From South Korean Director, Ryoo Seung-Wan, “Escape From Mogadishu” takes us on a pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat ride based on true events
Synopsis
Dramatically constructed based on a true story: as civil war rages in Mogadishu, rival North and South Korean diplomats are left trapped. With no aid from either government, their only shot at survival may require uniting with bitter adversaries to escape.
You Can’t Have Great Action Without Great Actors
The film itself is rather enjoyable. The large ensemble of a cast is entertaining, emotional and often times hilarious despite the heaviness of the plot. Kim Yoon-seok carries the film to new heights as Ambassador Han Shin-sung, a man who will do everything he can for his country and his family. Yoon-seok’s character is nicely contrasted by his co-star, Joon Ho-hun who plays Rim Yung-su, a diplomat of North Korea. Ambassador Rim commands such a powerful presence when on screen; his stoic posture and stern face truly makes the audience simultaneously respect and fear him.
Kang Dae-Jin, played by the amazing In-Sung Jo, is the true action hero of the film; the man always has this aura of cool around him where ever he goes. Smoking cigarettes, facing down an oppressive police force, and taking down men with his insane martial arts skills has never looked so cool. In-Sung Jo brings some intense action and edge-of-your-seat tension, especially in the third act. Truly my favorite aspect of the movie, In-Sung Jo steals the show.
Action Based On True Events, What’s Not To Love?
If you’re looking for historical facts and to learn the complicated history of Somalia then you’ll be sorely disappointed. Yes, the film is centered around a civil war so of course there is plenty of action going on. The problem is that the rebellion has taken the back seat on this film. Once the civil war starts we see very little of the fighting and the causes of what brings on this rebellion. The story reacts to the war far more than it does explaining it. Maybe there is some genius there. From the perspective of the Koreans, we don’t know why this war has broken out, so why should the audience? As the film progressed, I found myself wanting to know more about the conflict that had erupted here in Mogadishu. Unfortunately, that never came to be and I ended up spending quite some time Googling the historical context of the movie.
For the majority of the film we just see our band of diplomats hiding from the war that rages just outside their embassies. This causes some great tension for the viewers, but this causes the plot to kind of plateau a bit. It’s partly because of this steadiness in excitement that makes the third act of this movie so fun. I was really impressed with some super well choreographed and beautifully shot fight scenes and epic car chases that had me holding my breath from the sheer adrenaline of the action. The fact that this is all based on true events makes the action all the more exhilarating.
My Consensus
Despite the film’s slow build, this movie was extremely engaging. Is this a film that die hard action buffs need to flock to go see? Maybe not, but I guarantee that anyone who is into cool fight scenes, explosive car chases, or even just historical events will have a great time watching this film.
Don’t just take my word for it, go watch the film for yourself when “Escape From Mogadishu” comes to Digital on October 19th!
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Ever since I was young, I had always been fascinated in film and the work that goes into them. I love animation, blockbuster hits, indie films and everything in between. Some day I’ll have the privilege of being apart of the filmmaking process.
