공공의적 PUBLIC ENEMY 2008 2005 2002

 

 

 

 

 

 PUBLIC ENEMY RETURNS (2008)

 

 

 

The Korean film industry has not been having a very good year, and all hopes are pinned on this summer blockbuster, that will open at the NYAFF just a few days after it premieres in Korea. The original PUBLIC ENEMY told the story of a corrupt, burnt-out cop, Kang Chul-Joong, whose professional passions are reignited when he crosses paths with a pampered, spoiled thrill killer. This time around, Kang is ready to retire. A lifetime of fighting crime has given him scars, injuries, a credit rating of zero and no savings. He can’t afford a house, and caring for his family is out of the question unless he can find a way to come up with some cash. on the other end of the social spectrum is Lee Won-Sul, a successful businessman who has hundreds of investments, a country house, a doting family and an influential place in society. He’s much-loved, he’s highly respected and he is a great man in all the ways the irascible, corner-cutting, deadbeat Kang is not.

So when Kang comes up with a link between Lee and some recent murders, people tend not to believe him. The more he tries to prove that everyone’s favorite fella is a slimy crook commanding an empire of crime, the more he’s dismissed as jealous, crazy and, finally, downright dangerous. The original PUBLIC ENEMY was a massive critical and commercial hit when it was released in Korea back in 2002. But the sequel, ANOTHER PUBLIC ENEMY, was a lifeless, talky flick that died of paralysis and while it made a lot of money, no one was very happy with it. Now, director Kang Woo-Suk is back for the third installment and he’s teamed with screenwriter Jang Jin/ and they’ve sworn that they won’t make the same mistakes again.

Considering that Kang Woo-Suk was voted the most powerful man in Korean entertainment for seven years running and that Jang Jin is the industry’s current high priest of writers (he wrote the sparkling WELCOME TO DONGMAKOL) that’s not an empty promise. The cast alone is enough to give you pause. Sol Kyung-Gu of last year’s NYAFF crowd-pleaser, CRUEL WINTER BLUES, is one of Korea’s best grizzled actors and he returns to reprise his role as the hard-drinking, hammer-fisted cop, Kang Chul-Joong. Writer Jang Jin’s favorite leading man, Jung Jae-Young, plays his first villain role as Lee Won-Sul, and the rest of the cast are a host of Korea’s most popular character actors. This may be a simple flick about cops out to take down the bad guys, but it’s the movie into which all of the Korean film industry has poured its hopes this summer.

 

Directed by: Kang Woo-Suk

Screenplay by: Jang Jin

CAST: Sol Kyung-gu, Jung Jae-young, Kang Shin-il

 

 

 

 

 

 PUBLIC ENEMY 2 (2005)

 

 

 

In the old days, movies tended to be populated solely by obvious good guys and clear-cut bad guys. Eventually, newer generations of filmmakers came along and found such a black-and-white division to be too simplistic and began to introduce characters whose morals were painted in broader shades of gray. But even moral relativism gets a little boring when it's overdone, and considering how ethically ambiguous the real world is getting nowadays, it's no surprise that certain audiences might be longing for movies that feature heroes who actually stand for something. Anti-heroes may have their charm, but sometimes it's nice to have a hero who's willing to put it all on the line for no other reason than it's the right thing to do.

Such a discussion leads directly into Another Public Enemy, Kang Woo-Suk's engaging sequel to his 2002 box office hit. In the first Public Enemy, actor Sul Kyung-Ku played Kang Chul-Joong, a corrupt bastard of a detective who'd lost sight of his responsibilities as an officer, and in the end, found some measure of redemption by bringing a brutal serial killer to justice. Sul returns for the sequel, playing a character with the same name, but this Kang Chul-Joong isn't quite so rough around the edges.

Despite his low-paying salary, this Chul-Joong is an incorruptible public servant, a veritable paragon of virtue who takes his job as a prosecutor very seriously, even putting himself in harm's way to serve the public good.

 

However, Chul-Joong's spotless reputation is challenged when he crosses paths with his former classmate, Han Sang-Woo (Jeong Jun-Ho), interim chair of the Myung-Sun Foundation. However, Sang-Woo didn't assume this position through hard work and dedication. It just so happens that his father died, and his brother, who was next in line for the position, was critically injured in a mysterious car accident not long after. Quite a coincidence, no? It seems Sang-Woo wants to use the foundation for his own personal gain, and is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals: bribery, embezzlement, extortion, and even murder!

 

Chul-Joong smells a rat, but encounters difficulties in conducting his investigation when people begin to question his motives.

 

Not only does Sang-Woo have a charming public persona that keeps him above suspicion, but he and Chul-Joong have a history. Back in high school, Sang-Woo was able to buy himself out of whatever problems he got into thanks to the clout of his wealthy father. This fact went along way in motivating a young Chul-Joong to work hard to make something of himself. By becoming a prosecutor, he felt he could put dirtbags like Sang-Woo in jail, because no one is above the law. But with obstacles at every turn, can Chul-Joong bring down his slimy nemesis? Or will this public enemy's vast riches allow him to get away scot-free?

Those hoping for a direct continuation to Public Enemy may be somewhat disappointed with this unrelated sequel at first glance. Gone is the well-meaning, but rough around the edges anti-hero of the first film and in his place is a self-assured, morally righteous hero of heroes. If this were a Western, Kang Chul-Joong would be wearing a white hat to let the audience know which side he's on.

 

Consequently, Han Sang-Woo is basically evil personified, his mask of respectability allowing him to manipulate others to his own benefit. He's a man who has bribed and murdered his way to the top. Heck he even runs a guy over with his car just to show he's not a guy to be trifled with. Now critics may scoff that characters like these are unrealistic, but perhaps they are also too jaded to realize that these types exist outside the realm of cinema. In reference to Kang Chul-Joong, it's refreshing to see a character of moral fiber and with a clear sense of purpose. The fact that these two polar opposites are locked in a deadly game of cat and mouse only ratchets up the tension of the piece, creating a huge anticipation for the moment Sang-Woo finally gets his comeuppance. However, that expectation level may be too high. Sure, when Chul-Joong finally unleashes his fury on Sang-Woo, it's a cathartic experience, but perhaps not as exhilarating as one would hope considering all the build-up in the film's two hour plus running time.

One aspect of the film that more than makes up for its narrative flaws is its depiction of male camaraderie in between the film's more stressful and serious moments. After appearing in the original, Kang Shin-Il returns in a similar role as the hero's gruff superior, a man who considers Chul-Joong a friend, but is also irritated by his prosecutor's "take no prisoners" attitude. Welcome moments of humor between the two (and the other members of the investigative team) help give the film a more personal touch that defies the seeming one dimensional nature of their characters. These comedic moments are well-timed and don't at all seem incongruous with the more serious stuff that has gone before. It should be noted that there are moments of high melodrama in the name of "brotherhood" and "duty" toward the end of the picture that, for some, may seem comic or even maudlin. However, those who've grown attached to the characters will perhaps find these moments to be stirring and triumphant, as finally the heroes cut through all the bull and do the right thing. Amidst all this male bonding, one can't help but notice the lack of women in this film. As with Another Public Enemy's predecessor, women serve as little more than secretaries and wives in the film. If someone wanted to do a feminist critique, they'd have ample fodder to do so. Just don't look at me though.

Another Public Enemy is the kind of movie that should register immediately with American audiences. Although set in South Korea and supposedly dealing with facets of modern Korean culture, the film depicts a situation that should be familiar to most Americans. Switch the locales, and what you have is a celebration and critique of the American dream myth. Kang Chul-Joong is the prototypical self-made man, a prosecutorial Batman-type who's honed his mind and skills for one mission and one mission alone: to serve the public good. Han Sang-Woo, of course, represents the worst that can be created by such a society: a man born with a silver spoon in his mouth who has no interest in helping anyone but himself, and is unafraid to use illegal means to do so.

 

Here, the director attempts to highlight the corruption of politics and business in Korean culture, an issue that gets emphasized to the point where it becomes a bit too obvious. For example, a social commentary-laced confrontation between the two leads basically spells out what should probably have remained subtext.

While it's quite possible that Another Public Enemy will come across as too simplistic for some, it's sure to find an audience with viewers who don't equate "simple" with "bad." For those looking for a movie where heroes are heroes, men are men, and good triumphs over evil, one could do worse than to check out Another Public Enemy, a solid sequel that expands on its premise in new and exciting ways. (Sanjuro 2005)

 

 

 

Directed by: Kang Woo-Suk
CAST: Sol Kyung-gu, Jeong Joon-ho, Kang Shin-il 

 

 

 

 

 

 PUBLIC ENEMY (2002)

 

 

 

Despite a very graphic suicide (a bullet through the head) popping up early in “Public Enemy,” the rest of the film takes a dramatic shift toward comedy. Not long after the suicide, a cab driver is bludgeon to death by the film’s villain, Cho (Seong-jae Lee), who later commits a double murder in a particularly violent fashion. And yet, “Public Enemy” is more comedy than it is anything else. (I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true.)

 

“Public Enemy” stars Kyung-gu Sol (from the wonderful “Peppermint Candy”) as Kang, a corrupt cop who, as the film opens, has just robbed drugs from some gangsters with intentions to sell it. When Internal Affairs begins investigating him, Kang tries to dump the drug, only to find it impossible. Frustrated, the burned out cop returns to work and ends up on the trail of Cho, an ambitious fund manager who has just slaughtered his parents for their money. Cho and Kang bumps into each other in the aftermath of the murder, and from that moment on the two are at odds as Kang pursues Cho using all avenues at his disposal — and even some that aren’t.

 

“Public Enemy” manages to balance the comedy and drama very well, something I didn’t think was possible. Despite a couple of very bloody and violent murders, the movie never becomes “Seven”-ish — meaning it never becomes depressingly morbid and obsessed with atmosphere. It’s hard to explain, but I was able to laugh riotously at the film’s comedy mere moments after a brutal murder took place, something I usually feel awkward about doing. Somehow writer/director Woo-Suk Kang manage to draw this out of me, much to my chagrin.

 

As the disheveled, slightly off-kilter Detective, Kyung-gu Sol is nevertheless very endearing. Despite his lack of everything, we can feel and see the honest cop inside him trying to get out. He’s not the best detective in the world, and his superiors are never hesitant to inform him of this fact. But despite all that, Kang has something that makes him a great detective: he’s instinctive and tenacious, and he easily becomes Cho’s worst nightmare, much to Cho’s surprise.

 

As the preppie/yuppie killer, Seong-jae Lee is the perfect counterbalance to Sol’s Kang. Cho is a man who always gets his way and he isn’t the least bit hesitant about killing a man for a perceived insult. So when this out-of-control Detective (who is clearly Cho’s lesser in intelligence, charm, and looks) confronts this hot-tempered, murderous yuppie, Cho is completely caught off guard. How do you shake a dog that won’t be shaken? Kang has a hold on Cho’s leg and he isn’t letting go, and the smarter man this dumbfounded.

 

How Kang eventually captures Cho is irrelevant (but think “Colombo” for clues), because these two men are destined to end things in a primitive and bloody manner. In something of a surprise, Kang and Cho don’t even meet each other until almost the halfway mark, when Cho murders his parents one rainy night. Their encounter is brutal and violent, setting up the next hour for the two men to butt heads, part, and butt heads some more. And it’s all spectacularly done, even if some of the plot points are predictable. (The loose- cannon-cop versus his by-the-book-superior scenes has been done to death, and “Public Enemy” unfortunately has to take a stab at it as well.)

 

There is something very human about “Public Enemy” that doesn’t seem obvious at first glance. It’s Kang’s openness about his corruption, his instincts to save people and be a “protector of the people” that makes him so endearing despite all of his vices (and he has many). In the end, the film works because it’s found such great balance in everything it does.

 

Let me also say that “Public Enemy” is one of the funniest movies I’ve seen to come out of South Korea. I hope this is a new direction for that industry, because my experiences with previous South Korean “comedies” have been rather lackluster and disappointing. (”Surprise” comes to mind.) As a final aside, “Public Enemy” is also what the Robert De Niro movie “Showtime” tried to be, but failed.

 

 

Directed by: Kang Woo-Suk

Screenplay by: Woo-Suk Kang
CAST: Sol Kyung-gu... Kang Cheol-gu
Seong-jae Lee …. Cho Gyo-hwan
Shin-il Kang …. Eom Ban-jeong

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://001-1.co.kr

http://www.lovehkfilm.com/panasia/another_public_enemy.htm

http://www.beyondhollywood.com/public-enemy-2002-movie-review

http://www.subwaycinema.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=93