Ransomed

I watched the 2023 South Korean film "Ransomed".

*From here on out there are spoilers, so if you don't want to see them, please quietly step away.*

It feels like I've watched a movie that conveys the words "bonds" and "friendship" without being overbearing for the first time in a while.

The story begins when a coded SOS message reaches the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the first time in a year and a half from a South Korean diplomat held captive by an extremist group in the quagmire of the conflict zone in Beirut, Middle East.
It is a superb action suspense film depicting a life-risking "unofficial operation" where they head into a dangerous zone with a ransom to secretly rescue a missing colleague.

The setting is the late 1980s.
Back then, South Korea was still in an era where the military regime under the Chun Doo-hwan administration boasted absolute power.
The realism of the infighting and political maneuvering between the Agency for National Security Planning, which held the real power in the country and refused to break its hardline stance, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which wanted to resolve things peacefully, firmly supports the framework of the story and draws you in completely.

Ha Jung-woo plays the protagonist, diplomat Lee Min-jun.
With no connections or academic background, he had been sidelined from the fast track, but he volunteers to enter this extremely dangerous war zone, betting on his own dreams and the condition that "if the operation is successful, you will be allowed to be posted to New York, USA."

The moment he lands at Beirut Airport, a life-or-death game of deception begins with local airport security, police, and gangs all eyeing the large sum of money.
That is where he miraculously (?) meets Kim Pan-su, a South Korean taxi driver who knows the local situation inside out.
Played by Ju Ji-hoon, he is perfect as a greedy, suspicious, and lighthearted man, playing the role with such charm and ease.
The way this film scatters cinematic tropes and wild elements is truly skillful and keeps you excited.

The discordant exchanges between the protagonist Min-jun and the local driver Pan-su are also hilarious.
There is a scene where Pan-su takes advantage of Min-jun being fast asleep to steal the $2.5 million and run away.
But after being scolded by his local girlfriend who asks, "What do you think human life is worth?!" and having a change of heart, he tearfully returns to give the money back; it's so full of humanity and comedy that I couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Of course, the intensity of the action is also incredible.
As expected from director Kim Seong-hun, who worked on "A Hard Day" and "Tunnel," his pacing is truly masterful.
Set against the backdrop of the Beirut cityscape recreated in Morocco, the car chase where they speed through narrow alleys in an old Mercedes is overwhelmingly thrilling.
Even while thinking, "There's no way you can drive that fast through such a narrow road!", you get so overwhelmed by the momentum of the visuals that you find yourself watching with bated breath.

In the final act, the desperate escape and shootout where they cross between rooftops on ladders to flee from enemy pursuers might make you want to smile wryly, thinking, "The pursuers are a bit too incompetent!"
However, because the film pushes you forward with its overall great tempo and overwhelming intensity, there is a sense of exhilaration that makes such minor nitpicks irrelevant.

The cast is also truly luxurious, with talented actors familiar from Korean dramas and movies firmly supporting the film.
Kim Jong-soo, who plays Min-jun's superior at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Im Hyung-guk, who plays his colleague, ground the drama with their profound performances.

And surprisingly, the presence of the quirky foreign cast was quite impressive.
Marcin Dorociński, who played the fixer (art dealer Shahit) connecting the underground route for hostage negotiations in Switzerland, had a shady yet formidable presence, and Burn Gorman, who appears in Hollywood movies from time to time, played the local CIA informant Carter.
Furthermore, Fehd Benchemsi, who played the tough and gritty militia leader Karim—who, despite being a mercenary bought with money, reliably backs up the protagonists' rescue operation—added a strong sense of exoticism and sharp tension at key moments.

The depth of the human drama that unfolds while dealing with such tricky characters makes you tear up unexpectedly.
The passionate bond of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs colleagues who, despite being isolated within the office, risk their safety to collect signatures and appeal directly to the upper management for Min-jun and his imprisoned colleague.

Furthermore, in the climax, after dodging intense pursuit and finally reaching Beirut Airport, they find that only two plane tickets have been prepared.
Min-jun decides to leave himself in the dangerous local area and sends the rescued colleague and his partner Pan-su back home first.
When it comes to acting out "manliness" and resolve in such life-or-death situations, there is truly no one better than Ha Jung-woo.

Min-jun returned to South Korea quietly and secretly, with his achievements and contributions erased by the convenience of the government and the organization, and with no one there to welcome him.
But the final scene where Pan-su appears in his taxi to pick him up in style before the dejected Min-jun made my heart warm and brought me to tears.
It is a wonderful, memorable scene that makes you think that even if they were betrayed by the coldness of the state and politics, a true friendship remained between the two who survived the line of death.

Even so, one can only say "thank you for your hard work" from the bottom of one's heart to the diplomats who work in the extreme conditions of conflict zones.
While there are those who lose their positions due to bribery or collusion with local interests as seen in the news, there are definitely people who risk their lives for their work with a sense of justice and an overwhelming sense of mission.
Even though I knew it was a movie mixed with fiction, it left me feeling refreshed after watching it.

A masterpiece with laughter and tears that sprinkles entertainment elements as much as possible onto a real-life story of a diplomat rescuing a colleague in a conflict zone.

That is the kind of movie I felt it was.