South Korean filmmakers are top of the field when it comes to pumping out incredibly intense, superbly directed action-thrillers with breakneck stunts and action sequences enlivened by super-fast editing and gritty realism. Such films are clearly inspired by the BOURNE movies directed by Paul Greengrass, yet they're very much the equal of those movies.
A COMPANY MAN is another instalment in this particular sub-genre and a film whose plot bears more than a passing resemblance to the Korean classic, A BITTERSWEET LIFE. There's plenty of room for social commentary as the main character plays a guy caught in a corporate world, unable to quit the job he's grown tired of and forced to work under his despicable superiors. The twist? That he's a hit-man.
What transpires during the film's running time is easily guessable and yet at the same time it's eminently watchable. Ji-seob So does a great job as the gaunt and tired lead you get behind, and the film features a sequence of top-class action sequences to keep it bubbling merrily along. It's a slow builder, this one, leading up to a taut, frenetic and mayhem-filled climax which truly doesn't disappoint. If only all movies could be this entertaining.
