Ma Dong-seok’s hot streak continues as the does the Korean entries in the action comedy genre…
After catching the riotous fun of Unstoppable, I thought to myself, Ma Dong-seok should be in a Hollywood movie, with someone like Sylvester Stallone. He’s got the dry sense of humour, and the acting and action chops. Lo and behold the next day, it was announced that he will be starring in a Hollywood remake of his own Korean film The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil, with Sylvester Stallone producing. Since breaking on to the scene with his scene-stealing character in the modern zombie classic Train To Busan back in 2016, he has appeared in a staggering 11 films and established himself as one of Korea’s most sought-after actors. Unstoppable plants itself firmly in the action-comedy genre, one that the Koreans are dominating internationally, with films such as Extreme Job proving monster hits and great films.
Ma plays Dong-Chul, a married worker who loves his wife, Ji-Soo (Song Ji-Hyo, New World). His less-than-legal past as a gangster switches into gear when Ji-Soo is kidnapped by a gang led by Ki-Tae (Kim Sung-Oh, A Bittersweet Life). Alongside a pair of buddies Gomsajang (Kim Min-Jae, Battleship Island) and Choon-Sik (Park Ji-Hwan, The Outlaws), Dong-Jul goes on the hunt.
Ma has carved out such a loveable screen persona that it’s impossible not to love him. His face speaks of vulnerable emotions that can bubble to the surface, yet will never be communicated completely; his characters roguish violent inclinations, and abilities in them, creates a want for him to succeed in whatever his endeavour. An early scene in Unstoppable establishes the former musing brilliantly, as Ji-Soon confronts him about their relationship at her birthday meal. Ma’s face flickers with traces of vulnerability so beautifully, and is in tune with today’s representation of male action heroes: the masculine strength must be delineated with an opening up of emotion, so that the whole being can breathe. As the plot develops and things get violent, we see Ma run the gamut of reactions, from anger to exasperation to joy, and it is a joy to see an action actor who is so in tune with a modern persona.
This doesn’t mean to say there’s not the requisite amount of violence and dry wit that Ma has become famous for. An aspect that tickled me was Ma’s go to fight move is a massive haymaker punch; he uses it so many times in the movie it could become tired, but his delivery of said punch is so incredible, and the amount of times he uses it becomes absurd and witty rather than lazy. This guy really gets banged up in Unstoppable, too. Come to end face-off with a similarly huge bear of a man results in some painful-looking falls and reactions. The final move of this fight elicited cheers, laughs and claps from the audience I saw it with, and rightly so, it’s inventive and hilarious.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjgOH0Laek4
Kim Sung-Oh’s riotously colourful and deranged villain has shades of Gary Oldman in Leon, while paying tribute to such Asian greats as Simon Yam in Full Contact, replete with amazing dress sense and inventive violent streak. Kim’s delivery of one-liners and exasperation at Ma’s bullish determination to get Ji-Soo back are achingly funny, putting him high on the list of great bad guys. Another source of hilarity comes with Ma’s buddies, whose comic interplay and slapstick comedy provide at times a welcome relief from the relentless narrative drive.
However much Unstoppable follows the trail of new male action hero representation, it still is what it is: a movie about men. There are no real strong female characters, with Song nabbing a few good lines and scenes, but not being much of a presence. Personally this doesn’t bother me too much, and with movies such as Atomic Blonde and the startlingly good Furie, women warriors are reborn from the ashes of the Hong Kong Girls With Guns genre that died in the mid-90’s. Ma’s progression into Hollywood will be an interesting one to watch, and if he doesn’t succeed, there’s no doubt his popularity in Asia and the quality of Korean film-making (despite slipping a little recently) will see him have a great career ahead.
Unstoppable screened as part of the Far East Film Festival 2019.
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