"New World" is, at its core, about a man torn in his loyalty between law and lawlessness. It is easy to understand why Ja-sung hesitates in going along with Operation New World. Jung Chung is a charismatic man, excellently played by Hwang Jung-min, but the undying trust that Jung places in his underling shows itself poignantly in both men's performances. Choi Min-sik, who has made a career of playing heavies so well, shows he's equally adept at taking on responsibilities on the right side of the law. All three men play these roles to the hilt, perfectly portraying the high-stakes tension associated with the game at hand.
True to form for Korean cinema, some pretty vicious punishments are doled out in graphic detail (in one scene, a snitch is forced to guzzle wet cement; in another, an undercover cop is stuffed in a barrel). But what makes the film so engrossing is the tension that broods over the film, the threat of exposure that permeates every second of its runtime. The director certainly has a wonderful handle on the atmosphere, something that should put him in a tier with Park Chan-wook (of "Oldboy" fame).
"New World" does feel like the spiritual successor of films like "Infernal Affairs" and its Oscar- winning remake "The Departed". And like Scorsese's take on it, the film is masterfully crafted, with lovely cinematography and a true gem of a musical score adding to the foreboding nature of the piece. I would even go so far as to say that I think "New World" is an improvement on those other films, in that I feel it keeps all of the tension while erasing the kinks that I feel dragged them down (no Nicholson-esque dildo gags or Farmiga-level awfulness here, viewers).
"New World" works smashingly, continuing in that fine South Korean tradition of great and gritty crime dramas. It may lack the sheer visceral nature of the "Vengeance" trilogy and virtuoso acting of "I Saw the Devil", but this thriller is strangely personal, with brusque action and merciless Mamet-like urgency keeping us on the edge of our seat. If Marty decided to try his hand at another remake, he'd do well to consider this one.
True to form for Korean cinema, some pretty vicious punishments are doled out in graphic detail (in one scene, a snitch is forced to guzzle wet cement; in another, an undercover cop is stuffed in a barrel). But what makes the film so engrossing is the tension that broods over the film, the threat of exposure that permeates every second of its runtime. The director certainly has a wonderful handle on the atmosphere, something that should put him in a tier with Park Chan-wook (of "Oldboy" fame).
"New World" does feel like the spiritual successor of films like "Infernal Affairs" and its Oscar- winning remake "The Departed". And like Scorsese's take on it, the film is masterfully crafted, with lovely cinematography and a true gem of a musical score adding to the foreboding nature of the piece. I would even go so far as to say that I think "New World" is an improvement on those other films, in that I feel it keeps all of the tension while erasing the kinks that I feel dragged them down (no Nicholson-esque dildo gags or Farmiga-level awfulness here, viewers).
"New World" works smashingly, continuing in that fine South Korean tradition of great and gritty crime dramas. It may lack the sheer visceral nature of the "Vengeance" trilogy and virtuoso acting of "I Saw the Devil", but this thriller is strangely personal, with brusque action and merciless Mamet-like urgency keeping us on the edge of our seat. If Marty decided to try his hand at another remake, he'd do well to consider this one.