Movie: Hindsight (15): Action/Drama - KoreanPositives:Song Kang-ho is the soul of the film. His performance is excellent enough to be remembered. Shin Se-kyung is also very impressive.The screenplay unfolds well and keeps you engrossed.The action sequences have been executed very well.The background score is good and enhances the viewing impact.Negatives:The film slows down a little bit in the second hour.Repeat value: YesHINDSIGHT is on the whole an entertaining South Korean action drama which is quite entertaining despite of some narration and editing flaws. You may watch it, and you'll find it's pretty good fun.
... View MoreHindsight mysteriously and powerfully opens with Doo-Hun (Song Kang-Ho) being assassinated pointblank by Se-Bin (Sin Se-Kyun), the entertainingly intense soundtrack, consisting primarily of a piano, immersing the viewer in the moment, that is as eye catching as it is beautifully filmed, colors being exceptionally used over the course of the feature, not only visually, but during conversations too. From this opening, we are eager to discover the identities of the two people we recently met, and what relationship they had prior to the shooting. Consisting of themes present in dramas, actions, thrillers and romance, Hindsight is a film that does not belong to one particular genre, but does an extraordinary job of bringing each of these varying narrative styles together. Although not all of the sub-plots are essentially concluded, and despite there being at least one moment in the feature that doesn't entirely make sense, these small, lacking details do not take away from the enjoyment Hindsight is sure to provide.Although still connected to members of the world he once inhabited, the genuine, handsome and likable Doo-Hun is perhaps not the kind of man one would suspect was once a promising legend in the mob world. Returning to Busan to learn culinary, his dream of opening a restaurant by the sea remains foremost in his mind, even after the discovery that his old friend, and recent gang leader, was killed, though this does not halter his desire to find out who was responsible, believing the attack was a meticulously executed assassination. He invests his loyal bodyguard One Eye (Chun Jung-Myung), whose unflinching dedication is well articulated, to investigate, only to discover a wealth of corruption. With no desire to take the reins of the organization, Doo-Hun is caught in the politics of the mob world, many of his former partners believing the transitions that need to occur will go smoother, if Doo-Hun went the way of the former mob boss.Se-Bin is a young, and dare I say, unbelievably gorgeous woman, who once had a promising future as a sharp-shooter, but an injury in her past, which is poignantly explored visually over the duration of the film, has caused her life to spiral in an alternate direction. Living with her best friend, Eun-Jung (Esom) and gun instructor, Yook (Oh Dal-Su), a series of large debts to a local gang, forces her to follow Doo-Hun, and report back on his routines, the two of them meeting at culinary school, their continuous proximity and shared interest in cooking, leading to the orchestration of a close bond. The incorporation of food into the plot, although it may appear strange in theory, is well achieved, with a sense of passion and perfectionism by the characters, which reflects the standards they exhibit in the other areas of their lives.Learning culinary techniques, morals and life lessons from each other, Se-Bin's role becomes increasingly complicated when Madame Kang (Youn Yoh-Jung), the ruthless owner of a business dedicated to instigating assassinations, assigns her the duty of taking Doo-Hun out. Unable to pull the trigger, other hit-men, including the unrivaled K (Kim Min-Jun), are ordered to complete the assignment, placing both Doo-Hun and Se-Bin at further risk. Neither of the leads take advantage of each other, and though their relationship is more often than not strained, and peculiar, the care, trust and friendship they exhibit is well developed on screen. At the same time, it can be difficult to assume the extent of their connection, with not enough evidence provided to assist audiences in speculating if whether the leads experience a father-daughter relationship, or are genuinely feeling a romantic attachment, though such questions do not take away from the on-screen chemistry, a scene where Se-Bin asks what she is to Doo-Hun, being quite possibly one of the film's most emotively powerful moments.Viewers expecting to see a lot of action will presumably be disappointed, and though the fight scenes are often as well executed and entertaining as they are surprising, much of the feature is very character oriented and dramatic, with communication exhibiting a major role. Characters, including Eun-Jung, and mob-boss Baek (Lee Kyoung-Young), whose roles were pivotal in the film, deserved further screen time to further impact the audience with their presence. This aside, though the storyline incorporates murder, betrayal and corruption into its plot, Hindsight feels like a genuinely compassionate, enjoyable feature, that, thanks especially to the leads, will surely keep you attentive.
... View MoreI did not know anything about Hindsight (Blue Salt) before I have read the press release for the US release. After watching the trailer, I knew that I must watch it soon.Hindsight is the romantic story of an old gangster Doo-hyeon who wants to leave the life of crime behind him with a dream to open up an restaurant. He joins a cooking class to achieve his aim and there he meets up with sweet & young Se Bin. After some hints and tips exchange about Korean cuisine, romance sparks start to fly. This unlikely romance between the old gangster and the young girl gets really interesting as this innocent girl turns out to be a top shooter assassin. Furthermore, Doo-hyeon's old partners hire Se Bin to keep an eye on him.Their unspoken romance gets complicated as Se Bin's female friend jumps in the mix as well and I must say that I never understood the relationship between them (Singing at a karaoke bar with handcuffs?).As for action it is pretty intense towards the end and I always fancy sniper scenes in action movies. I agree with the comment that the action scenes of this movie resembles Beyond Hypothermia. Besides Doo-hyeon handles himself well while fighting some bad guys too.If you are expecting an all out action movie you might get disappointed as most of the scenes of Hindsight are not action scenes. But if you take this movie for what it is you can really enjoy it. Hindsight (Blue Salt) Nothing groundbreaking but worth watching.
... View MoreI had decent expectation for this movie and in the beginning of this movie it fit that expectation. But as the movie progresses it started to become a bit drawn out and the romance element didn't seem all that original. But it's a decent mix of romance between a female assassin and a retired gangster. The build up of the relationship gets a bit complicated and the reason that starts the spark, but it wasn't anything annoying. Kang Ho Song is really likable in this movie as the gangster and he is also badass without acting like those characters that try to act macho all the time. Him being likable was a major part in this movie because he falls for a girl way under his age. Some people might be against this, but his character is likable to the point it's alright and it's almost impossible to hate the his character. Being a gentle badass that is soft but fights back when he has to. Se-Kyeong Shin fit in this movie well as the female assassin but I could think of numerous actresses that could have pulled this role off as well. Overall it's a watchable movie that sort of feels like a drawn out Asian pop music video.6.5/10
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