From start to finish, The Suspect kept me on the edge of my seat. I had never really seen an abundance of Korean films before viewing this particular one, but I must say I am impressed. The viewer is led on a high adrenaline chase through South Korea with the character Ji at the front. We are introduced to Ji and his struggles right off the bat. What I really appreciate about this film is that it doesn't waste any time. You know what you need to know when you need to know it. There isn't an annoying amount of back-story, only what is necessary. It stays in the moment.
Something I truly enjoy from this film is the scenery. The way in which the director chooses to use the angles of the camera to depict the city of South Korea is very intriguing. In a fast-paced car chase scene, the camera pans over a high view of the city, and we see just how narrow the streets are that these characters are currently having to maneuver through. In American car chase scenes, we usually only see what the driver sees or a very wide view of the highway or street. In this case, it is interesting to have a different angle. In addition, the noise of the city and the fast movement are added to give the viewer a real idea of how this city breathes.
With all of the praise that I have for The Suspect, I also feel that it has some drawbacks. As thrilling as the car chases and extremely graceful fight scenes are, I couldn't help but feel like it is similar to every other espionage film out there. In particular, I thought of The Bourne Identity because The Suspect also has a plot line of an estranged agent being chased down by the corrupt government. The storyline feels a tad overused and unoriginal. That is not to say the acting isn't good. I found each of the characters to be very comical and genuine. Even while the chaos of cars crashing and fists punching is going on around them, the actors in the film make the viewer feel like it is only you and he/she in the scene. They possess intensity throughout the film that could not be overlooked. For movie lovers who enjoy foreign spy films, it is an intriguing watch!
