The Chaser (2008)
The Chaser (2008) 8/10
With a largely unknown cast and director, The Chaser is proving to be the breakout hit of the year. After topping the Korean Box Office, this smart and thrilling Korean film is a wire-tight action that breathes new life into a tired genre. It takes the classic serial killer genre and turns it on its head. The focus here is not on who the killer is, but whether there is enough evidence. Its no spoiler to tell you that the killer’s identity is revealed early on in the film and that he is captured at an early stage. But where The Chaser differs from conventional serial killer movies is the search for evidence and its indictment of a police system that has become inefficient and bound by red tape. In a sense, The Chaser bears many similarities with the equally excellent Korean film Memories of Murder in terms of themes and subject matter, although The Chaser has none of the humor of Memories and instead injects a more violent streak. One thing i must add though, is that Korean films seem to have the best street chase sequences ever. It seems that the sprawling alleyways of Korea lends itself to frenetic chase sequences.
I loved the performance by the excellent cast, as well as the subplot involving a young girl that the protagonist must now look after. The film itself has some rough edges, but the tense and unconventional script together with an excellent cast makes The Chaser one of the best films of 2008.
