The Berlin File (2013)

Country: South-Korea
Format: movie
Genre: action
Cast: Ha Jung Woo, Gianna Jun, Suk Kyu Han, Seung Bum Ryo, Kyoung Young Lee, Do Won Kwak, Moo Sung Choi, Jong Bin Yoon, Seo Hyung Kim, Jeong Nam Bae, Ha Suk Jo, Gye Nam Myoung, Jin Seok Kwak, John Keogh, Numan Avar, Tayfun Bademsoy, Werner Daehn, Pasquale Aleardi, Sinja Deiks,
Synopsis: After an international weapon deal between North-Korea, Middle-East and Russia has gone wrong in Berlin, North-Korean spy Jung Seong Pyo finds out that Myung Soo Dong, soulless killer and son of powerful North-Korean official, is coming to Berlin. At the same time he has been noticed by South-Korean NIS Suk Kyu Han, who has taken it for his duty to catch him, in addition to South-Korea, CIA and Mossad seem to be involved with missions. Jung Seong Pyo finds himself in a position where he is either betrayed by his wife or homeland and no place becomes safe to stay.
Rating: 4/5
It was the last movie I watched on film festival and it did not fail to keep me captivated. (I had a really long day behind me, so I was afraid that I will fall asleep in the cinema).

Jung Seong Pyo has the nickname of "The Hero of Republic" back in North-Korea and he is willing to die for his country when it it needed - of course this changes when the country itself wants to "remove" him like it does with all people who seem to start thinking differently from the ideals. He is a man who does not give up easily and he is going to try even when the chances are going down with every second. I like that his views are changing with the movie, because at first he looks like a steal-man whose mind is immovable. But whose thoughts would not change when your and family's lives are on the scale? He makes so many mistakes in the movie, but just because he trusts wrong people. They all seem to have a trust issue, because you never know who is going to stab you when the moment in convenient for them.

His wife Jung Hee Ryun is tired of everything, because she is longing for average life and family, which she had in home country. Due to her work she constantly suppresses her own feelings and pride. In her case things are greatly misunderstood, because when one's mind is filled with one horrible thoughts it is easier to find proves to it, than to miracles. Her situation is also caused by lack of communication, but as nothing in their lives is private it is difficult to have a normal and honest conversation.

The most bastard person in the movie is Myung Soo Dong. He has absolutely no feelings and does anything to climb to the power. His specialty are poisons and syringes. Yanne is afraid of syringe, so you should have seen her face when those scenes played. Myung Soo Dong likes having control over the situations and he looses his mind when he looses it. He is arrogant and that is the thing that comes fatal for him. When has big mouth brought luck before?
Sadly, I think that Suk Kyu Han messed up the most in the first part of the movie. Later he just had to make something good to make up for those things. It almost felt that he knew the least about the things that were going on or about who is working for who.

I like the international touch in the movie. Most scenes are filmed in Europe - mostly in Germany

and also in Latvia (It was nice to see familiar places) and they added "foreign"-actors - mostly German ones. Even my favorite character Marty was European actor. About 40% of the dialogues are in English. You can see that they have put a lot of money and time into it. It also screened in USA, in 21 cities, in addition to film festivals in Europe. As much as I have heard, it was really anticipated action movie this year and I know that even I told myself when it first come out, that this is a movie I want to see. It is great to watch a action movie once in a while.

It did remind me a bit of "The thieves", but maybe because they are from the same genre and they all hold knives against next one's back - one thing is sure "The thieves" pulled it off much better by earning bigger box-office and more awards. "The Berlin File" is great movie by its shootings, dialogues and cast, but the story got a bit predictable.

SPOILER-review: First of all, I did not understand why they had to include the "first child" into it. It did not seem to have any special part in it, expect to show that they have had difficulties before. Secondly, it is rather predictable that she is going to die in the end. Yanne said that in a minute she said she wants to go home, it was clear that she will never see her homeland again.