User reviews

The film tells quite a unique story of cops joining forces with gangsters to go after a serial killer.

If you single out all these elements (cops, gangsters, a serial killer, a cop teaming up with a gangster), then I've seen and enjoyed them many times before and yet, I don't think I've ever seen them all come together like this.

So, a unique story that relies on well known archetypes. I thought it handled them well enough.

However, if you're looking for a very plausible story line and a masterful intricate plot, well that's just not what this is about. It's more of a fun, entertaining and somewhat gritty movie that mostly revolves around the dynamic between the cop and the gangster. As such, it was also my main source of enjoyment while watching it.

I also liked the cinematography, the acting (cop, gangster and serial killer), action sequences and fight choreographies. It also has a comedic aspect to it, which surprised me but was very welcome and appreciated. Ma Dong-seok's character was the one that stood out the most to me, then the cop. Like I said, the main strength of the film is the dynamic between them. At least that's how I experienced it.

One thing that frustrated me during this film is the dynamic between the cop and his superior. The dialogues were overly repetitive and I think that this is a good example of where the film is lacking. There isn't a lot of depth in this movie and it suffers from it. Especially when you start to stray away from the dynamic duo (cop and gangster).

That's about it. I had a good time watching it and I'd recommend it to those who enjoy these kinds of detective stories and want to have some fun but don't expect exceptional writting and depth.

I give it a 7.5

Like so many of the genre that hail from Seoul and its suburbs, this one punches well above its weight with an inventive reworking of well-worn plot tropes and slick production values.

A fun ride from Start to finish. Action was on point. Intensive fights and thrilling car chases. Likable Characters too. Wont make it in the top hundred but is a decent Choice of a Popcorn flick. Go for it!

This movie was such a treat, it engages you from the first minute till it's last scene. Ma Dong-Seok's performance was extraordinary and impressive. It's not one of those dark serial killer movies that Korean cinema is known for, however it's a great movie filled with great chases, tense moments, laughs and but will surely keep you on the edge of your seat. Furthermore what makes it more interesting is that it's based on true events. If you are into Korean cinema, this movie is a must watch.

Mafia boss Cheonan Dong-soo was subjected to a daring attack by a serial killer and miraculously survived. To restore his reputation, he teams up with a local detective and decides to take revenge on the criminal.

To find a maniac, the police have to cooperate with organized crime. Detective Jung Tae-seok, who hates the mafia, but understands that he cannot cope alone, takes up the case. Together with the bandit Cheonan Dong-soo, he will try to find the killer and take revenge. Will the heroes be able to defeat evil?

The picture of Korean director Lee Won-tae lacks stars from the sky, but at the same time it has a strong and dynamic plot, decent directing and several, albeit expected plot twists, which nevertheless make you cling to the screen, following the cooperation and rivalry of two seemingly opposing factions that are forced by circumstances to work together.

The film is based on real events. Viewers who are used to seeing classic heavy Korean thrillers may be disappointed, because there are many comedic moments in this film, the plot is very simple and straightforward, without any plot twists. But I liked the film precisely because of its focus on the mass audience, as well as the unusual plot and interesting play of the actors, who played well the spirit of excitement and rivalry in the hunt for a maniac.

The director very skillfully combines action, slasher elements and psychological tension in the frame, and adding here a skillful game with color and competently staged chase scenes (a three-car race is really good), we get an excellent police thriller with light noir elements in a Korean frame.

Let me remind fans of contests that the tape was a participant in an out-of-competition screening in Cannes last year, caused delight and critics, and comrade Sylvester Stallone bought the rights to an English-language remake in which Ma Dong-seok will star, again playing a mafia boss, this time in the made in Hollywood tape.

The idea of the authors of the film seemed insanely interesting, about erasing the line between good and evil when faced with a more terrible 'creature', which is personified by a serial killer performed by Kim Sung-gyu. But the most interesting thing that distinguishes Korean thrillers is that they contain a deep social drama when justice sleeps... Human morality becomes above the law and here we have to make a choice. But what choice the heroes will make remains a secret until the very end.

I am pleasantly shocked that newbie writer (this film his 3rd) and director (this film his 2nd) Won-Tae Lee came up with this outstanding little gem!

Apparently this film is based on true events, which that alone is enough to pique anyone's interest.

Lee's directing was in par with seasoned Hollywood directors. I'm not a fan of slow-mo shots, but his were few and well placed.

His writing was excellent, especially towards the ending, but I felt the pacing could of been a little better in the first half, and/or the 109 min. run-time edited/cut down to around 90 mins.

The cinematography was good, the score on point, and the casting great, with an exceptional and comical performance by Don Lee.

It's a well deserved 9/10 from me

09/10/2019 (3) The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil (2019) 7.3/10

Non-spoiler-ish review :)

A serial killer with a heartless soul roaming around towns. A cop that is dedicated to catching him at all costs. And a gangster leader with a special mission to annihilate this serial killer.

This piece of work has more goods than bads. I would start off by stating the fact that the idea of the movie is fairly original or at least, well-executed.

There was a mutual relationship that gives viewers comedic relieves every now and then. This light up the mood of the movie in lots of times.

There are some acts of the movie that felt rushed. Some Infos seem to be setting up plot lines and major future reveals but they weren't. There were characters that seem to be important but then forgotten.

The director and the writers have good directions in the dialogues and setting up motives for characters. However, some of the scenes were strolled by too quickly for me to feel the burden or the punishment level of certain actions.

Nevertheless, the movie is pretty alright alright. Some flaws every now and then but overall, quite entertaining and satisfying. A good thriller/action flick.

For this year, I was pretty impressed with suspenseful/ action-comedy Korean movies like Parasite and the Hit-and-Run squad. They were both pretty good and worth mentioning really.

#LateReview #TheGangsterTheCopTheDevil #Korean #ActionThriller What a thrill ride! I know am a bit late to the party on this one and boy does it live up to the online hype! As the name suggests, this nail-biting thriller narrates an ingenious 3-way slug fest amongst a tough-as-nails gangster, a righteous cop and a devilish serial killer. With the right mix of stylish sequences, unexpected twists and well-choreographed stunt sequences, Korea continues to set the standards for ingenuity in thrillers. Ma Dong-seok is a revelation as the brutal don Jang and I cannot wait for him to reprise his role on the upcoming Hollywood remake of the movie, bankrolled by the legend Sly Stallone himself A must watch. Highly recommended.

As an entertaining movie this film stood out pretty well and with some added bonus of captivating performances it has surely caught my attention! The technical sides were well executed too. Especially the cinematography and the overall tonality helped to set the mood. Background score was fitting with the vibe. The action scenes aren't much but They have been presented and choreographed by expert hands. Really liked the leads here the cop and the gangster guy. As a foreign audience I don't know much about them but they must be Pro in their fields; judging by the sheer intensity they represent on screen. Although I must say as much as I adored the performances but didn't really like chemistry build up thing. Their chemistry in-between didn't feel authentic and seemed too uncanny in certain situations. Their friendly gestures towards each other; I still don't get why and how? I mean the gangster guy was ruthless, feared among his men and doesn't like someone who crosses his line but still he was absolutely fine with the cop guy's constant banters and interruptions. That's something I couldn't really relate. Special mention goes to the serial killer guy; he gave a sensational performance. I wished the film have focused more on his backstory or explored in depth with the character rather than giving all attention towards the gang rivalry. A wasted opportunity I reckon. The emotional side was never there, it could have been, if the makers hadn't ignore the antagonist and his nurture as a character.

Great thriller with some really awesome background score. Don Lee really steals the scene. I would have given it a 9 if they had laid out the motive to the mode of the serial killings. Without that, it was slightly unfulfilling. But everything else was great fun.

Ticks off all the right boxes:

Lots of cool, vicious bad guys with one of them being really creepy and sick. On the other hand there are lots of dumb, ambitious cops, which are a laughing stock.

Lots of chases, that are quite riveting to watch. Lots of fist and knife fights, that are beautifully choreaographed and thrilling.

And to top it all off there is this contineous drive and suspense that keeps this story propelling forward.

THE cliffhanger: will they get the serial killer?

This story seems to be based on an actual true story, which is out of this world, because the police and the mob were actually really working together to catch a vicious serial killer.

Any bad? The cops are way too dumb to be real. And the gangsters are often way too cool, to be real as well. They used too many exagerated crime movie stereotypes, but then again, they didnt go too much overboard with these exagerations, therefore it still is an exciting and enjoyable crime flick!

This movie is somewhat alike Bad Guys (2014), with the surprising association of a cop (Kim Mu-yeol) and a gangster who heads a local mafia (Ma Dong-seok) in order to track down side by side a villainous serial killer (Kim Sungkyu). An extremely unorthodox attempt but, after all, the end justifies any mean, doesn't it? In spite of a few far-fetched scenes, the dynamic tandem is excellently interpreted and this efficient film is globally based on a breathtaking scenario, spectacular fights and a dark atmosphere.

Something new - police and gangster teams are chasing a serial killer. Nothing special, but everything is good enough to enjoy it. Lots of violence and smart arse comments - Korean style!

A decent enough cop/serial killer movie. But nothing overly special, watch i saw the devil if your looking for an amazing movie in this vein.

The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil: A South Korean thriller based on a true story. We've had tales of cops linking up with crooks before to pursue a joint interest, but this is a far darker tale where the quarry is a serial killer. He has tried to kill a gang boss, leaving him seriously injured, now the mobster joins up with his old cop enemy to catch the killer. They both know that they will try and cheat the other in the final toss of the dice, the detective want's the murderer brought to justice, the crook wants to kill him. Quite violent, not just the savage crimes committed by the "Devil" but also fights between rival gangsters. There is something eerily dark about watching the killer on the prowl, seeking out his victims, his mthod if stopping them, how he strikes. Maintains the tension throughout, a worthy addition to the South Korean Serial Killer Canon. Written and Directed by Lee Won-tae. On BBC4. 8/10.

S I have said before , I don't think I've seen a bad film come of of South Korea.

I especially love their cop films which have an over exaggerated energy that is quite unique and The Gangster, The Cop , The Devil is no different .

After barely surviving a violent attack by an elusive serial killer, crime boss Jang Dong-su finds himself forming an unlikely partnership with local detective Jung Tae-seok to catch the sadistic killer simply known as "K".

This is a blood thirsty serial killer movie that gets straight to the point .

Everyone seems to be on edge as nobody trusts anyone .

It's full of casual violence as well as full on violence, a little bit like a cartoon in some ways.

The story is simple to follow , if not a bit over the top but you don't get to know the serial killer's motives which is a shame .

Ma Dong-Seok is the star of the show . Previously seen in Train To Busan , here he is perfect as the head of the crime organisation and provides a bit of calmness when around the cop who acts like he's drunk fifty cans of Red Bull.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is remade for the American market because the idea of a Gangster teaming up with a cop to catch a killer is a really good one .

It was absolutely great movie for gangster film type. With fighting action, twist plot & nice ending surprisingly me. It was similar to The Outlaws movie that offer more thriller, action & crime scenes. Very good job!!

'The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil (2019)' tells the apparently true story of a maverick cop who teams up with a brutal gang leader to track down an indiscriminate, psychopathic serial killer. The premise is pretty strong, but the execution leaves something to be desired. That's not because the piece is bad, which it isn't, but because it simply doesn't live up to its potential. Put plainly, it's good but not great. Although it has some strong violence and features a few stand-out moments of brutality, it generally feels too glossy for its own good. There just isn't all that much grit here, an issue which is exemplified by an uneven tone and some really out-of-touch music choices. The movie also sails past its logical end-point and ends on an awkwardly elongated denouement, a segment which ought to have either been trimmed or given the time it needed to have a proper impact. Of course, its issues don't stop it from being a generally entertaining experience. It's engaging throughout and it features a few good action sequences. Ma Dong-Seok is also a strong screen presence who outshines pretty much all his co-stars. Overall, it's a solid crime-thriller that just falls short of the promise of its premise. 6/10.

Every Korean film I've seen where he's had a large role be action or comedy has been guaranteed entertainment. His build and face just don't go together so when he goes into violent mode as a good guy or bad not only is he surprisingly fast for his size his expressions are priceless! This movie made him even better and a likable bad guy. The wardrobe people were hysterical with his "Pimpin" Green and Gold suits... It doesn't feel like hard core violence when you see this actor punching a bag to find out that there was a guy in it that he beat badly lol. I'd have given it a 9 but the end was a bit drawn out and I think the Cop ending up in the 2 spot would have been a happier ending.

The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil is a decent film but the ending feels a little contrived.

On the upside the story is mostly well crafted, with an inexplicable, anti hero buddy team up, that sets up an intersection between cops, the criminal underworld and a serial killer. The overlap between these groups inevitably tie back to the killer, whose actions divide and unify, people seemingly at odds with one another.

On top of this rather clever interplay of plot elements, lies action and crime scenes that are well paced and choreographed, If at times somewhat gruesome and disturbing.

My only real criticism, is the ending which I felt was a little long winded and contrived. I suspect the story went down this path to bring it in line with acceptable mainstream notions of establishment "law and order".

Still, that said, on balance, there's more to like here than not. 7/10 from me.

The feel of this movie isn't right. The serial killer is too effective. The excessive punching matches feel contrived. The lead actors are likeable enough.

RATED 7/10 Language: Korean

Nice crime investigative thriller with good action entertainment. The fun factor and thrills are mixed well. After some point movie become repetitive and got bored bit.

If they maintained the thrill factor bit more, movie would be the perfect entertainer... Worth the watch...