Tube

Rating:
Summary: Korean 'Speed'?: So Many Borrowed Ideas Cooked Awfully
Review: 'Tube' borrows so many things so obviously that it looks like 'Let's spot it' pop quiz. Some call it Korean 'Speed'; I call is a hybrid of 'Speed ' and one neglected classic 'The Taking of Pelham One, Two ,Three.' But it comes with awful results now.

Terrorists lead by 'T' (Park Sang-min) hijack the subway full of passangers in Seoul in plain daylight; a fearless detective Jay (Kim Seak Hun) and a lonely girl Kay (Bae Du-na) who loves him are confined in the subway train that rushes at the speed of 140 km.p.h. Now what will this unconventional cop do?

It's a promising set-up for actioner, and this Korean film tries to show that Asian film industry can do better than 'Speed'; or at least, as good as that. Sorry, but despite some stylish actions and interesting locales, 'Tube' is in fact a very disappointing piece, with the inconsistent story and overblown emotions. See, for example, that at one time the train is so crowded that the cop cannot move; then, after some actions, the same train looks totally deserted (and it did not stop). And this cop is such a daredevil-type that he can jump onto the train (that runs like a car on highway) more than once, and still can gun down the terrorist while the whole SWAT team cannot even touch the hijackers.

There are many, many incredible situations -- incredible, I say, even considering the nature of the film -- which make the film quite ridiculous for action film buffs. The subway is controlled by computers, they say. But the men in the control room cannot even stop the train because of some very vaguely shown device the terrorists prepared. None of them seems to think about the easier way to stop the 'electric' train while they talk aboy ATS or something.

The ending might surprise the Western viewers. Actually, it is one of the cliched pattern of Korean films, and if you have seen 'Shiri' you know what I mean. It is way too contrived in order to make it 'touching.' I know intention, but it is so awfully carried out.

Korean films are now the power to be reckoned with, I know, but 'Tube' is not the place to prove that. Only Bae Du-na ('Take Care of My Cat') has something that tells she is going to be a bigger star than she is now. As to the rest of the film, all I can say is forget about it -- it is way too brainless.

Rating:
Summary: MEDIOCRE KOREAN ACTION FILM
Review: A FORMER GOVERNMENT AGENT HOLDS A TRAIN HOSTAGE WITH A BOMB THAT'LL BLOW UP IF THE TRAIN STOPS AND IT'S UP TO A DETECTIVE TO STOP HIM AND FIND A WAY TO SAVE THE LIVES OF THE PASSENGERS. WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS BASICALLY ANOTHER IMITATION OF ''SPEED''. THE DIALOGUE IS LAUGHABLE AND THE ACTION [WHICH THERE IS PLENTY OF] IS NOT REALLY THAT ENTERTAINING. THE ACTING IS ALSO PRETTY BAD, BUT THE MOVIE TENDS TO SHOW A FEW SIGNS OF LIFE IN THE LAST 30 MINUTES. IF YOU'RE AN ACTION FAN [LIKE ME] AND YOU'RE CURIOUS ABOUT THIS MOVIE, RENT IT. BUT DON'T BUY IT. ON THIS DVD, YOU HAVE THE CHOICE OF WATCHING THIS MOVIE DUBBED IN EITHER ENGLISH OR FRENCH OR YOU CAN WATCH THIS MOVIE IN ITS ORIGINAL LANGUAGE, WHICH IS KOREAN.

Rating:
Summary: It came from Hollywood
Review: A Hollywood movie went out into the world, traveled to Korea, got assimilated and regurgitated, and now it returns to our shores as this. The studios know it and advertise it using reviews that cast it as the Korean version of Speed. It also "borrows" a score straight from Hans Zimmer's work for The Rock, and the main actor looks and acts like Chow Yun Fat light. It's discouraging to see Korean cinema paying homage to American action flicks when it has so many more interesting stories to tell. At least Woon-Hak Baek's first feature, Shiri, spoke in a unique voice and told a story personal to the Korean experience. This is a step backwards for him.

On the other hand, this movie composite of so many action movies we've seen before is fascinating in its skewed familiarity. It's not terrible; the production values are high, the acting occasionally thrilling, the one-liners sometimes amusing. It's no more or less diverting than the average Hollywood Die Hard knockoff. I think of it as top notch karaoke, like American Idol. In the proper context, it's impressive.

In the grand scheme of things, though, it's depressing, especially when Korean directors like Chan-wook Park are producing such unique and energetic work.

Rating:
Summary: awsome action
Review: If you like good action with a bit of a story and good acting, then the 'Tube' is a good bet.

Rating:
Summary: Watch Out John Woo - Woon-Hak Baek's "Tube" Rocks!
Review: Korean auteur, Woon-Hak Baek made a splash in North American a few years ago with "Shiri" - a political thriller that grabbed the viewer and would not let go.

With "Tube," he does it again.

Think "Speed" - but on a train, and with a bad guy who has a genuinely good reason for being as bent and vicious as he is.

"Tube" is orchestrated almost like a piece of classical music: the opening five minutes is a violent set piece that introduces the villain, the hero and the female lead [who is not *quite* a romantic lead]. Then, the first act brings together the various characters and sets up the situation - much like the first act of a symphony introduces themes and develops them.

The second act finds hero, villain and not-quite-romantic female lead in the midst of the situation, and the third act resolves one situation, to discover that there are contingencies in place.

In the final act/coda, the final resolution is made and a brief tag underscores the bittersweetness of the final victory.

Baek's direction is elegant, calling to mind the balletic qualities of Sam Peckinpah and John Woo [though without the extravagant use of slo mo].

Seok-Hoon Kim's Jay is the unorthodox cop we all love, but with a tragic twist that moves beyond what we're used to. Doo-Na Bae, "Kay is the not-quite-romantic female lead - a real woman - not one of those exquisite creatures that Hollywood tries to pass of as one [and though she's not beautiful, she has a very powerful, charismatic presence]. Sang-Min Park plays renegade covert ops agent "T" as a vicious, evil thug who wasn't ever supposed to wind up that way.

Between the touching emotional moments and the amazing action sequences [one filmed in the real Kimpo Airport, and another filmed in a real train station], there's plenty to keep the viewer on the edge of his seat - and the unexpected climax shows Hollywood how it *should* be done.

Only "Tube's" length keeps it from being a five-star film - it could have stood to have five or six minutes trimmed. Still, it's a remarkable piece of work.

With both "Tube" and "Shiri" to his credit, it's clear that Woon-Hak Baek, who wrote and directed both films, is a force to be reckoned with. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what he does next.

Also worth mentioning are the "Making Of" featurette, which is better than expected, the trailer [which captures the feel of the actual film better than most Hollywood trailers] and the music video for the end credits theme song.

Rating:
Summary: It will "surprise" you
Review: Let's get something straight right from the get-go: TUBE isn't SHIRI ... nor does it try to be. While Woon-Hak Baek is the genius behind both of these films, he's created two entirely different vehicles ... both with their own unique narratives ... and one shouldn't enter into the TUBE expecting the political firestorm that was SHIRI.

However, what one can expect is a great action movie that tries to hard to be something more than a great action movie.

The premise is simple: T (Sang-Min Park) takes control of a crowded subway train, loading it with explosives so that the authorities risk detonation if they try to stop it. However, Detective Jay -- vengefully hunting the terrorist who killed his fiance -- manages to board the train, and he spends the bulk of the film trying to outsmart (and, when necessary, outfight) someone he's always been one step behind.

So, yes, the film can clearly be compared to SPEED as well as DIE HARD, to a lesser extent, but what those films lacked in depth of character Woon-hak Baek goes to great lengths to create here. However, when the film slows down to focus on character, it slows down too much. Too many secondary characters are given a backstory (or a B plotline) that weighs down the narrative with some unnecessary emotional baggage (in SHIRI, Baek focused on principally three characters, hence the greater success). Inevitable choices still have to be made, so the emotional depth ends up being thrown in for the sake of ... well ... being thrown in, and the end result is a bit of a mess.

Character elements aside, however, TUBE moves along briskly as a convincing action vehicle with some solid special effects.

While the disc is slim on extras (there is a music video and a "making of" featurette that's far more promotional than it is informative), TUBE is still worth entering for the sheer thrill of the ride.

Rating:
Summary: Take the A Train
Review: Let's get something straight right from the get-go: TUBE isn't SHIRI ... nor does it try to be. While Woon-Hak Baek is the genius behind both of these films, he's created two entirely different vehicles ... both with their own unique narratives ... and one shouldn't enter into the TUBE expecting the political firestorm that was SHIRI.

However, what one can expect is a great action movie that tries to hard to be something more than a great action movie.

The premise is simple: T (Sang-Min Park) takes control of a crowded subway train, loading it with explosives so that the authorities risk detonation if they try to stop it. However, Detective Jay -- vengefully hunting the terrorist who killed his fiance -- manages to board the train, and he spends the bulk of the film trying to outsmart (and, when necessary, outfight) someone he's always been one step behind.

So, yes, the film can clearly be compared to SPEED as well as DIE HARD, to a lesser extent, but what those films lacked in depth of character Woon-hak Baek goes to great lengths to create here. However, when the film slows down to focus on character, it slows down too much. Too many secondary characters are given a backstory (or a B plotline) that weighs down the narrative with some unnecessary emotional baggage (in SHIRI, Baek focused on principally three characters, hence the greater success). Inevitable choices still have to be made, so the emotional depth ends up being thrown in for the sake of ... well ... being thrown in, and the end result is a bit of a mess.

Character elements aside, however, TUBE moves along briskly as a convincing action vehicle with some solid special effects.

While the disc is slim on extras (there is a music video and a "making of" featurette that's far more promotional than it is informative), TUBE is still worth entering for the sheer thrill of the ride.

Rating:
Summary: It will "surprise" you
Review: This has to be the worse Korean movie I've seen....ever. It's complete with laughable attempts at drama, characters you don't care for, and....(fill in with whatever you don't like).

The action scenes are a joke. The director of Shiri wasn't known for action, as you can easily seen from both of these films. The "action" is choppy and just plain stinks. It needs to take ques from Hong Kong.
***Spoiler ahead***: please, please, someone tell me why would a commuter train go right into a nuclear power plant????

I can't believe I wasted money watching this. It's not all bad, the score is quite good, and the running time is under 2 hours. Plus it's a 1-disc feature, so disposal is very easy.

And no, it's not from Hollywood, because Hollywood at least wouldn't make such pathetic attempts at adding depth into this.

Rating:
Summary: Untidy
Review: This movie is literally a pared down version of "Speed". Instead of a runaway bus, we have a runaway subway instead. In order to cater to the mass (both males & females), a love interest is added to spice things up. Then, to unease the tension, a comedian is added into the ensemble (which really doesn't add anything to the movie whatsoever). So as to have the audience emphatise for the trapped and unfortunate passengers, we have a newly wed loving couple whose husband is the subway controller and who in the end has to choose to obey the instruction to guide the subway to its demise or to do otherwise. Every movie needs to have a "baddie" to hate and that comes in the form of a cowardice passenger who would do everything to satisfy the hostage takers (reminding you of the same person in "Die Hard"?) This movie wants us not to hate T. Rather, audience is brought to the attention of the motivation of why he's committing such an act. Naturally, a violent act in order to undo another violent act is questionable. Then, there's the hero character, who's a Bruce Willis pretender rather than Keanu Reeves pretender. He's a loose cannon but I'm certain that all audience would be baffled by the ending. His bravado is totally not justified. Rather than feeling sympathy for him, I'm sure all of you are going to exclaim, "What the..?" The Director endeavours to address about a real situation in South Korea where a special commando team is trained to do dirty deeds for the Government but in the end, they are wiped out by the authority that trained them at the first place. However, this year in South Korea, another drama movie is created to address this incident more specifically and if memory serves me correctly, it becomes one of the highest grossest movie there to date. Anyway, this movie is filled with individual brilliances but the overall feeling of the movie is too patchy and the plots have spread too thin to the extent that it loses its flavour. One thing about this DVD is that the characters are adlibbed in English and that frustrates someone like myself who's looking for original flavour. The making of the movie is passable, the music video clip and the trailer are the better parts of the DVD. Anyway, commendable effort but in terms of action movies, United States simply has far too much resources to be beatable. Besides, as Jerry Bruckheimer steps into the TV arena, audience expectation has elevated yet another notch. What used to be deemed superb ten years ago such as "Speed", "Die Hard", "Lethal Weapon" simply don't cut the cake anymore these days. Well, audience is better off spending their precious two hours elsewhere especially if they have high expectations.

Rating:
Summary: not good at all
Review: This movie was really not good at all sorry