The 12th Suspect (2019) Review

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WHO IS THE REAL SUSPECT? An atmospheric, gripping mystery-thriller and political movie, set at the end of the Korean War

 

Director: Ko Myoung Sung

Country: South Korea

Plot:

Just after the end of the Korean War in 1953, an investigation into the murder of a poet in Namsan is launched and focused on ten suspects.

12th suspect tea shop
The 12th Suspect – “Tea Shop”

The 12th Suspect Review:

This was not a fun thing to watch. I watched this film expecting it to be a usual whodunnit film. I was very very wrong.

The genre seemed to change many times throughout the film. I also couldn’t really get attached to any of the characters which might’ve made me not as enthralled in it. The setup and the beginning were so well done that they spiraled and fizzled out.

The 12th Suspect  - Investigation Sequence
The 12th Suspect – Investigation Sequence

That could be because the characters didn’t really have a massive chance of getting known. I did however enjoy the tea house owners.

Park Sun Young as Jang Sun Hwa
Park Sun Young as Jang Sun Hwa

The acting from all of the “suspects” was basically okay. The two who stood out the most were obviously Kim Sang Kyung, and Heo Sung Tae. Glorious.

The music always suited every single scene which was great. Whether it be light, dramatic, or scary it did the job.

Kim Sang Kyung as Kim Gi Chae
Kim Sang Kyung as Kim Gi Chae

I like watching movies that have justice served in the end. This movie made me feel that not everything was resolved in a way that suited me. As I just watched the movie and it’s so fresh I wouldn’t be able to say that I’d want to watch this again. Maybe the first 29 minutes or so.

Overall:

However, if you enjoy complicated, misleading, and whodunnit transition into a dark “wow didn’t expect that twist” movie.. Then give this film a shot.

Note: The movie is made on a Low budget, with cinematographer Park Jeong-chul’s soft, warm images providing a well-placed false sense of fuzzy nostalgia that jarringly blankets the ugly secrets that get revealed.

Arul S

I am a creative writer with experience in the creative Film writing field where I have written many scripts and Screenplay. I create sort of creative articles, blogs, movie or series reviews. The content will be 100% original and error-free.