Running Turtle

I'm not quite sure where the title comes from or exactly how it pertains to the film, but Running Turtle is a flick worthy of the attention of fans of Korean films. No, it isn't quite in the same league as OldBoy or I Saw the Devil, but Running Turtle is a film that can stand on its own two feet. The story is a fairly familiar one, though: A married (and very much suspended) cop who gambles too much decides to steal his wife's savings in order to bet on a bull fight. He chooses the underdog and miraculously wins, but his earnings are stolen by an escaped fugitive known for his fighting prowess. From there it's a cat-and-mouse game until the final badass fight between the two main characters. Of course, even if he can somehow defeat the legendary Song Gi-tae (Jong Kyung-ho), is there anywhere he'll be able to patch things up with his wife and daughter? Or with the police force that suspended him?

I wouldn't exactly call this movie a suspense-fest because it takes a bit to build up and sometimes it relies a little too much on some forced humor, but the real strength of this film is veteran actor Kim Yoon-seok and how he makes you want to root for his quite flawed character. You might recognize his name from the films Chaser and The Yellow Sea, both of which I enjoyed mightily and reviewed on this blog, but if you don't recognize his name then here's your chance to get acquainted. 

This film was directed by Lee Yeon-woo, a man who has only directed three films in the past twelve years, with Running Turtle being his sophomore effort. I believe he also co-wrote the script, too. 

I found it hard to believe this was only someone's second movie, but I think that the good filmmakers are just naturally gifted that way. Again, that's not to say that this is one of the greatest Korean films I've ever seen, but it's a solid movie and worth a watch if you are a fan of chase movies with a bit of comedic relief or Korean films. I'd certainly be willing to watch it again, if only to see if it flows better after a second viewing. 

Watch the movie and maybe you'll enjoy it a little bit. That's my advice.