Yaksha

Yaksha is a fast paced movie. Rarely in the movie you will find a slow moment and if any, it's just to explain some situations to the viewer.

It's not the among the bests that exist and not among the worsts. In a lot of the gunfights, seeing how no bullets hit the good guys the movie just becomes comedic. But it stays enjoyable to watch. The acting is just okay. Just watch it if you got nothing else to watch and need a good time.

Please Note that the movie can be sensitive to viewers who are into politics especially Japanese and Koreans. A lot of hates cliché that Japanese hates koreans and koreans hate Japanese more than North Koreans. This movie won't resolve any tensions of the past. So just a warning to any who are into politics.

...except that it only cost a fraction to make, that it was made by filmmakers who seem to still believe that movies should be fun, and that it employs every cliché in the spy movie playbook, including probably some not yet invented.

The movie stars the veteran Sol Kyung-gu as Ji Kang-in, one of these rugged agents whose standard operating procedure indeed seems ruthless. He has a pre-credits teaser in Hong Kong at his disposal to prove his worth looking for a double agent and leaving bodies everywhere.

If I attempted to write a plot summary, I would most likely be writing well into next year, so let's say that the action shifts to Shenyang in northeast China four years later. The former Seoul prosecutor Han Ji-hoon (Park Hae-soo) comes to the city now representing NIS - South Koreas answer to CIA - to check out a supposed information leak. Is there a mole in agent Ji's team? Agent Ji sure hasn't found the one he been looking for himself.

The banter between Sol Kyung-gu and Park Hae-soo as polar opposites makes for some good fun in between a lot of shooting and a lot of plot. The movie's politics is equally offensive to everyone, from the North Koreans to the Japanese, while the Chinese apparently couldn't care less as the Shenyang police is mostly nowhere in sight despite all the gunfights going on in broad nightlight.

The idea of Shenyang as a hotbed for spies is a bit like Istanbul in "From Russia With Love", so maybe this is what the 1960s Cold War spy thrillers have developed into for the 2020s?

It's fast-paced fun, anyway, full of blood and guts. But it's not a movie to think too deeply about.

Came across this new Korea action movie on Netflix. Storyline was intriguing and fast pace. Quite a few plot twist and good action. Look like there is going to have a sequel. Can't wait to see.

It is a very good action spy thriller with many twists. If you want to spend your time action packed thriller, and entertainment, it is a good choice. I watched the dubbed one, which is good as well.

But nonetheless still a very exciting action packed thriller. I don't think this movie would be allowed to be released in China, 'cause most of the incidents happened in a north-east China city. Both South Korean and Japanese were involved in non-stop battles against each other, trying to get a top secret from the North Korean chief of intelligence. The acting part from the South Korean actors were absolutely great. The screenplay was also carried out perfectly. All the fighting scenes also looked quite real and seamless. This movie also carried a hidden message that both North Korea and South Korea seemed to realize neither Japanese nor American government would like to have a unified Korea and, of course, neither CCP China like North Korea united with South Korea. This hidden message is just an open secret that most of the people in the world, except those naive ones, already knew such fact. This is a very unique and exciting thriller, even it's a bit absurd, still highly recommended.