Having said that, G 1970 is thoroughly watchable. In fact I watched it twice. The first time was a blur because there were so many characters, and to be honest, all the men, and there were plenty of them - gangsters and politicians - did sort of start to look like one another after a while which made it difficult to understand the plot and storyline, not to mention having to read the subtitles fast left me a bit confused.
But when i watched it a second time, I enjoyed it much more because the story and characters became clearer to me.The action/fighting scenes are very realistic and well executed; there is a lot of blood and gore. The pace of the movie is tight and well controlled although I think the editing did leave some parts a bit patchy and not as smooth and seamless as it could have been.
Kim Rae Won shines as a baddie but I think this has to do with his "bad boy" look in the first place which makes his character believable but KRW does play his character very effortlessly and it is testament to the good actor that he is. Jeong Jin Yeong who plays Jong Dae's adoptive father is also an excellent actor - very controlled in his acting yet conveying volumes - pain, regret; you really get that he wants to leave his gangster roots behind and live a simple life.
It is tougher to see Lee Min Ho as a gangster, but on the occasions when he is out for blood and you see the anger and raw emotions - that's when he really stands out. It helps that he is not an all out baddie; he did not start out as a gangster and his psyche is such that he would not have been one if circumstances and fate had not dealt him such a hand. So he can be excused for looking exceedingly handsome while wielding a knife. I think overall it was a major transformative role for him and he truly delivered. Aside from anger and ferocity which he conveyed well, he also spoke volumes with his eyes when channelling ambition, despair and emptiness. You have to watch his eyes; it's all in his eyes. All in a great performance for a breakout role such as this. In fact, after sharing his pain and loss as Jong Dae, I had to get a dose of fresh air and made my way to the Innisfree store downstairs to look at his standee (he's their global brand ambassador) - there he was standing, smiling, fresh faced and youthful, with his Kim Tan look and that was when the contrast of characters really hit me, it was like i was looking at 2 completely different people, and that was when I realised he had really managed to change his image for the movie and he had done it very successfully. Forgive me for rambling about Min Ho; I am a fan!
The last scene is very touching, heart wrenching and symbolic and very well done; a fitting end to a roller coaster movie. On the whole, kudos to Yoo Ha and the cast; it was quite a ride!
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The plot is nothing new in Korean gangster film world, but if you happen to love this world you will also love this film. I felt like there was something more to it, more than in usual gangster flicks. There were many layers to the plot, a few stories intertwining together, so the rewatch value is pretty high. A lot was going on at all times, so in general, this movie was not boring. The ending felt rushed, though. And also, because so much was going on and there were so many characters, most of the side characters were flat. There was not enough time to go deep enough into the characters, which was a pity. I think this plot would have worked better as a mini-series.
The acting, it wasn't bad but not outstanding either. I liked Lee Min Ho and Kim Rae Won. Not only because they are hot, but also because they fit their roles. Rae Won was totally badass and Min Ho brought some sensuality into his badness. But still, I think the acting was a bit lacking. I loved Jong Dae's and Yeog Ki's friendship or should I say "brotherhood", it was touching and beautiful. Thumbs up for the bromance! These two were like innocence and twisted nature melting into something wonderful.
Like most of the times, the sex scenes were over the top. Maybe Korean directors think it's artistic but when I want to watch a gangster film I am NOT looking for porn. I know that sex is part of the badassness of gangster life, but those scenes made me laugh because heck they looked like rabbits mating. Can't say anything else to this than LoL!
The fighting scenes were artistic but honestly, I wish one of these directors finally did something new. I've seen bunch of men fighting in rain, in water, in mud, in sunshine, in grains, in *insert whatever you want* but dare I say it's getting old! Dare I say I actually fast forwarded the fighting scenes, because there were plenty and they made me numb. But at least they were well executed, I can't complain about that. The violence got so much more impact when it was exercised to someone by only one person in a form of torture. That was disturbing with an impact.
Love? You could say there was a subtle love plot somewhere in the background for both main characters, but the bromance was the main focus, that and the scheming of all these greedy people around them. I liked the idea how two guys actually dared to stand up to the corrupt wickedness, perhaps their intentions were not any better but it was still pretty cool. The ending was something most of us expected. Notice the contrast between Jong Dae and Yeong Ki! The symbolism was strong in this one.
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Its faults lie in the screenplay. It's long on fighting, and short on more intimate scenes. It would have been a much better film if there had been more balance. We aren't given much opportunity to connect to the characters. The connections we make are either peripheral or intellectual. The viewer pretty much remains an observer standing outside the frame throughout the film, but what we see in that frame is sometimes breathtaking.
The cinematography and score are both really good. And all the actors do a fine job, but I think are short-changed a bit by the script's shortcomings -- or at least this cut of the scenes from it. (I gather a lot more footage was shot than was used, and a number of more intimate scenes that developed character and relationships landed on the cutting room floor in the final editing process.)
I'm not sure why Yu Ha chose to go for an +18 rating. There are 3 explicit sex scenes. None are absolutely needful for the plot.. An argument could be made that the first scene partially functions as character development and exposition, but it could have been handled quite effectively in other ways. Nothing in the sex itself really matters. And unlike The Green Chair, The Housemaid, The Taste of Money, Naked Kitchen etc-- sex is not part of the subject matter of the film. The sex scenes in Gangnam 1970 are explicit in the same ways as in Outlander, (but there the explicit sex scenes are integral to plot and character development) -- lots of nakedness (except for full frontal) and nothing to guess about in the who is doing what, and how, and to whom part of the sex.
In spite of it's flaws, it's a film that's worth watching. And because of its strengths it remains of interest in subsequent viewings. And for me at least it was more powerful the second time around.
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The story is hard to follow at first; the difference between the gangs, who's in which gang, who's the leader of that gang, and which politician is their sponsor. I watched it twice to make sure (hence the high-ish rewatch value score... it's a long movie!), and soon enough the characters start to stand out more than just your average background supporting cast. I enjoyed it partially because I imagine this is what real life was like. The three (four?) sex scenes, the blood... kind of reminded me of some Tarantino movies.
I haven't seen Kim Rae Won before, but I like how he took his character... a nobody works his way up in the gangster world, forced to make hard decisions that affect his relationship with Jong Dae. Kim Rae Won has this rough guy look about him, which added to his performance. Lee Min Ho seemed like City Hunter's Yoon Sung times 500! Whoa, it's amazing to see him graduate from pretty flower boy roles to this rough and tough gangster. I understand now why in press conferences it was said he aged at least a decade. I think he really managed this transition well, pulling just the right facial expressions to make you feel his pain.
I won't go into too much more, but if you are not comfortable seeing blood, violence, graphic sex, or cursing, this movie is not for you. In my opinion, it didn't quite live up to the hype it got over Dramafever or whatever, but it is a good generic gangster movie.
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My favorite was watching min ho fighting. Hes born to do action movies. Felt natural to watch him fight as it was enjoyable too. His bro is one good looking guy. Dont think ill rewatch this, too much blood for 2 hrs
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Entertaining Movie
I actually watched this movie to see Lee Min Ho on the big screen.It was interesting to watch how Gangnam came about in the 70's plotted and negotiated between gangsters (presumed businessmen) and government officials. The movie directed by Yoo Ha (Mr) was again well done. He managed to deliver an entertaining movie and was able to share the essence of it's time and era.
Lee Min Ho did a good job and it is good to see him in an adult role. Not just a pretty face, he is really a good actor. Together with Kim Rae Won, the show could not go very wrong. LMH in an interview said that his favorite scene was the 'mud fighting' scene and yes, it was memorable.
Gangnam 1970 was enjoyable to watch and I stayed attentive throughout with no boring moments. Highly recommended for a lazy weekend, with no children around.
Cheers! K-Movie Forever!
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GANGNAM BLUES is a film definitely not for kids or family audiences. Mature audiences too might not like it if excessive violence and sex are not their taste. For me, the violent action sequences were fine but the film was reduced to a B-Grade entertainer due to the insertion of pornographic sequences which were totally unnecessary. The action indeed is the best thing about the film as every single action scene is beautifully shot and executed. Even the storyline is good but the screenplay disappoints at times, and it's something I don't expect from South Korean filmmakers.
But this film has great actors who carry the film on their shoulders. Lee Min Ho and Kim Rae Won are good enough in their roles. Other actors are fit for their roles. The film could? have been far better had the director trimmed the film well, particularly the sex sequences. Also, though I liked the end, the last shot seemed way too unnecessary as it didn't make a proper sense and wasn't relevant enough.
But GANGNAM BLUES is indeed a good film. There are a few more flaws but you won't realize them while watching. This is definitely not the best film ever but is a good film for those who love dark action movies, just like I do.
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(Music is 1 because I don't remember what the music was like.)
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