The Roundup: No Way Out

This is just siccccck! Forget John Wick, forget Equalizer, forget James Bond, forget Jason Borne or whichever action movie Hollywood has produced ever, this right here is the ish! Whaaat? I am going back to watch the previous edition just because I enjoyed this one so much.

I can't think of what not to like about this franchise. Yes, I heard people argue that Don Lee should pick on guys his size and that the villains are usually too weak compared to his size and strength. To an extent I understand and would certainly love to see him take on someone equally strong. But watching him kick these weaklings butts works because even though the villains are not as physically as strong, they are unbelievably wicked and you so badly want someone to kick their butt and Don Lee does that so nicely.

Aside that, the cinematography is spot on. The fight scenes are just incredible. The humor too is out of this world. This is the kind of movie that gets you laughing but demands your full respect when things get serious.

I guess the only questioning bit is why the villians don't use guns but choose to use bats, knives and swords. Maybe it's a cultural thing. But then again, I've seen other Korean movies where they used lots of guns. I'll like to see how Don Lee handles such a scenario.

Directed by Lee Sang-yong, "The Roundup: No Way Out" (2023) is an exciting new entry in the beloved crime action series that has won over fans with its fun mix of humor and high-octane thrills. The film features the incredible Ma Dong-seok, who returns as the easygoing yet tough detective, Ma Seok-do. His performance is truly engaging, striking a perfect balance between the film's comedic moments and the intense action that viewers have come to love - he simply owns the character from the beginning to the end!

The storyline is pretty straightforward, allowing everything to flow smoothly, which makes it easy for audiences to get into. This simplicity adds to its appeal, providing a solid base for the funny and action-packed scenes that play out. The plot revolves around Ma Seok-do's unwavering quest for justice, and his chill personality contrasts nicely with the mayhem surrounding him.

One of the film's highlights is its clever use of slapstick humor. There are plenty of funny moments that genuinely make you laugh, often stemming from the ridiculous situations Ma Seok-do finds himself in.

On top of that, the action scenes are thrilling, showcasing his iconic "steam hammer fist of justice." His physical presence and charm shine in every fight, delivering a satisfying mix of toughness and humor that keeps viewers engaged. The choreography is spot-on, ensuring that every punch and kick hits hard while still keeping that lighthearted vibe that makes the film so enjoyable.

This franchise became repetitive, nothing new and no freshness, we already knew that Don Lee unstoppable can beating everyone and everything. The chase, interrogation, many scene are similar, even the closing scenes is still the same

The bad guys this time don't feel threatening. They really need make a strong, wicked and unique villain to deal with Don Lee, he needs to be in more danger. Hopefully they give something different and put new elements in the next movie

Drugs, yakuza and cops corrupt, you got it this time

But still this is a good instalments, everyone will go to cinema watching it.

I still feel Don Lee is an underrated action star in the west, and I hope Hollywood takes notice of him and starts making some English action films with him, and I don't mean underutilizing his action and comedy talents like they did in Eternals. It would be nice to see Lee in a crime-action film without having to read subtitles and miss most of the fun trying to read.

And as per usual, he did not disappoint in this film. The action and comedy was great, but I found both elements lacking in this film compared to The Outlaws that I had rated a 9/10, and the previous The Roundup I had rated a perfect 10/10. The story in this one has a few good twists, but was still generic and cliched compared to the first two films. There wasn't as much humor in this film as there was in the two previous ones either. Still, lots of action and a fun and entertaining watch, and a well deserved 8/10 for this one from me.

A very average prequel, this movie misses the charming and funny characters of the first two movies and thats kinda sad but this is a prequel and we need to respect that ok, overall the villain is not as memorable as the first two amazing and violent antagonists, this movie has a very pathetic villain and that's kinda sad not gonna lie, the protagonist deserves a better villain to encounter, definitely the worst movie of this awesome franchise from Korea, just like John Wick is the worst of the John Wick Franchise ok, overall good little movie to watch Sunday while doing other activities ok 6/10.