Director: Ryoo Seung-wan
Starring: Hwang Jung-min, Jung Hae-in, Jang Yoon-ju, Oh Dal-su, Jin Kyung, Jung Man-sik, Shin Seung-hwan
Country of Origin: South Korea
Running Time: 1hr 58m
Any film that begins with an undercover drugs bust on gambling grannies set to the tune of Baccara’s classic “Yes Sir, I Can Boogie” is a winner.
A follow-up to Veteran (2015) nearly a decade after the original, director Ryoo Seung-wan brings the gang from the violent crimes investigation unit together again to hunt a deadly serial killer.
Indefatigable detective Seo Do-cheol (Hwang Jung-min) is back on the trail for justice along with his unswerving boss Captain Oh (Oh Dal-su) and fearless detective Bong (Jang Yoon-ju).
A somewhat convoluted story crams in more plot lines than is absolutely necessary. What begins as the quest to locate a vigilante turns into a far broader and more menacing cat and mouse thriller.
Detective Seo leads the pursuit of the killer – who becomes known as Haechi – aided by fresh recruit Park Sun-woo (Jung Hae-in). The rookie rises to prominence for his quick thinking and eye-catchingly effective UFC moves in protecting convicted criminal Jeon Seok-woo (Jung Man-sik) on the day of his release.
As the manhunt for the killer escalates a number of obstacles impede Seo and his team, not least former reporter turned justice advocate YouTuber Park Seung-hwan (Shin Seung-hwan) and an unrelenting horde of amateur internet sleuths.
In the background the detective’s son is the victim of a vicious bullying campaign while his jaded wife (Jin Kyung) is driven to the point of despair.
It all makes for an electrifying and worthwhile sequel which points questions at the South Korean judicial system and the role of ‘cyber wreckers’ – Youtubers that specifically target celebrities or criminals to make money – within a society increasingly addicted to mobile phones.
Three blistering action set-pieces (four if you count the opening sequence which rolls along to a song adopted by Scottish national football team fans) almost leap out of the screen.
An incredibly choreographed chase through a festive market in Namsan in the centre of Seoul involves hundreds of extras and a funny moment when detective Seo asks a foreigner about the whereabouts of Haechi in broken English only for her to reply in perfect Korean. Another drug den bust features some astonishing fight scenes in a drench of pouring rain with a memorable cameo from Ahn Bo-hyun as an intoxicated stooge.
Jung transforms into a warped sadist as the brilliant bad guy and just about matches the cruel and entitled conglomerate heir of the first film portrayed by Yoo Ah-in. As in Veteran Jang is a high-kicking force as the female lead in the investigation squad.
The magnificent finale highlights the best of Hwang as the savvy, righteous maverick who is always at odds with chief Oh. As one of the most recognizable and successful actors in South Korea – after starring in several classics which include New World (2013), Ode to My Father (2014) and The Wailing (2016) – he doesn’t quite have the worldwide following of his contemporaries.
Song Kang-ho became a global star after his memorable role in the Oscar winning Parasite (2019).
Lee Jung-jae won the acting lottery as the face of global megahit Squid Game, which also featured Gong Yoo and a brief appearance from Lee Byun-hun (who had already made his mark in Hollywood).
Hwang sits beside Jung Woo-sung as perhaps the least known of a golden generation of actors. He’s been one of my personal favourites since I became enraptured by South Korean cinema more than two decades ago. An astoundingly versatile and plausible performer, the man of many roles pulls out all the stops once again as the heartbeat of I, the Executioner. Despite its slightly cumbersome English title – it is the much easier and straightforward Veteran 2 in Korean – there is a lot to admire in a challenging, grisly epic which tackles controversial topics head on.
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Stephen Kasiewicz 