Extreme Job

Started off very strong through a series of slapstick scenes, but quickly loses steam as the story went on. A group of very likable cops with a great concept sounds like a combination that can do no wrong, but quite quickly you realize the film lacks memorable scenes and twists in the plot. The Chinese version of the film is stronger in both its cinematography and story that you feel the Korean version exists just to be there, but doesn't offer anything substantial. The bad guys are painfully one-dimensional and lacks personality. There are no doubt comedic moments sprinkled throughout, but there is not enough meat for the film to be remembered.

Captain Ko (Ryu Seung-ryong) leads a ragtag team of undercover narcotics officers, who have the reputation of bungling the simplest job. They have been trying for ages to catch a big drug lord, and when they discover that he and his gang are staying across the street from a chicken joint about to go out of business because there are never any customers, they take over the restaurant with the aim of spying on the kingpin and, hopefully, bringing him down. Unfortunately, the chicken that they cook is a massive hit and soon they have no time at all to spy because they're busy serving an unending stream of customers. Are they really so competent in cooking chicken when they're so incompetent of cops? Do they need to reconsider their career choices? Only time will tell....

This is a very funny movie, full of good humor, sight gags and, of course, lots and lots of staged fights between the heroes and the bad guys. Some of those are so over-the-top that it feels perfectly right to throw in a little music of the spaghetti western variety - fits right in! My only quibble is that during the fight scenes, the director (Lee Byeong-heon) chose to use the wobbly camera method, which always tends to irritate my eyes; otherwise, it's not surprising that this is a big hit in its home country, or (on the negative side) that a Hollywood remake is already in the works!

I watched it twice and surely would watch it again.

Characters are very Manga like and so fun to watch them do anything.

I just hope the dialogues are well translated to be able to pass the comedy to international audience. I suppose that's pretty challenging.

Good Korean movie to enjoy with all audience.

And I hope you have fried chicken on your table while watching this.

It is comedy but also packed in action. If you're not person that so into Korean movies, you might experience effort to adapt with Korean accent and gesture. But after 15 minutes you would get there for no doubt. Thumbs up for all actors and director.

Somehow it touched me by one scene when original sound track from legendary A Better Tomorrow was in it. I laughed alone since I guess none of other spectators in theater aware of it.

Again, everyone is perfectly in the right place to produce this movie.

Extreme Job is an entertaining action-comedy movie that has received massive critical acclaim in its home country and certainly deserves international recognition as well. The movie focuses on a team of detectives who have been running out of luck recently and who are trying to redeem themselves by arresting the members of an infamous drug ring. In order to do so, they pose as owners and employees of a run-down chicken restaurant located right across the street of the drug gang's hideout. Things get complicated when internal pressure on them increases on a daily base, when they unexpectedly get involved into drug trafficking themselves and when their revamped restaurant rises to fame and keeps them busy.

This movie convinces on numerous levels. First of all, the quirky story comes around with all kinds of surprises without losing focus and telling the viewers how events unfold naturally. Secondly, the characters are quite different, sympathetic and unique which makes the viewers care about their fates, reputations and ties. Thirdly, the movie convinces with lots of situation comedy which is balanced with some grittier action scenes in form of martial arts combats, car chases and shootings. Imagine a more profound and refreshingly revamped take on Hong Kong action cinema of the late eighties and early nineties and you know what to expect.

In the end, Extreme Job is one of the best movies of its kind in recent memory. The acting performances are great, the action scenes are gripping, the characters are intriguing, the story is dynamic and quirky and some tension is added to balance the more vivid elements quite efficiently. If you like this movie, you should check out similar South Korean action-comedy films such as the slightly superior Quick or the surrealistic Save the Green Planet!.