The Berlin File, 2013.
Directed by Ryoo Seung-Wan.
Starring Ha Jung Woo, Han Suk-Kyu and Ryu Seung-Beom.
SYNOPSIS:
A North Korean undercover operative becomes a fugitive after an illegal arms deal falls apart.
High tech surveillance is taking place in Berlin, Germany as an arms deal is being negotiated by a Russian, Arab and North Korean; it reveals the latter to be an undercover operative. The illegal proceedings are interrupted with the unexpected arrival of a Mossad hit team; the Asian secret agent barely escapes only to discover that his wife who works as an embassy interpreter/operative is under the suspicion of leaking information about the botched meeting.
In order to discover the truth the couple go on the run while an international manhunt ensues for them involving the Mossad, CIA, Islamic terrorists, Reconnaissance General Bureau (North Korea), and National Intelligence Service (South Korea). The web of conspiracy is wide spread though it leads to an individual attempting to make a power play with the fugitives serving as sacrificial pawns.
As much as Asian action films seem to be able to standalone from the ones made in North America, one cannot help but feel that The Berlin File owes a great debt to the Jason Bourne franchise whether it be the premise, setting, the fast cut editing, handheld photography, the pulsating music and lots of hand-to-hand combat. It is all cleverly executed though keeping track of who is working for whom and the different storylines becomes a conspiracy in itself at times.
There are some clever fight sequences especially the one involving the protagonist coming out of his apartment window and landing several stories below. What could have set the story at a higher level would have been a deeper exploration of a fractured marriage leading to reconciliation. The ending paves the way for a potential sequel which will hopefully take a less familiar path than its predecessor.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★
The Berlin File arrives on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital in Australia on November 19, 2014.
Originally published November 3, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
