he still manages to entertain and bring something that we'll always remember.
Kim Seon-ho's character is fantastic. At first, we don't know what to expect, and we might even think he's just a side character, but he carries the entire film with his charisma, humor, and somewhat superhuman fight/gun skills. He also steals the show because Kang Tae-ju never manages to do something memorabel mostly due to the script he has in front of him for a character who should have been the main focus of this film, as everything revolves around him.
Apart from this significant issue, the film seems to prioritize the spectacle of its setpieces over any deep construction. I missed the artistic and emotional touch of Hoon-jung that we saw in "Night in Paradise" (probably my favorite of his), but even in terms of intrigue and complexity, it doesn't come close to what he achieved in "New World" or, I would even say, "V. I. P." (although I know that's not a consensus).
Nevertheless, there are excellent scenes that will stay in my memory, such as the executions of the informants or the entire impressive and over-the-top third act. I enjoyed the ending (yes, I'm a fan of plot twists, give me all of them!), the presence of some good feeling amidst it all, and that comical post-credits scene.
