Illang: The Wolf Brigade: Movie Review
Image Credit: Wikipedia
As you may or may not know, my website hasn’t been working well for the past week, and I was worried I might not get to upload a review. But lo and behold, the wonderful fellows at Wix came through and I can now give you my impressions of the new Netflix original Illang: The Wolf Brigade.
Illang is a live-action Korean remake the famous Japanese anime Jin-Roh: The Wolf Bridgade. And while the very word anime may turn off some people who have met one too many body-pillow loving weaboos, Jin-Roh hails from anime’s grittier and less sex-obsessed side. While I can’t attest to whether or not Illang is a faithful adaptation, one of Jin-Roh’s creators did praise the movie, but I have also been informed that at least a few of the specifics were indeed changed in order to set the film in Korea.
The film is set in 2029, when Korea has reunified — much to the chagrin of the international community, which has decided to sanction it to death, because how dare those Koreans seek peace. In the meantime, an anti-reunification terrorist group known as the Sect emerges, and in response, the Korean government deploys a controversial anti-terror group called the “Special Unit,” which is clad in Nazi-esque metal suits, and decides to hunt down the terrorists at any and all costs, leading to some unfortunate casualties. We follow veteran Special Unit member Im Joong-kyung (Gang Don-won), who, after witnessing a young suicide bomber kill herself, meets with her sister, Lee Yoon-hee, (played by Han Hyo-joo) in an attempt to reconcile his emotions. Now, that’s more or less the first half hour, and if you want to watch this film, buckle up, because it only gets more convoluted from there.
The plot is probably the weakest point of this film. Not because it’s nonsensical, but because it’s incredibly hard to follow. The film tries to weave a complex conspiracy alongside a morally ambiguous tale, but ultimately falls fails to do so. Not only is the conspiracy poorly explained, but the motivations of its various actors are close to non-existent. We are told little about the motivations of the Sect’s members, and the big bad guys pulling the strings are given the lamest possible excuse — they want power. That’s it, that’s the only explanation we’re given, and since most of the actual villains have so little screen time, it’s more or less a cop-out by the writers. I also mentioned that the film tries to weave a morally ambiguous narrative, where each side is as bad as the other. However, there’s a big problem with this, in that we’re left without a clear side to root for. This feels, in many ways, like a plot in want of a message. The writers are clearly trying to say something with the plot, but it’s not entirely clear what that something is. For example, the film continually references an old version of Little Red Riding Hood, which they try to cast as a metaphor for the characters. And while it’s a very intriguing concept, it ultimately goes nowhere.
Now, I should mention that I did very much enjoy Illang, and that’s largely due to director Kim Woo-Sang’s spectacular cinematography. The action scenes in Illang mostly take place indoors, and typically unfold in relatively small areas. This gives them a tighter, more intimate feel, reminiscent of John Wick rather than James Bond. The film in general is also very well directed, and every shot feels more or less perfect. And honestly? Those intense action scenes were enough to keep me watching, and made me come away from the film satisfied — if not overjoyed.
The characters in Illang, sadly, don’t fare much better than the plot. Though the actors do their best to compensate for the sub-par script they’ve been given, it’s not quite enough to redeem the poor writing. The romance between Im and Lee in particular feels very forced, which is a shame, because some more competent writers really could have made the relationship work. However, I do think that Kim Mu-yeol,, does a very good job playing one of the film’s better characters: primary antagonist and Deputy Head of Public Security Han Sang-woo.
Illang: the Wolf Brigade is an enjoyable, if ultimately flawed, film. I do recommend you give it a shot if you’re looking for a decent action movie to while away a Friday evening with, but its lack of a real plot makes for a confusing viewing session. But at the end of the day, the shoot-outs are tight, and the action is adrenaline inducing. And that’s all a movie like this really requires.
3/5 stars