Rent The Chaser (2008)

Should have been so much better - The Chaser review by CP Customer

Having seen The Chaser it is difficult to contemplate that it is based on true events given the inept performance of the South Korean police force and the abuse the main suspect received. It’s a marked departure from the organised and investigative style seen here in the West. The much-rumoured Hollywood remake will surely lose some of its appeal if it changes the story location.

Kim Yoon-seok is excellent giving his all to the role, playing a former detective who slowly pieces together the clues. Everyone is attempting to snare Je Yeong-min and the location of his main hideout, as he continues his killing rampage. I just didn’t find the serial killer at all menacing and the film did not elaborate on his background. Ha Jeong-woo is just too clean cut and ordinary to play such a vicious killer. The Chaser fails to scale the heights I really expected, as it a good but not great thriller. Part of the problem is its length and first time director Na Hong-jin fails to really get the best out of the script. Match that against a weak performance from Ha Jeong-woo and you hope that Hollywood will get it right next time.