[JonE(vil)]

The McKenzie break. 1970.
7/10
A POW camp of german officers.
Set in England WW2 it follows a camp of german army officers that are planning an escape. It's well under way when a new captain turns up posted there because the british know something, but need a rough solider to try and stop it.
Interesting because it has the traditional 'bad guys' as the prisoners. The film moves at a steady pace and is interesting with different tensions on either side. The last act is a bit drawn out but still a enjoyable watch.

[JonE(vil)]

The roundup 3. 2023. South Korea.
6/10
Typical cops tracking down the bad guys.
Third film that follows a big south korean cop and his fellow officers. Familiar to some as the big husband in Train to Busan, he is kinda typecast as a human wrecking ball. Overall a funny and pretty violent film. It has alot of characters and three main groups.
Corrupt police, japanese gangsters and them. Simple plot that is interesting but feels formulaic, it works because it is simply packed with action and the action is really good. Since there is a lack of guns in South Korea, their films have baddies using baseball bats, knives, martial arts and torture. This gives the film a real sense of dread and in some cases a good laugh.

[JonE(vil)]

La haine. 1995 France.
8/10
A day in the life of three young blokes in the projects of France.
Set in the backdrop of a young arab who was beaten to death in custody, the youth are rioting due to the perceived injustice.
It nicely shows that there are different aspects to whole situation.
One of the three is running a gym that was torched the night before, one has a police revolver that was also lost in the mayhem. Tense and well paced, it puts them in different situations and doesn't offer any solutions, just their point of view as marginalized immigrant youth.

[JonE(vil)]

Special 26. India. 2013.
7/10
Comedy crime film based in 1987 of a true story about 4 con men and some others who impersonate the police in plain clothes and rip of wealthy people who are stashing piles of cash.
Moves a quick pace with a interesting plot. Lots of colour and a bouncy soundtrack. There is a 'love story' element involving the lead con man but its largely forgettable. Well written heist at the end adds for a really interesting twist.
Trailer has no subtitles.

[JonE(vil)]

Ivan Vasilyevich changes his profession. 1973 Russia.
4/10
A building manager gets caught up in a tenants time machine along with another bloke. He then adopts the role of Ivan the terrible.
Campy and kinda funny, but seems to plod along. Ivan in the real world seems to have no problems so it not really a true fish out of water story.

[JonE(vil)]

Repulsion. 1965.
8/10
A young woman goes insane.
Directed by Roman Polanski, it's the story of a Carol, a single woman living with her friend in a flat in London. Left alone while she and boyfriend go on holiday, she slowly goes crazy due to her fear of men.
Slow start but sets up the characters nicely. The second half of the film is mainly her and the nightmare visions she starts to have as things crumble around her. Well filmed, it uses a variety of practical effects and camera shots to create a unique tension.

[JonE(vil)]

Hitman: Agent Jun. South Korea 2020
9/10
Action comedy that has a good balance of humour, action and drama. Trained by the state to kill, but with a desire to draw and be an artist, he is thought dead from a failed mission. He assumes a new life and starts a webtoon, his series is trashed till he draws his early missions. From there a bad guy also thought dead comes for revenge, while the state are trying to eliminate him for reveling secrets. Light hearted but with elements of typical action, the plot moves nicely. Lots of characters mean the film can set some up with a comedic side while others give it a dramatic weight. There is alot of dialogue which slows it down near the end when everything winds up. But still a entertaining film.

[JonE(vil)]

Torrente. The dumb arm of the law. 1998. Spain.
7/10
Rouge cop busts a drug gang.
Simple plot with a fat, balding, sexist, racist cop. It's blatantly óffensive' humour and ridiculous scenarios ensured that it made the viewer laugh. Refreshing because the lead character just didn't care and there was no time that he had a change of heart and wasn't an idiot.

[JonE(vil)]

The man standing next. South Korea. 2020.
8/10
Killing of a president.
Based on true events, it shows events leading up to the assassination of the South Korean leader in 1979.
Sets out right at the start historical events that lead up to last 40 days before the killing. Typically layered with a big cast, it builds a steady rise of tension but the viewer is able to follow along. Overall a interesting look at people in high levels of power, what they will do to remain, how fucked they realize they have no where to go and just how ruthless or 'loyal' they will be there own beliefs.

[JonE(vil)]

The Berlin file. 2013.
4/10
A north korean spy and his wife go on the run in Berlin.
Whats starts a decent thriller soon loses pace with lots of characters from different countries all together in Berlin. A arms deal with a north korean agent involving some arabs is busted up by Mossad. The south koreans want the agent, so do the north and the arabs.
At the one hour mark, it just began to drag, there was no crackle of tension and it began to feel like a Bourne franchise. Sloppy and bullshit.
Good writing and direction, just a watered down version of what can be created in S.K.