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The Chaser
Policeman turned pimp
Jung-ho (Kim Yoon-Suk) is having a tough time of it. His ladies of the
night keep going missing, and Jung suspects a wealthy customer is
kidnapping his women and selling them on for a tidy profit.
He instructs one of his
remaining girls, Mi-jin (Seo Yeong-Hee) to accompany the suspicious
fellow to his palatial lair, then to call him once she’s inside so he
will have the customer’s address and an idea if he is in fact the one
causing the disappearance of his ladies.
It turns out the
customer is indeed causing the girls to go missing, but in a much
bloodier and less entrepreneurial fashion than that suspected by
Jung-ho. When Mi-jin fails to answer any of his calls, it is up to the
wily ex-detective to locate the poor dear before she gets turned into
mincemeat like each of the killer’s other hapless victims. Reluctantly
taking Mi-jin’s young daughter under his wing, he races around town in
hopes he can solve the riddle of her whereabouts before it’s too late.
Not to be confused with
the antics of the Aussie comedy troupe, this solid Korean crime thriller
has been taking international festival audiences by storm. A tense and
tersely-executed affair, The Chaser is a resounding success for
writer and director Na Hong-Jin. Ha Jeong-Wu is chillingly effective as
the demented psychopath with a penchant for taking a hammer and chisel
to the heads of young streetwalkers, and Yoon-Suk puts in a charismatic
and believable performance in his increasingly desperate attempts to
play the hero.
With an excellent
two-part making-of included as a bonus feature and a Hollywood remake on
the cards courtesy of the team responsible for The Departed, this
is a strong and engrossing release that will reward fans of serial
killer thrillers. Atmospheric and containing enough subtle plot
convolutions to keep you on your toes, The Chaser stands as one
of the finest examples of Korean cinema in recent memory.
Special Features
Making of The Chaser
International Trailer
Stills Gallery
Eastern Eye Trailers |
