English Title: Officer Black Belt
Korean Title: 무도실무관 (lit. martial arts officer)
Director(s): Jason Kim
Screenwriter(s): Jason Kim
Studio: Climax Studio & Studio 706
Released: 2024
Runtime: 1h 49m
Starring: Kim Woo-bin, Kim Sung-kyun
My Verdict: Overly simplistic plot and themes, lacks style, but is otherwise not a bad lighthearted action film despite the serious subject matter.
● Lee Jung-do (Kim Woo-bin) wants to live a healthy life and that involves having fun. He practices martial arts (he is a third-dan in taekwondo, kendo and judo) and is a gamer along with three friends. He also runs deliveries for his father’s fried chicken shop. One night, on his way back from a delivery, he comes across an altercation between one man and an officer. After stepping in to help, he discovers that it is a probation officer dealing with a parolee wearing an ankle bracelet.
● Since the aforementioned officer requires five weeks to recover and they are shorthanded, department head Kim Sun-min (Kim Sung-kyun) asks Jung-do to fill in. The plot follows Jung-do and Sun-min as they deal with parolees who violate their conditions.
● One of the primary weaknesses is that the film is over-simplistic in terms of plot and themes, even for lighthearted entertainment. Most of the parolees are sex offenders who intend to re-offend. It is morally black-and-white and it cheaply relies on such repugnant criminals as the bad guys. This is one of the easiest ways to draw in the audience, to make them want to jump through the screen and kick heads in.
● There is only one case in which the parolee was convicted for a different crime and the reason for the breach is something relatable; the narrative could use more of that.
● That being so, it is a little surprising that the subject matter is even mentioned. Although these parolees are conveniently presented as weirdos who act alone, the main bad guy is not. Kang Ki-jung (Lee Hyun-Geol) is released from prison for sex crimes against children and he instantly gets involved with those who make videos for the dark web, so there is at least a hint of something organized. Although it may be unrealistic for Jung-do to take down a whole ring, the narrative could delve deeper into that.
● The other minor surprise is that a television expert mentions how sex offenders are not punished as heavily in South Korea compared to some other countries, a not-so-subtle jab at the hypocritical trash culture of what is supposed to be a conservative Asian country.
● Of course, law enforcement agencies are underfunded and civilians get commendations instead of being told off for intervening. There may be some truth to the former but the latter is just cheese.
● The film is marketed as something like an action-comedy. Whilst there is consistent action, it is not quite a comedy even though it is mostly lighthearted in tone. Given the subject matter, it rightly avoids being a cheap comedy that trivializes it but also avoids being too dark. The balance is admittedly difficult to achieve but if it is to be lighthearted in tone, then it could include a little more comedy.
● As already mentioned, there is consistent action; however, it lacks style. Although it is not a martial arts film, Jung-do is meant to be an expert. He is good but it doesn’t always come across that way. But if the film is aiming to be “gritty and realistic”, then it doesn’t quite come across as that either. Jung-do does get hurt so he is at least not the “invincible hero”.
● Related to the above, there is also little visual stylization. The shots and editing are conventional and well-executed. There is nothing out of place that is jarring and it is appreciated that it avoids trying too hard. But for a film that is so simple in almost every other respect, a little more stylization would help.
● Despite the film being over-simplistic, the overall story works to an extent because the two main characters are likable guys.
As Jung-do is fun-loving, he may come across as a little shallow but he is kind and considerate. He may be a gamer but he is not lazy. He is a disciplined and responsible young man, and it is interesting to see him jump into and explore a world he was unaware of until recently. Kim Woo-bin simply looks the part.
Sun-min is also a likable character. He is the officer who wants to help parolees re-integrate. Whilst Kim Sung-kyun gives a solid performance, the writing could take better advantage of him. The character is the “childhood incident inspires him to become a cop” trope, which is fine, but too often the audience is told rather than shown what a good guy he is.
● Although the film is overly simplistic and lacking in style, it is otherwise not a bad film. It is in some ways a cop film but refreshingly looks at probation officers instead even if Sun-min acts more like a cop at times. It is well-produced, with likable main characters and the structure is recognizable with decent pacing: the good guy gets a new job, he is mentored by the older good guy, and they fight the bad guy.
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