Directed by Jae-Hoon Choi and written Ji-Woong Nam, The Killer is a South Korean movie that is thrilling from start to finish. The Killer has the makings of a summer blockbuster, delivering a satisfying movie experience with action-packed fights and effects, a layered storyline of mystery and corruption, and even a tad bit of romance thrown in to make the killer of The Killer seem like a caring guy despite the oodles of bodies that lined the path of his heartfelt rampage.

When his wife plans a girls’ trip to Jeju Island with an old friend, Ui-gang (Jang Hyuk) is tasked with babysitting the girlfriend’s teenage daughter named Yoon-ji (Seo-young Lee). Ui-gang is relieved when Yoon-ji prefers to spend the next few nights with her classmate, but when he sees her ride off on the back of a mysterious motorcycle, his instincts prompt him to follow her. He soon finds himself ensnared in a web of underage sex trafficking and political cover-ups, only the once untouchable syndicate did not anticipate entangling the retired killer-for-hire, Ui-gang, who takes it upon himself to tear apart their crime web until he can track down the boss at its center.

Jae-Hoon Choi and Ji-Woong Nam’s The Killer has one of the most lovable and endearing antiheroes since one of my favorite movies of all time, The Chaser (2008), with both films detailing a gritty and heart-pounding search for a damsel in distress. However, The Killer is yet gorier than the aforementioned masterpiece thriller, going with more of a Taken-esque route, having the protagonist be a somewhat retired mercenary. Every scene of The Killer has thrills on tap — if it is not a harrowing fight scene, it is a game of bumper cars, or it is a bloody shoot-out, or it is a revelatory dialogue exchange being added to the pile of red herrings that filled the plot of this movie. For me, The Killer truly had all that I want in an action thriller.

Audiences may have since been spoiled with the intricate combat stylings now popularized in the John Wick movies, but The Killer keeps up with heavy-hitting sounds and the use of more niche edged weapons such as axes and ballistic knives. It was my opinion that the film should have used fewer guns, as guns are not available to civilians nor hired goons in Korea, and so when Ui-gang would use them, it made the fights less thrilling and harrowing since the fights were then obviously favorable to the gun-holder. All the same, there were enough fights and chases and good vs. evil moments for The Killer to earn its action-thriller marketing — if one has enjoyed other Korean action thrillers, they are sure to enjoy The Killer.

Astute viewers may initially notice a leap in logic or two while viewing this movie, but they all seem addressed by the end; it is only the smart writing of Ji-Woong Nam that aptly hid the boss behind goon after goon each more stubborn and evil than the last. The Killer addresses the real-world problem of international sex trafficking in a way that avoids belittling the subject or making it feel like it is being used for entertainment, in fact, the film shows how easy it can be for one to become entrapped in this world, as young people are specifically targeted and preyed upon. The film strikes a balance between informative and entertaining and is a film worth revisiting for its earnestness, endearing characters, and thrilling scenes.

8 out of 10