The protagonist, a North Korean agent (Pyo) stationed in Berlin is involved in an illegal arms with a Russian arms broker and an Arab buyer. Thanks to a double-crossing within the North Korean embassy & the government, their meeting is compromised and he is forced to go on the run. He is hounded by several predators who are baying for his head on the chopping block. He is considered a traitor by his own Government which despatches a lethal operative (Dong) to capture or liquidate him. He is also chased by his South Korean counterpart (Jung) who is hot on his heels after he misses capturing Pyo at the initial deal. Added to this, he is faced with grounds to suspect that his wife (Ryun) who is working as a translator in the embassy is also part of the larger conspiracy involving illegal arms trade, secret bank accounts as well as requests for asylum by defectors in high offices. This brings an emotional angle to the narrative as although Pyo & Ryun share a cold relationship, he is still protective of her and finds it hard to belive that she is part of the conspiracy.
This latest thriller from South Korea is a nostalgic throwback to the yesteryear espionage thrillers of cold war era and transports the familiar North-South Korean espionage conflicts to international terrain. The movie sets a brisk pace right from the first frame, thanks to a tense score, grey/blue tones and some electric editing.
On the downside, this movie suffers a tad from its convoluted plot which is populated by too many characters to keep track off and also that the less-than-convincing emotional connect between the leads.
Nevertheless, the movie excels in its exciting action set pieces which have been captured in an engrossing manner which do make up for it's flaws.
Technically brilliant, taut and energetic, this movie is already a blockbuster in Korea and is, indeed, an enjoyable action thriller !
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