8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.2 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Taesik, a former special agent, becomes a loner after losing his wife in a miserable accident and lives a bitter life running a pawnshop. He only has a few customers and a friend named Somi, a little girl next door. As Taesik spends more and more time with Somi, he gets attached to her. Then Somi is kidnapped by a gang, and as Taesik tries to save Somi by becoming deeply associated with the gang, his mysterious past is revealed...
Starring: Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron, Thanayong Wongtrakul, Kim Sung-oh, Kim Hee-wonForeign | 100% |
Crime | 24% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.35:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
Korean: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (224 kbps)
Korean: Dolby Digital 2.0
English
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Pawnshop ghost and garbage: sounds like a rock band.
It’s probably a sad commentary on the insular world view of a lot of Western filmgoers that if you ask everyday fans to comment about South Korean
films, if you get anything other than a blank stare, you’re just as likely to get a nasty remark about the “Moonie”-financed Inchon, one of the
biggest box office debacles of the 1980’s (and one that isn’t even “really” a Korean film). But for those who love world cinema in general, and Asian
cinema in particular, South Korea has actually been a steady provider of unusual and often thrillingly idiosyncratic fare, and it has a long and laudable
history going back to the earliest days of film. Though Korean cinema is only just beginning to make major inroads in terms of international market
share, there seems to be a generally growing consensus that a lot of current Korean offerings are among the best foreign films out there. One of the
undeniable blockbusters of recent years is The Man from Nowhere, a sort of South Korean take on Luc Besson’s Leon (also known as
The Professional). As with Leon, The Man from Nowhere posits a loner with a mysterious past, the generically named “Mister” (Won
Bin, Mother), who befriends a sweet little neighbor girl, So-mi (the absolutely adorable Kim Sae-Ron), who lives in the same apartment
complex. So-mi’s abduction at the hands of a nefarious group of criminals leads to Mister jumping into a complex labyrinth of drug dealing, organ
harvesting, and a variety of other criminal activities that don’t exactly put the best light on South Korean nightlife. This is a film that is desperate,
dark and often dreary, but which very smartly focuses on the human relationship between Mister and So-mi, and only brings in the admittedly visceral
action sequences as a direct result of that relationship.
The Man from Nowhere sports a sharp and detailed AVC encoded 1080p image in 2.35:1. As with so many current gangster films, the bulk of this film is cast in cool, icy shades of blue, and a lot of the film is very dark. That said, detail is really rather remarkable even in the shadowy segments, though blacks occasionally do crush. The film sports a desaturated look in terms of fleshtones in many of these darker segments, but fine detail remains clear and vibrant throughout. Some of the very darkest segments sport a noticably softer image, with more apparent grain, than brighter sequences. When we move outdoors, or into brightly lit shots, contrast and clarity are exceptional and some extreme close-ups reveal astounding levels of fine detail. Overall this image is very sharp and well delineated and the colors, while intentionally muted, are accurately reproduced and give the film a shimmering coolness which ably reflects the lead characters' internal anguish.
The Man from Nowhere doesn't skimp on lossless tracks, offering nice DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mixes in both Korean and English. I could only stand the English dub for short stretches, not due to an inadequacy of the mix itself but due to the usual ineptitude of the actual dub. The original Korean track is the one to go with here, and it provides a bristlingly visceral experience from virtually the very first moments. The first sequence inside the dance club is alive with immersion and some floor rattling bass thumping emanating from the subwoofer. The action sequences are very well detailed with some exceptional directionality and very effective sound effects editing. Dialogue is clean, well positioned and easy to hear (though of course you'll probably be reading the subtitles). Underscore and effects are very well mixed into the 5.1 track and it provides a very cinematic experience throughout The Man from Nowhere.
The Man from Nowhere may not be especially innovative, but it does what it comes to do with a general sense of efficiency and emotional impact. The lead performances are exceptional, and this Blu-ray looks and sounds great. You may have seen (and heard) it before, but not with this particular accent. Recommended.
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