Hunt is a stylish and exciting shoot-'em-up action movie — but as an espionage mystery, it totally loses the plot. The directorial debut from Squid Game's Lee Jung-jae, who also stars, is set during the 1980s as tensions between North and South Korea mount and some push for reunification, with democracy hanging in the balance.
In South Korea, government agents are attempting to expose the identity of a mole nicknamed Donglin, who has been delivering secrets to the North. This titular "hunt" involves various agencies and operations, the names of which come and go a little too quickly to follow, involving individuals whose characters rarely involve anything beyond their job title.
There are some great, visceral chase scenes, with an effective score that ramps up the tension while preserving an undercurrent of melancholy. But the violence quickly grows tedious, with repeated torture scenes and characters who unfailingly punch first and ask questions later.
By the time Donglin's identity is finally revealed, it barely seems to matter; there are so many double crossings and murky loyalties that pretty much everyone is shooting at everyone. By the end of my screening, audience members were openly laughing at the absurdity, and someone yelled "what the fuck?!" at the screen. Such outrageousness can be fun, but Hunt is numbing.
(Magnolia)In South Korea, government agents are attempting to expose the identity of a mole nicknamed Donglin, who has been delivering secrets to the North. This titular "hunt" involves various agencies and operations, the names of which come and go a little too quickly to follow, involving individuals whose characters rarely involve anything beyond their job title.
There are some great, visceral chase scenes, with an effective score that ramps up the tension while preserving an undercurrent of melancholy. But the violence quickly grows tedious, with repeated torture scenes and characters who unfailingly punch first and ask questions later.
By the time Donglin's identity is finally revealed, it barely seems to matter; there are so many double crossings and murky loyalties that pretty much everyone is shooting at everyone. By the end of my screening, audience members were openly laughing at the absurdity, and someone yelled "what the fuck?!" at the screen. Such outrageousness can be fun, but Hunt is numbing.
