Hard Day

A HARD DAY is another electric thriller from those top film-makers in South Korea, who know how to pack more laughs, action, and genuine suspense-filled set-pieces into their films than many a Hollywood rival. A HARD DAY tells a small-scale story about a cop on the edge; investigated by Internal Affairs for corruption, he accidentally hits and kills a pedestrian while out driving one night and must cover up the crime before he's discovered.

This premise is just the set-up for a film that comes off as a string of sometimes awesome set-pieces. The long sequence in the room with the coffin is a masterwork of tension, and if the rest of the movie can't quite equal that high, then it does a very good job nonetheless. A HARD DAY has everything you'd want from a thriller: dark laughs, shock scenes, violence, and some plot twists you definitely won't see coming. I particularly enjoyed the endless climax, which keeps you on the edge of your seat and leaves you breathless afterwards. Check it out!

A Hard Day is a well-crafted action thriler, plenty with both cop-movie conventions and jaw-dropping twists and turns. With its efficient score and awe-inspiring cinematography, it is a pleasurable two-hour rollercoaster ride.

I'm an avid South Korean movie watcher. It's getting to a point where I'm seeing a least 1 per week.

There's a reason for that, they're great movies, really great movies.

The funny twist that I see on many of these police movies is that the police corruption, including the main character is considered as a norm. There is no glorifying the main character as a hero, standing above the dirty sea untarnished. He is just as dirty as the rest.

Again, a similar plot lines that runs through here is the main character is not the most likable character. Also it's more a story on a man who just happens to be a police officer rather than a police story.

These are things that have popped up quite a few times in other South Korean thrillers I've seen and it still has not gone stale.

The quirky, dirty, off beat, stylized, South Korean action movie is incredibly refreshing when placed up against the rest of the world.

This is a great movie, doesn't get into my top ten of South Korean movies but it's getting harder and harder to get into that top 10. With all the fantastic movies out there a great movie doesn't make the cut.

I don't remember seeing another Korean movie recently. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if I realize later that this is my first one.

I'm European and my initial reaction, the first couple of minutes, was a quiet laughter because the language sounded funny. But soon after that the impossible plot and situations starting to unfold...

This is about a corrupted Korean homicide detective who drives his car on his way to attend his mother's funeral. What happens during his ride to the funeral home might happen to anyone, but his actions after the fact escalate in a way that is both funny and tragic. The plot thickens and he finds himself in a roller-coaster of crime, bad luck and bad decisions. The conclusion is satisfying though!

The direction is very very good. Adds to the thrilling sensation that many of the scenes have, but also has a definite black sense of humor. The main actor gives an exaggerate performance but maybe that's what this part needed.

Overall: If you come across it, watch it.

A hard day indeed as the international title of the movie goes. One of the best movies I had the pleasure to watch in 2014. If you like you dark humor that is not afraid to go places and a story that twists and turns and gives the viewer (and the main character) new challenges to deal with every other 5 minutes, you're in for a treat.

You may be able to spot a couple of things, but in general this is really a refreshing experience with many action sequences combining "horror" and comedy (that's everyday horror, as in what can go wrong and so forth). A great mixture that allows for set pieces that are original and a genuine funny viewing experience for the audience. I can highly recommend this