When I went to the theaters, I was not expecting much from this film. My only thoughts were,"Great... A Korean attempt at Mr. and Mrs. Smith." Boy, was I surprised when I saw this film!
First off, I'll review the acting, which I thought was pretty decent throughout. At first, I mistook Kang Ji Hwan's acting as "over-acting". However, I soon realized that was his way of acting comically. After getting used to that, his actions and reactions were simply quirky and cute. I loved his high-pitched screaming. Usually, the foreigners who act in Korean films/dramas are downright awful. I have no idea why; it just is. In Chilgeup Gongmuwon, they were mediocre, which was a HUGE relief because I did not have to cringe whenever they were on screen.
Next, the action and plot. The action was probably the worst part of the film. It was not terrible. It just needed some, or maybe, a lot of work. Some of the stunts were too unrealistic and poorly choreographed. (i.e. the jet ski, fencing thing...) The plot maintained a great speed. Like the action, the one turning point of the plot suffered from being a bit questionable. However, do not let these faults turn you off because the comedy makes up for it entirely.
Finally, the comedy. The film starts off right away trying to get the audience to laugh. And it succeeds. Some scenes are predictable. Yet, it is still hilarious! My family and I laughed at all the scenes meant to be laughed at.
Overall, Chilgeup Gongmuwon is a movie purely for laughs and should be watched lighted-heartedly. It succeeds in the comedy but fails in the action. You will not get any meaning from this film, but it is sure to entertain you until the very end. So if you are lucky enough to have a theater near you playing it, I recommend you go see it.
Notes: The subtitles in my theater made me laugh. They used "cuz" instead of "because", which made me think that the translator instant messaged too much or something. Instead of "spicy rice cakes", it was translated to "dumplings", a completely different food. But I guess, it is easier for a non-Korean audience to understand.
This film is NOT RATED. However, I would give it a PG13 rating. There was a comedic kissing scene, light action sequences, and some uses of sh*t.
7 out of 10
