Rent The Man from Nowhere (2010)

Looks better than it is - The Man from Nowhere review by HM

Another dystopian future to conjure with. It looks fantastic; lighting and general landscapes are an eye pleaser. The story however, limps along without really engaging the viewer to my mind. Performances are so, so. No wonder it took so long to make episode two, the basic Blade Runner story expired itself first time around. I got a little bored after 90 minutes. Shame, the general look and feel needed a better story.

Heart-warming action thriller - The Man from Nowhere review by Alphaville

Director Jung-bum Lee wanted to make a humane action-packed gangster film and has come up with a surprising and enthralling winner that’s all heart.

The plot revolves around the relationship between our floppy-haired animé-type hero and a young girl who befriends him then becomes a victim of child trafficking. Little do the villains know that, behind the one eye that isn’t covered by his fringe, our hero has special forces skills. The villains too are a diverse and interesting bunch, especially Mr. charismatic English-speaking guy, who has some action-packed run-ins with the hero.

It’s hard to pin down why this film is so appealing but, even if (when) you sometimes can’t follow what’s going on or who’s who, it’s magnetic. There’s one startling scene, where the hero jumps out of a high window onto the street, that’s difficult to see how it’s done (watch the excellent DVD Xtras). An unexpected wallow of a movie.

This is not a dystopian sci-fi film - The Man from Nowhere review by DS

It’s a crime thriller. It would have been a mediocre Liam Neeson film if Liam Neeson was in it, which he isn’t. It could be greatly improved by being about 45 minutes shorter and having a different plot. One of the villains looks like my girlfriend’s nan.