Rent Asura: The City of Madness (2016)

Striking thriller - Asura: The City of Madness review by Alphaville

Hard-boiled Korean thriller about a cop caught between the battle lines in dirty political dealings. It’s an immersive experience. The acting may be a bit in-your-face for western tastes and the film’s central section perhaps layers on the intrigue for too long, but every scene crackles with menace.

After 70 minutes there’s one of the most exciting car chases you’ll ever see, with the screen filled with heavy rain and startling images. Like in Gravity, the virtual camera movements are so impossible you’ll want to watch it again. After the viewer is given a breathing space the extended 30 minute no-holds-barred action climax will have you hiding behind the sofa. Unlike in many modern Hollywood thrillers, the action is realistic and involving, tracked smoothly by the camera and not sliced to pieces by rapid editing. It may be too bleak and bloody for some, but director Kim Sung-Soo delivers one helluva ride.