THE GANGSTER, THE COP, THE DEVIL

A major flaw of this thriller is its tempo, while the acting skews towards stereotypes and the visual aesthetic of the film appears to be stuck in the 1990's.

The premise of Korean crime thriller The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil is excellent, as it sees a crime lord and a detective team up to catch a serial killer. The ambiguous ending, which I won't spoil here, is excellent as well.

The problem with the movie is everything in between. Apart from the deft set-up in the first act The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil struggles throughout to create genuine tension as the filmmakers favour overwrought action set-pieces over believable character development or narrative surprises.

Another major flaw of the picture is its tempo, which often feels more suited to an extended episode of a TV show than to a taut thriller, while the acting skews towards stereotypes and the visual aesthetic of the film appears to be stuck in the 1990's.

The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil sporadically does engage you and keeps hope afloat that the picture could kick into a higher gear anytime. Unfortunately that hope never materialises and the picture leaves you disappointed.

release: 2019

director: Lee Won-tae

starring: Ma Dong-seok, Kim Mu-yeol, Kim Sung-kyu