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Shiri
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List Price: $24.95
Our Price: $15.49
Your Save: $ 9.46 ( 38% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
Starring: Suk-kyu Han, Min-sik Choi, Yunjin Kim, Kang-ho Song, Johnny Kim
Directed By: Je-gyu Kang
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Binding: DVD
EAN: 9780767870818
Format: Anamorphic
ISBN: 0767870816
Label: Sony Pictures
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Sony Pictures
Region Code: 99
Release Date: 2002-04-09
Running Time: 125
Studio: Sony Pictures
Theatrical Release Date: 1999
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Editorial Reviews:
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A dazzling action movie from South Korea, Shiri follows two South Korean government agents, Ryu and Lee, as they pursue a female super-assassin from North Korea. Meanwhile, an elite paramilitary squad from North Korea has stolen a shipment of CTX, an undetectable liquid explosive of enormous power, which they've planted all over the city of Seoul. As their investigations are successively foiled, Ryu and Lee begin to suspect that there is a mole within the ranks of the agency--and it may be one of them. Both hyperstylish and hyperrealistic, Shiri rips along as a smooth fusion of Hong Kong and American action movies. Ryu's troubled romance with his alcoholic fiancée adds a striking emotional counterpoint to the blazing gunfights and high-speed chases; the ending is unexpectedly moving. It's not surprising that this film beat Titanic's box-office records in Korea. --Bret Fetzer
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: When I Dream, I Dream of You.......
Comment: This sleek and elegant action thriller from South Korea transcends genres as its visually stunning and highly stylized violence is balanced with an emotionally rich story that makes it one of the finest action films ever. This film was a bigger blockbuster in Asia than Titanic, and after viewing it for the first time you will know why.
Unlike most action films, director Je-gyu Kang retains a very human element within the often spectacular physical sequences, giving this picture a heart. It deals with politics and the anguish of a country which has been divided through what, in the end, turns out to be a very intimate story of two people in love.
Shiri is a viciously trained female assasin who has gone underground after leaving a goodbye message in blood at her last kill. Ryu and Lee are South Korean agents who have dealt with the beautiful and deadly Shiri once before. When she resurfaces and takes out a black market arms dealer, they must discover why she has returned. Their search will cause each to subtly question their friendship and cast suspicion on each other.
A new weapon developed by South Korea called CTX has been stolen. It is a liquid, like water, that when exposed to light is deadly enough to destroy an entire city with one gallon. Korea is close to taking its first steps toward unification with a soccer game attended by the leaders of both sides of Korea. But if the deadly Shiri is working for North Korea why would she kill both leaders? The only conclusion is that not everyone in Korea wants the same kind of unification.
This film has some incredibly stylized action sequences but never sacrifices the more human elements which drive it. Ryu's relationship with his sweet fiancee is tender and real. She is a recovering alcoholic who runs a fish shop. Their scenes together are truly touching. She does not know Ryu is an agent and as his pursuit of Shiri begins to intrude on their lives she may not be able to stay away from the bottle.
There are revelations exposed near the end which are full of anguish and heartbreak. I cannot reveal more but can say that not everyone will survive. There is some fine Korean music in the background to this terrific film and it is visually gorgeous. The final scene of two people sitting together on a bench overlooking the ocean and listening to "When I Dream, I Dream of You" is heartrending, and what separates this great film from others of its genre. A real winner.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Solid spy thriller
Comment: This is a Korean spy thriller about an assassin from North Korea (Kim Yoon-jin from Lost) and a team of special forces (the leader is Choi Min-sik from Oldboy) that hijacks an shipment of a new type of explosive. Two members of the South Korean counter-terrorism unit (one of whom is played by Song Kang-ho, who has been in JSA, Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance, Lady Vengeance, and The Host) must track them down before they blow up Seoul. There is a good mix of drama and action here. One of the South Korean agents is engaged, but she doesn't know what he does for a living. The other is obsessed with finding Hee, the assassin. There are some nice running gun fights with handheld camera work that emphasized the chaos. I really would have liked to see at least one decent car chase, though. Well acted all around and the direction by Kang Je-gyu (Tae Guk Gi), who also wrote the script, was very solid. There is one very sudden twist at the end that really makes you take notice and that really makes the film more than your standard actioner.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good but not that good
Comment: 3.5 stars
Lotta hype on this biggest Korean box-office grosser, but it's really just a well-made Hollywoodish thriller with Korean politics inserted. Some good moments and performances, but hardly the genre-bender I was expecting. When I watch foreign films I want the feeling that I'm learning about their culture. This felt like a Hollwyood propaganda-type film, only made in Korea. Communists bad, "freedom-fighters" good. Love good, hate bad...unless it's hate of the bad guys. Then hate good!
Whatever.
Overrated but with moments of eye candy and decent thrillerish tensions.
But then again, Titanic is the US's top-grossing film, so there you go.
Customer Rating:
Summary: The fan
Comment: I bought the movie because it stars Korean actress Yunjin Kim. I think this film surpasses most asian made movies. Being a fan of several CSI type television shows, this film is of good qualitiy for being made from the far east. But I have to say that asian suspense movies seem to dwell on making movies that end depressing. Someone you come to like or love always dies in the end. This movie was so depressing, it almost made me want to put a bullet in my head if I were the agent in love with the female sniper. Overall, the movie was entertaining to watch.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Through an Aquarium
Comment: Director Kang Je Gyu won a Special Jury Award at the Asia Pacific Film Festival for this movie. I appreciated the fine work he did on this film. He kept the pacing brisk, the plot developed with unusual twists and the actors turned in great performances. Kim Yun Jin who has been on the first three seasons of "Lost" TV series plays the lead, an expert assassin, committed to her goals. Choi Min Sik is a familiar face from Oldboy for which he won a Best Actor Award from the Grand Bell Awards in South Korea and at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival & Blue Dragon Awards. As Park Mu Young in this film, he's the committed North Korean operative of the Special 8 Forces who capture the powerful CTX liquid bomb material and intend to foment war by blowing up leaders at a sports stadium. Han Suk Kyu or Johnny Kim plays agent Yu Jong Won who has fallen in love with a girl named Hyun, who also happens to be the sharpshooter Lee Bang Hee. Yu's partner Lee Jang Gil played by Song Kang Ho figures out the plot. Images of fish abound in the film. I liked the romantic scene shot through an aquarium as the lovers embrace. Criticisms about the fight scenes are valid. Similar thoughts ran through my mind as to how an amazing amount of bullets could not hit one Special 8, until the climax shifts and they all start going down like grass in front of a lawnmower. One minute they're invincible; the next they're dead. The thing I liked most about this film was the jealousy of the starving folks in the North of the affluent people of the South. I could see how these issues would resonate well with Korean audiences. While not perfect, this 1999 picture is well worth hunting for on DVD. Enjoy!
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