The Man Standing Next

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source: The Man Standing Next

An impressive modern Noir feel to this pacy and meticulous telling of what one learns to be, for South Koreans, the story of a major historical intrigue set within a miserable succession of military dictatorships in the latter part of the 20th century. I admit to becoming a bit confused during the picture as it's a complex story and it seemed to me that there were a number of individuals called Kim and Park for instance, either first or forname! I've seen a couple of Korean movies like Spy Gone North that I really enjoyed for their raciness and distinctiveness but I have really no background understanding at all of this story, but then I doubt many people do. But from what I have what I gleaned on Wikipedia it looks as if some care and attention was taken to depicting events as the historical facts allow, at the time of making. In the end there is clearly a directorial bias towards motive that in fact remains apparently debatable. Supremely ambiguous, however, is the depiction of the president himself, supported by some very deliberate and professional acting. There is a studied indifference to the portrayal of most of the characters actually which is quite remarkable and obviously intended to leave the viewer some degree of discretion in making their own moral judgement. Above all the movie stands ourt for me in its styling, with expert use of light & shade and another classic cinematic techniques. A trip in some blood at a critical moment is a masterpiece all of his own. There is also an impressive soundscape, which gives the feel of a mainstream cold war-style spy thriller. I guess what's best about it for me is that one doesn't even need to really understand entirely the details of the story as it is possible to pick up the gist of it and enjoy it at face value as just a pulsating and good-looking thriller.

Beautifully directed and even more powerfully presented by all the actors, especially the lead. One of the finest political thriller drama I have seen till date. The movie basically revolves around the intelligence chief of South Korea during 1970s and his journey from being the closest associate of the then President ( Dictator ) to killing him. Spine chilling and thought provoking political thriller you can enjoy with your friends and family. Democracy is not the best form of governance we have but it is the best possible alternative we have (to dictatorship) till something more greater is ideolized and implemented. Beautifully crafted movie. Brilliantly directed, written and acted. Highly recommended to anyone reading my review.

A slow-burning political drama from South Korea, this one tells the true story of a military dictatorship of the 1970s and how it ended in an abrupt and bloody fashion. It's anchored by a wonderfully underplayed and sensitive turn from Lee Byung-hun, aided by a strong cast. It's a really slow moving piece that nonetheless captures you with its icy realism and attention to detail, the political backdrop carefully depicted. The last half an hour is as tense as they come.

The movie is based on a political history and its backstage dark site. It is sad, South Korea had dictators which weren't that long time ago. But,however it is free from its dictators now, however it gained its desirable democracy. I don't know how the movie portraits Kim as a patriot or as a traitor. But,his acting was amazing and other cast did a great job.

It is most unfortunate that Korean movies such as this one do not get as much international attention as they deserve. The Man Standing Next is a brilliant political drama about the assassination of Park Chung-hee, who got to power through a coup d'état, in 1970. The movie tells the set of events that took place beforehand and ultimately made the protagonist Kim Jae-gyu kill one of his long time friends. The cast and the make-up are perfect to a degree in which the actors look almost the same than their historical counterparts (just have a look at the images after you've watched the movie). But by far the best thing about this movie is musical accompaniment combined with the quick pacing of events. While similar movies might suffer from boring and uneventful parts the chain of action is so fast paced in this movie that you keep your attention up at all time. Summarized one can say that everyone who worked on this movie has done a great job that should be appreciated by as many people as possible. So if you're looking for some intriguing entertainment, go ahead and give this one a watch.

As good as expected. Powerful performances, tense, good pace, very well shot, magnificent use of shadows and dark scenarios in line with the theme. Koreans know how to tell the stories of their history. I would be so proud if Portugal was capable to do something similar with our rich history...

Very insightful historical film about the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA); during the presidency of Park Chung-hee 40 days before his assassination in 1979. I think this political drama portrayed very well the political crisis during that time in South Korea; rule of law and civil rights being gravely threatened in the country; the whole political situation escalating dramatically and ending with the assassination of South Korean President Park Chung-hee - by the director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency, Kim Jae-gyu. A controversial figure, Kim Jae-gyu is portrayed by the actor Lee Byung-hun as a very dignified gentleman with high moral values who feels compelled to kill his long-time benefactor, President Park, to end Park's 18-year military dictatorship; so as to uphold democratic values in the country. According to this historical film, the CIA and the U.S. Ambassador to Korea during that time could have done perhaps a bit more to support the director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency, Kim Jae-gyu; instead of pressuring him to do something drastic - Kim Jae-gyu ultimately being pushed into resolving this extremely difficult political situation by himself. In the wake of the "Koreagate" scandal - where political relations between the United States and South Korea were very shaky - this must have been indeed a very difficult time for all parties concerned. But perhaps the US government and the CIA could have shown a bit more empathy and understanding towards the Korean leaders during that time; also in view that Korea was still a young democratic nation during that time.