Fantastic Fest 2009

Run time: 111 min. | South Korea

 

Enter Jin-ho (Jeon-Min Hwang, Black House), a small-time but very street-savvy private investigator. Lured by a hefty cash reward, Jin-ho reluctantly takes the case and a new fast-talking, odd-couple crime-fighting dynamic duo is born. Starting from a scant few clues, a small pack of white powder and a mysterious Japanese "karakuri" doll, our heros unearth a web of intrigue, crime and political corruption that takes them from back-alley opium dens to the center ring of a travelling big-top circus. Every location, lush with minute details, nails the Japanese occupation era of Seoul and sets the perfect backdrop for the mystery that unfolds. No surprise as they were crafted by the same team who art-directed last year's Fantastic Fest audience award winner The Good, The Bad and The Weird. Paths cross, plots thickens, political corruption deepens and the story keeps you guessing until the final curtain drops. And a cherry on top, there's even a Korean "Q" equivalent, ready to dispense just the right turn-of-the-century crime-fighting gadgetry for every predicament.

 

Dae Min Park's debut feature is a wildly entertaining whodunnit that can stand toe to toe with Hercule Poirot or Sherlock Holmes any day. Korean Audiences agree. Private Eye was one of the top grossing domestic releases so far in Korea and rumor has it that my new favorite criminal investigation team will be pairing up again for a sequel in the near future. Korean popcorn...I'm loving the taste of it! (Tim League)