Jo Pil Ho is a 2019 Korean film that was directed by Lee Jeong Beom(Man from Nowhere, No Tears For The Dead). The film was his first project since 2014 and it stars actor Lee Sun Gyun(Parasite) along side rookie actress Jeon So Nee and Park Hae Joon. The film debuted in the top ten at Korean cinemas but didn't earn back the money that it took to produce the film, making it a commercial failure. Many people also gave the film negative reviews for using the sinking of the Sewol Ferry as a plot line.
A corrupt cop bites off more than he can chew when laundering money causes him to go head to head with a corrupt corporation.
Let me just put out there that a lot have hate has been thrown this films way. You can go online and find a ton of reviews in English spelling out how bad this film is. I was actually almost swayed to not watch Jo Pil Ho because of all the people saying how bad it is. Somehow I mustered up the courage to buy the film physically because I'm a fan of Lee Sun Gyun. I'm glad that I did at the end of the day. The film is actually much better than a lot of the reviews will lead you to believe. Now, is this film the best Korean cop thriller that South Korea has to offer? Not by a long shot, but this film will keep you watching until the very end. Boom takes a couple of themes from his hit film The Man from Nowhere and rehashes them in this new thriller. A cop mets a teenage girl in the middle of a war to see who is the baddest. The girl brings a new meaning to this said cop who can be kinda alright when he's not so awful. You know the same old cliche relationship feelings that make a good film when done right. These elements can be used over and over again if presented in thoughtful formats like Jo Pil Ho chooses to follow. Contrary to what people have to say about this film, Jo Pil Ho is a film that's based in realism. There's some crazy ass moments that still don't take away from a raw message that life isn't something you can always control. You don't have to let bad circumstances define you though. No matter how hard that may seem. Be prepared from some funny moments, realistic fight stuns, and an ending that can be taken in one of three ways in my opinion. I personally really loved the ending since it's closure enough for the story while also giving viewers reason to discuss the film after the credits roll.
Sun Gyun plays the role of a bad cop fairly well. Those ton of Korean cop films doesn't do him much justice however he still took the role to a level only he could do. Another actor would have given us their version of bad that would have been alright. His version of bad was perfect for this film. He plays a cop that is a badass due to the fact that he isn't perfect. He doesn't have the right answer all the time and he constantly fall flat on his face during the film. The character never wavers in his resolve to get back up on his own two feet again. This is apparent in Sun Gyun's facial expression throughout the film. A dawning rage could be seen in his eyes during certain interactions that was impressionable. The connection to the Sewol Ferry accident was solely for Jeon So Nee's character to have more depth. How the accident tied to how the character viewed life made me feel deeply for her. She was really another version of Jo Pil Ho only a female teenage copy who was just as lost as him. The real life incident served no other purpose than that, so I'm not sure why a lot of people tried to look more into the reference than needed be. I understand family members of the victims being upset over the tragic event being used…… Sometimes artistic expression pulls at those hard emotions that we would soon want to forget. Lastly, I read that some people felt that the villain was evil without a solid reason. The character was apart of a company that was corrupt in itself. He really was following orders of another who had such disgusting warped ideas about people and money that no other explanation was needed on the character. The film paints this picture very well for all to see.
While not as good as The Man from Nowhere, Jo Pil- Ho: The Dawning Rage was a good enough follow up after No Tears For The Dead. This film isn't for viewers that need everything spelled out for them to enjoy a film. Instead this film is for people who can take the social cues this film gives and paint their own understanding.
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