The Man from Nowhere
Directed by Lee Jeong-beom
- action
- thriller
- crime
The story
A reclusive pawnshop owner goes on a brutal rampage to rescue a young girl kidnapped by a criminal organization.
What it’s like
Cold blue night streets, rain-slick alleys and the sickly green of fluorescent interiors give this Korean thriller a hard, grimy look, with handheld camera that stays close to the fighting and a restless, pulsing score under the sound of fists and gunfire. Its vibe is brooding and tense, a tough-but-tender undercurrent of protectiveness running beneath the carnage. The pacing is lean and driven, with long stretches of quiet watchfulness broken by sudden, brutal bursts of close-quarters violence, and the emotional arc follows a withdrawn, solitary man slowly reawakening to attachment through his bond with a lonely girl. Intensity is high: frequent, graphic and bloody fights, gunshots, and cruelty toward children, including child trafficking and abuse threats, with dark scenes that are hard to watch. It suits a late-night, alone-with-the-lights-off viewing and is aimed at people who want an uncompromising action film with a heart, not something gentle.
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