A MAN OF REASON ****

                                            Directed by Jung Woo-Sung

 

Few films are daring enough to start the beginning with two minutes of no dialogue. Just a lone man is walking towards a car.

Right away, the film pulls you in with ominous overtures to a soon-to-come plot -- one that slowly builds yet never dulls.

As it goes, Su-hyak (played by Jung Woo-Song himself) has spent ten years in prison, and it's the first day of his release. He was a violent gangster working for a Mafia-like boss named Eung-kook. He is is now chairman of a glitzy corporation.

Su-hyak earned his keep working for him.  He goes to see Eung-kook who wants him back, but Su-hyak wants no part of it. He wants to leave his past behind and live a "normal" life. He pays the price of refusing to work for Eung-kook. Unfortunately, his yearning to be left alone is soon dashed.

He seeks out his former girlfriend who takes him to watch a ballet class. It is here that she tells him he has a daughter, but she would never take him back until he thinks and gets his head on straight."

                          

Our anti-hero’s daughter and mother become the focus of the film and that of Su-hyuk. And this is where things go awry.

His former boss who is out for blood sends his “assistant” Kang, to take care of things.  Su-hyuk gets embroiled in vengeance and violence; and in typical Korean style, mayham fills the screen; fast-paced action scenes are amazingly unique and without mercy. Violent strategies are vividly played out. Extraordinary scenes taught with tension saturate the film.The calm slow pace during the film's first part contrasts beautifully with all this frenzy. Music subtly underscores this tension; (you may recognize a popular hit melody whose motif periodically enhances certain scenes).

 "A Man of Reason" is Jung Woo-sung's directorial debut. It has one several awards, including tiif.