Eye for an eye is a high budget Korean thriller by KT Kwak, whose previous achievements include the box office smash Typhoon and the sentimental saga Friend. His latest film follows an ageing detective, the arrogant Capt. Baek Sung-chan, as he nears Retirement. It plays out like a glamorous cross between oceans 11 and CSI Miami, with Suk-kyu Han taking the role of a silver haired Horatio and Seung-won Cha filling in for Clooney. A battle of wits ensues as each of them vies for power and the audience is left wondering which side to choose. Eye for an eye is an accomplished thriller and a good watch, if not a little confusing in places.

The plot itself is slightly fragmented, which may be due to the translation, or it could just be the fault of the director, but the story is as follows: Ahn Hyon-min (or George Clooney if you prefer?) is a skilled thief and has just pulled off a heist with several other guys, robbing a rich business man and complete arsehole, using Capt. Chan’s identity in the process. The story runs deeper as Chan tries to uncover why he has done it and more importantly why he has been chosen to take on the case.

If you are into the whole ‘Cop vs. Robber’ scenario you will be right at home with this movie, although there is nothing specific to make it stand out from the crowd, it is thoroughly enjoyable. Though perhaps not as good as many of the Korean thrillers of recent years, it is however more accessible than, say, Sympathy for Mr Vengeance, so can be enjoyed by a much broader audience. The cast do a great job with the acting, with the tense moments feeling tense and scenes that are meant to be funny genuinely being funny (one scene between Antonio and the Chan Aside, if you watch the film you will know the one I mean!).

If you are new to Korean cinema then this film isn’t the best way to start, however if you have been watching these films for a while Eye for an Eye is a worthy addition to your collection and you will probably get a fair few watches from it. Now let’s hope it gets a release.

Words > Sekou Abineri