The Merciless

South Korea is leading the way in Asia's genre cinema. With superb pacing, production and meticulously choreographed action sequences, their best efforts are way more exciting than their Hollywood counterparts. The Merciless, which was screened at the Cannes film festival this spring, is no exception. In this police thriller, style and production design is more important than plot, but it is still a captivating experience, with great chemistry between the two lead actors.

Jo Huyn-su is a police rookie who volunteers for an undercover operation in a prison. His mission is to befriend an inmate, the brutal mafia boss Han Jae-Ho and infiltrate his network. The young Jo succeeds in forging an alliance, earning a trust and intimacy with Han that carries the whole film. After he has served his time, Han invites Jo to become part of his criminal network, run by the notorious «Chairman» Ho. So how is Jo supposed to balance treason and loyalty?

Luckily, director Byun Sung-Hyun has not been tempted to weigh down The Merciless with something as ridiculous as romance, although you might after all shed a tear over Jo’s mother, who is critically ill. First and foremost, you should prepare for a generous portion of relentless, hard-hitting action. Lasse Skagen

Byun Sung-Hyun counts among the most promising South Korean directors. He studied at the art academy in Seoul, and has directed several box office hits in his home country, such as the boyband film The Beat Goes On and Whatcha Wearin’ (both 2012). With The Merciless he ventures into genre territory for the first time.