12.12: The Day (2023)

12.12: The Day (2023). 2h 21m

“Wow… This electric political thriller by Kim Sung-su is a masterwork in the genre and the single best Iu0026#39;ve seen since The Spy Gone North (or maybe The Man Standing Next which is, coincidentally, a great companion piece to this film). Like in Kimu0026#39;s Asura, both Hwang Jung-min and Jung Woo-sung star in the main roles, and they kill it.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe film follows infamous events in 1979. When corrupt general Chun Doo-hwan incited the coup du0026#39;état that aimed to overthrow the current leadership. Korean audiences are familiar with the event, but everyone else should do a bit of light reading to get up to speed with the erau0026#39;s political situation, just to avoid possible confusion while watching. Otherwise, this is dynamic, seriously impressive filmmaking that will grip anyone who enjoys the political drama/thriller genre and shows an interest in historical events.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBoth Hwang and Jung are great in the main roles, and theyu0026#39;re aided by a small army of capable supporting actors who perform admirably. Chun is quite a despicable figure from Koreau0026#39;s past and Hwang embodies him as a charismatic but scheming villain not unlike his mayor role in Asura. Jungu0026#39;s commander Lee, in contrast, evokes pathos as a man willing to stand his ground in the face of tyranny, despite everyoneu0026#39;s pleads.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis is a lengthy, talky film that begins as a slowly boiling pot that gains considerable speed by the halfway mark and never lets up. Itu0026#39;s very involving and brilliantly shot, with explosive violence that occasionally erupts after long buildups, making it all the more effective. The coupu0026#39;s initial stage is skilfully filmed as several events happen all at once, and is arguably one of the filmu0026#39;s high points.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHuge recommendation for what is definitely among the best Korean films of 2023.”