Warner Bros. DVD Synopsis: During the Japanese occupation, a group of freedom fighters smuggle explosives to destroy facilities controlled by the Japanese forces. A group of resistance fighters led by the leader's second in command try to bring in explosives from Shanghai to destroy key Japanese facilities in Seoul. It's a game of cat-and-mouse as it's up to a Korean-born Japanese police officer to infiltrate the resistance at all costs by befriending an antique dealer who's involved in the plot but never exposed. (141 Mins)

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Views: Set in the 1920's during the Japanese occupation of Korea, The Age Of Shadows tells the true story of a gang of freedom-fighters who smuggle-in explosives from Shanghai, in a bid to destroy all key Japanese facilities and drive-out the enemy. As they are led by the revolutionaries second-in-command for this particular mission, the fighters are infiltrated by a Korean-born Japanese policeman, who was once a revolutionary in his younger days. As the game of cat-and-mouse begins, their journey soon takes many twists-and-turns, with the Japanese hot-on-their-heels that all leads to a dramatic and explosive finale!

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I happened to watch this amazing espionage-thriller just hours after a re-watch of Kim Jee Woon's amazing, A Tale Of Two Sisters. I have to say, it was quite the experience going from one to the other, as both films offer such a completely different watch. But thankfully, both films are also incredibly made and show what Kim can do working at either end of the film-spectrum (and with so much more in-between). Although it has the odd-spat of humour through-out, Kim pretty much plays it straight for the most-part, keeping the audience gripped with plenty of wonderfully lit visuals, constant suspense, and some fantastic writing. And while most may find that the first hour of this 141 minute movie might drag its feet a little, it certainly doesn't bore with some great character introductions, dialogue and production-design that keep you glued to the screen. Of course, everything after that comes running at us, with some nice action sequences and tense stand-off's as the Japanese close-in – from brutal chase-scenes to an incredibly suspenseful shoot-out on a train, and more. To be honest, as simple as things may seem, there's actually so much to see here that you would probably benefit from watching it again (and again). The Age Of Shadows is a stunningly shot movie, backed with some incredible performances that is now typical of it's South Korean A-list cast.

 

Leading the way is the wonderful, Song Kang-Ho. Shooting to global fame after the success of the amazing Parasite, where he played the hilarious father of the family, Song has rarely disappointed over the course of his career and has been a long-time talent of Kim Jee Woon's since the directors first film in 1998 called, The Quiet Family – later remade by Takashi Miike as, The Happiness Of The Katakuri's (both of which are well worth watching). Following on with The Foul King, Song worked with Kim on The Good, The Bad, The Weird, and his Hollywood debut with The Last Stand. Of course, fans would also recognise him from massive hits such as Memories Of Murder (which is where I had first seen him), The Host, Snowpiercer, Lady Vengeance, and many more. In The Age Of Shadows, Song plays Lee Jung-Chool, a Korean-born Japanese man, who now works as a highly respected police officer for the Japanese. Forced by Japanese officials to go undercover as a rebel, Lee finds himself torn inside as his journey soon reveals what his heart really wants.

 

Joining him, and playing Kim Woo-Jin (the second-in-command of the rebels), is Yoo Gong – a face more widely recognised to the Western audience for his role in the epic Train To Busan, where he played the loving father who will do anything to protect his daughter. Shot in the same year, Gong gets to play a major shift of characters between projects, and delivers an equally strong performance here as the freedom fighter out to stop the enemy. His boss, and the leader of the rebels, is Jung Chae-San played by the awesome Lee Byung-Hun in somewhat of an extended cameo. Flitting in-and-out of the story, Jung may be calling the shots, but clearly trusts in Kim Woo-Jin and knows exactly what undercover cop, Lee Jung-Chool, is up to. Much like Song Kang-Ho, Lee has made quite the name for himself in terms of global cinema as well as having shared-the-screen with the latter on a number of occasions. Lee first worked with director Kim Jee Woon on the amazing and dark A Bittersweet Life, before returning to star for him in The Good, The Bad, The Weird, and again for I Saw The Devil, before returning for The Age Of Shadows. And while it may be a smaller role in the latter, Lee's presence and appearance proves to be the cherry-on-top of an already, fantastic cast.

 

Aside from looking incredible, The Age Of Shadows benefits from an amazing and suspenseful score courtesy of Mowg. Having first worked with Kim Jee Woon on I Saw The Devil, as one of his first films as a composer, Mowg kept himself busy for a few years before returning for Kim's Hollywood debut with The Last Stand. Another few years would see them team-up again for this, then in 2018 for the fantastic Illang: The Wolf Brigade. Without taking a breath, Mowg has brought some incredible music to many hits of Korean cinema such as the twisted Burning, Exit (which is so much fun), zombie sequel Peninsula, and many more. Kim Ji-Yong lends his magic-eye as the cinematographer for The Age Of Shadows, also returning to work with the director since The Last Stand and A Bittersweet Life before that, which was his debut feature as a DOP. Of course, he has shot many more in between such as the twisted Hansel And Gretel, the fantastic Swing Kids, and brilliant Ashfall (also starring Lee Byung-Hun) and never fails to impress with some gorgeous visuals, from lighting to framing – and none more-so than here.

 

While The Age Of Shadows may seem heavy with its lengthy running-time and story, it does prove to be highly entertaining and worthy of a second or even third watch. Kim Jee Woon is one of South Korean cinema's greatest film-makers, and has proven time-and-time again, that no matter what the genre is – he can still make it a masterpiece!

 

Overall: Beautiful, tense, and brilliantly made, The Age Of Shadows is well worth the watch for fans of spy thrillers, and Korean cinema in general!