Bulhandang

If you want to see what top shelf action crime drama looks like ,The Merciless, as the title translates, is its very definition.

This is a polished, likeable, laughable but ultimately, very dark film. Its essence if you look closely, is a proxy dysfunctional father son styled relationship. The older and younger crime figures play ball, they have fun, they make jokes, hang out, rough house, conspire, collaborate, share the good and the bad.

Of course given the nature of what they are and what they do the outcome was and is, very bleak and could be nothing else. In its closing scenes there's a certain sense of the events of this film coming full circle too. Of loss and a grim kind of anti hero, rebirth.

If you like quality crime drama, with healthy amounts of action, with an adjoiner that this film is violent and occasionally sadistic, then you really can't do better than this offering from Korea. A deeply impressive effort. 10/10 from me.

I'm confused with the reviews below 7. Are we watching the same movie?

This movie is really good. For those who like the crime genre, it's engaging and not boring. I've rewatched it more than 20 times. It's that good. You need to pay attention to the actors' microexpressions. Observe the cinematography and the chemistry-everything is perfect.

If you rate it below 7, it might not be your genre. You have to focus on the details. Im Siwan's acting here is truly amazing. Sol Kyung-gu's characterization is also impressive; he consistently delivers a stable and expressive performance. Chungmuro is truly remarkable.

This movie really made me obsessed.

This film was showcased at the Cannes Film Festival.

The Merciless is an incredible film, but Im Siwan totally and completely blew me away. His performance was on another level, and he fully owned his role. Before this, I had only seen him in "Run On" and "Summer Strike," where he played sweet, naive characters. But after watching "The Merciless," I saw him in a completely different light. His transformation was insane-he proved he can take on any character and completely embody it. His acting in this film was supreme, and he deserves way more recognition for it.

The movie itself was fantastic gripping storyline, intense action, sharp dialogue, and stunning cinematography. It was so well executed that it absolutely deserved the standing ovation it received at the 70th Cannes Film Festival. The tension kept me on edge the entire time, and the twists made it even better.

If you haven't seen The Merciless yet, you need to! It's a bold, stylish, and masterfully crafted crime thriller that deserves way more recognition. Highly recommended!

The Merciless is a tense and wonderfully paced film with beautiful cinematography and dynamic camerawork. It's convoluted plot with constant surprises is nevertheless easy to follow and tricky narrative structure that features time-jumps and reversals cleanly delineated. The characters are clearly distinguishable from one another; hard-boiled and violent but also humorous at times. I was fully engaged, entertained and delighted by the effortless expertise and strong performances displayed in every frame.

The main element of trust and betrayal is what I really liked in this movie. It was dark and bloody but really interesting movie. It didn't bore you and kept you intrigued.