Kill Boksoon Review: This is a South Korean action thriller film (길복순) directed and written by Byun Sung-hyun, and produced by Yi Jin-hee. The film stars Jeon Do-yeon in the lead role of the reputed contract killer Bok-soon and has a total runtime of 129 minutes.
Notably, the film also stars Sol Kyung-gu, Esom, Koo Kyo-hwan, Kim Si-a, Kim Si-a, and others in prominent roles. Moreover, the movie is edited by Kim Sang-bum, while Cho Hyung-rae serves as the cinematographer.
-No Spoilers-
Kill Boksoon Review
This action-packed Korean adventure-thriller starts with a full-blazing sword and axe fight between a top-notch Samurai warrior and the legendary contract killer Bok-soon. Moreover, instead of transitioning into another orthodox battle for honour, the fight ends unpredictably and sets the slick tone for the rest of the flick.
Bok-soon is an ageing contract killer who works for a so-called company that designates different individuals to assassinate mafia members, goons, and low-lives. The company also has a set of rules and customs, including a strict no for taking rogue offers. However, the legend with a reputation knows how to bypass those laws and earn a heavy side income.
Furthermore, Bok-soon also has a teenage daughter, who remains quiet and aloof from her mother and carries her own set of secrets. And even though Bok-soon has kept her completely away from the business, she is afraid that the consequences of her career choice might impact her daughter someday, in the future.
The entire film manages to pull off a mother-and-daughter relationship, an aching love story, and a full-throttle assassination saga. It does not shy away from the nitty and gritty aspects of Bok-soon’s business and makes sure to provide a complete moral context of her character.
Also Read: International Shows Releasing on MX Player in April 2023: The Song of Glory, Fall in Love and More
I believe the best kind of movies are those where you root for the grey characters more than the black and white ones. Bok-soon is a cold-hearted killer who has a long-running streak of murders, in the most unfathomable sense. But the entire character arc of her motherhood makes you root for her victory more than anything else. At one point, we know that she might not be the best of people, but she is definitely a caring mother in progress.
The film almost resembles a female John Wick vibe and leads Bok-soon into a self-contained mess. There are a plethora of action sequences which will make you completely hooked with the movie, and admire the resistance of the legendary killer. However, at its core, this Korean action thriller is a mother-and-daughter story.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a hardcore action thriller that also has an emotional connection to it, then Kill Boksoon is something you should not miss out on. It has the thrill, the guts (literally) and the much-needed resonating story in the middle.
You can stream the film on Netflix. Let us know your thoughts about it in the comments section below.