Admittedly there are several reasons I decided to watch KillBoksoon. First of all, I love chick flick of all kind, it feels empowering and exciting to me. Secondly, watching action movies with lots of fighting scene is also I love. Additionally, Jeon Do-yeon who played Gil Bok Soon is not a known actress to me before Crash Course in Romance, in which she also portrayed a strong female character so am naturally curious. Sowith all of these, I decided to watch.
This movie has a typical assassin storyline but with a slight but yet interesting twist. Subtle love story with a twist. Single mom teenage daughter touching storyline (perhaps because I have one too). There are dark comedy here and there, which make the story althemore interesting to follow. Gil Bok Soon is a single mother with a dark childhood background. The dark childhood background turned her into a top tier assassin if not the best with 100% kill rate. In the dark underbelly, this industry is ruled by MK Ent run by Cha Min Kyu (Sol Kyung Gu, and younger version is Lee Jae Wook) who trained Gil Bok Soon, in which they hold mutual respect as well for Cha Min Kyu love at first sight. Cha Min Kyu perhaps is the only assassin ahead of Bok Soon in kill skill. Bok Soon has a teenage daughter, Gil Jae Yong ( Kim Shi Ah), who she deeply love and is trying her best to be great mother, including being active at her school with the other mothers. Her daughter for sure is typical teenage girl with their complexity in which some cause altercation that worries Bok Soon to no end. On the side, Bok Soon is involked with Han Hee Sung ( Koo Kyo Hwan ). who is a top killer but for reasons that will be one of the reveal do not receive acknowledgement from MK Ent. Cha Min Kyu has a sister, Cha Min Hee ( Esom ) who doted on him to the point of obsessiveness and hated the fact that Bok Soon always come first for Cha Min Kyu. Just before Bok Soon contract expired, she is involved in life threatening altercation.
For sure, there are a lot of beautiful frames that I can summarize this movie is thoroughly have awesome cinematography. Director Byun Sung Hyun style as one can see from The Merciless and as well King Maker is poetic rather than realistic in his frame. It reminds me of the beauty in some of best Japanese Samurai movies poetic frames that are more poetic dramatic rather than realistic. The fact that he has worked now three times with Sol Kyung-gu help framing of the most dramatic scene to be beautiful as the actor already familiar with what is expected of him. Jeon Do Yeon also an accomplished actress who is like cameleon able to transition quickly to be an accomplished assassin and avoid acting the same style as her previous role, she is truly chameleonic in her acting. The stilted chemistry between Sol Kyung-gu and Jeon Do Yeon able to bring strong under current of frustration and status quo relationship between both of them. For sure Sol Kyung-gu able to bring frustrated repressed feeling toward Jeon Do Yeon very well. Jeon Do Yeon for sure able to bring dark comedic sense very well that prevent this movie to go completely dark andentirely noir that one feel tired after watching the movie or feel depressed. Kim Shi Ah acting as frustrated teenager with complex issue is something worth noticing, she will for sure have bright future as long as she continue to grow her craft.
Given this is Korean assassin movies, it is inevitable there are a lot of fighting scenes. Violent fighting scenes, but set as always beautifully. There are some scenes that are set differently nearly uniquely as well as camera speed plays as well, they are truly creative and entertaining ( for those who enjoy fight scenes of course). Kuddos to Jeon Do Yeon who is able to transition well to an action female lead that has a lot of screen fight time, a lot of aggresive and high energi fight scenes that Jeon Do Yeon acted well and the result is truly entertaining one.
What make Kill Bok Soon even more enjoyable is that the set, prop and costume are highly artistic for an assassin movies, that are then set with highly artistic movie making where the color are enhanced for beautiful viewing. I get reminded of the best samurai and wuxia movies on the seting and color of the frames.
To top it up, the selection of the OST is highly unusual but again entirely appropriate to drive some of the emotional takeaway of the hauntingness of some of the frame making the entire movie is not just the feast for the eyes but also the ears.
It is your usual date movie for sure but if you are bored with the usual light movie, it is something you can watch together and have discussion after or stay still to enjoy the aftermath feeling from the movie. It is a must watch for those into action flickabsolutely !
