[TF Cine Review] Gu Gyo-hwan's 'Resurrection Man', a persistent red flavor

A solid spectacle unfolding in an easy-to-understand worldBased on the webtoon 'Resurrection Man'... Shin Seung-ho, Kang Ki-young, and Kim Si-a also deliver passionate performances"Resurrection Man: The Red," released on September 30, tells the story of Seok-hwan, a job seeker whose only spec is baseless confidence, who discovers he has the ability to resurrect 72 hours after death, and is then pursued by mysterious figures. / Lotte Entertainment[THE FACT|Reporter Park Ji-yoon] It doesn't set up a difficult or complex world or present a grand message. It simply adds hard-hitting action and fast pacing to a fresh story, captivating the audience. Gu Kyo-hwan's 'Resurrection Man' allows viewers to fully enjoy the time spent in the theater rather than constantly pondering its meaning."Resurrection Man: The Red" (directed by Baek, hereinafter referred to as 'Resurrection Man'), which hit screens on the 30th of last month, is a work that depicts the story of Seok-hwan (played by Gu Kyo-hwan), a job seeker whose only spec is baseless confidence, discovering he has the ability to resurrect 72 hours after death and subsequently being pursued by mysterious figures. It is based on the webtoon 'Resurrection Man' serialized on Naver in 2016.The protagonist, Seok-hwan, is a job seeker who keeps failing interviews despite the realistic advice and worries of his younger sister Ye-rin (played by Kim Si-a), who is more mature than him. After a typical day of a failed interview, he has a drink with his best friend Young-ha (played by Kang Ki-young) and returns home. He loses his life while fighting to save his father, who is attacked by strangers.Seventy-two hours later, Seok-hwan wakes up as if nothing happened. While struggling to adapt to the absurd situation, he strives to save his father, who was taken by the strangers. In the process, he learns that his father was a doctor who conducted biological experiments in the past and that he himself resurrects three days after death. Then, the relentless pursuit by Black (played by Shin Seung-ho), a mysterious figure who has become aware of Seok-hwan's special abilities, begins.Gu Kyo-hwan portrays Seok-hwan, who goes from a job seeker to suddenly possessing superhuman abilities, with a unique breath and dialogue tone, creating a character that is peculiar but never overdone, exuding an irreplaceable presence once again. / Lotte EntertainmentThe film quickly unfolds a world where Seok-hwan, known as Red, along with Black and Blue (played by Kim Yoo-jung), were subjects of human experimentation by the multinational bio-group Noah and were raised as human weapons for the eternal life of the company owner, naturally convincing the audience of the characters' fantastical abilities.Furthermore, as they can save each other, the film incorporates Black's past, where he let go of the researchers who tried to take them away and remained there for Blue, persuasively adding the reasons why each of them must chase and be chased.As can be easily inferred from the title, 'Resurrection Man' reveals the protagonist's resurrection from the start, allowing the audience to quickly immerse themselves in the world by establishing the basic setting and character relationships simply yet solidly. Moreover, the detail of the character's power upgrading with each death and resurrection alleviates the boredom of the repetitive structure.'Resurrection Man' presents an unexpected "red flavor" with its bold direction and genre-specific fun, relying steadfastly on its choices to deliver fast-paced, hard-hitting action and a fresh ensemble of actors. / Lotte EntertainmentThe fact that this story unfolds vividly and sensuously with its unique rhythm is largely due to Gu Kyo-hwan's irreplaceable presence. He portrays Seok-hwan, who goes from a job seeker to suddenly possessing superhuman abilities, with a unique breath and dialogue tone, creating a character that is peculiar but never overdone, existing as a grounded figure that audiences can root for.Shin Seung-ho, who exudes a consistently dark atmosphere like his name Black, perfectly handles both Korean and Japanese dialogue, delivering a solid sense of gravitas. The action choreography, highlighting the contrast between Gu Kyo-hwan's agile movements and Shin Seung-ho's steadfast charge, like the contrasting colors of Red and Black, fully captures the distinct charms of the two actors, different from their roles in Netflix's 'D.P.', becoming another spectacle.Kang Ki-young's realistic acting, where it's hard to distinguish between script and ad-lib, is responsible for the audience's laughter, and Kim Si-a forms different chemistry with Gu Kyo-hwan and Kang Ki-young, enriching the film.Of course, the exaggerated movements and CG, directly translated from the comic book setting to the screen, might be a point of contention for some viewers. However, if one accepts this as the film's unique personality and steadfastness, it shouldn't be a major issue. This is because it doubles the entertainment value as an action film by visually realizing Seok-hwan's ability upgrades with each death and resurrection and the hard-hitting action.'Resurrection Man,' which presents an unexpected "red flavor" with its bold direction and genre-specific fun, relying steadfastly on its choices, is rated 15+ and has a running time of 101 minutes.jiyoon-1031@tf.co.kr[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]