Bi-gong-sik-jak-jeon / Ransomed (2023) - An Intense Roller Coaster Ride through Action, Comedy, Drama and Thriller Genres - 10/10 (02/01/24)

Ransomed, originally known as Bi-gong-sik-jak-jeon, is one of the greatest movies of the past year. It could be described as an action-thriller that finds the perfect balance between uplifting humour and gruesome realism. The film manages to entertain from start to finish and deserves more international attention and acclaim.

The story is quickly told. A South Korean diplomat gets kidnapped by terrorists in war-torn Lebanon in the mid-eighties. The South Korean government doesn't want to get officially involved in order to present itself as a modern country, avoid negative press for the upcoming 1987 South Korean presidential election and make a successful bid for the 1988 Summer Olympics. Diplomat Lee Min-jun receives a mysterious call from the kidnapped colleague after months of silence and insists on a thorough investigation. He is essentially sent onto a suicide mission as he heads for a foreign country on the brink of self-destruction. The only person he has no choice but to rely on is shady civilian taxi driver Chun Doo-hwan who is only interested in financial profit. The two completely different men must make significant compromises to rescue the kidnapped diplomat and make it out alive of the terrifying country.

This movie convinces on all levels. First and foremost, the film's plot is so tense that it will keep viewers on the edges of their seats for one hundred thirty-two minutes. The movie's little twists and turns feel natural and are never blown out of proportion.

Up next, the combination of different genres is perfectly balanced. This movie has some tense kidnapping scenes. There are violent shootouts and car chases to be witnessed. The isolation of the characters leads to deseperate ethical conflicts and profound dialogues. The clash between the two divergent lead characters offers some comic relief that works splendidly in its small doses.

The movie is partially based upon true events and its sincere realism deserves significant praise. This movie portrays South Korean politics and politicians as dishonest, manipulative and unfaithful, criticizing its own country rather than praising it. War-torn Lebanon looks like the most terrifying place you could possibly imagine as the movie doesn't try to be dishonestly diplomatic by giving the country a beautiful exotic touch.

What also needs to be mentioned is that good and evil characters are shown in both South Korea and Lebanon while most characters are actually situated somewhere in between those extremes. This movie is filled with authentic humanism portrayed by diversified characters viewers will end up caring about.

The acting performances go hand in hand with the profound characters. The two lead actors deserve special praise. Ha Jung-woo excels in his role as a courageous diplomat who severely underestimates the life-threatening dangers of his mission and needs to overcome the most incredible challenges to save his colleague and survive. Ju Ji-hoon delivers the goods as quirky cab driver who doesn't exactly have a place to call home and who is constantly stealing, lying and betraying in order to survive another day as he must learn to develop a moral compass to help new friends, old friends and ultimately himself survive.

To keep it short, Ransomed is a wonderful movie that takes viewers on an intense roller coaster ride through action, comedy, drama and thriller genres with profound characters played by ecellent actresses and actors. Do yourself a favour and watch this criminally underrated masterpiece if you haven't done so already. In case you are already familiar with this cinematic delight, don't hesitate to promote it by writing a review and recommending it to others.