Occasionally, there comes a time when a movie is released that we all want to see . . . and then fangirl about. Midnight Runners just so happens to be one of those movies. Come join The Fangirls as they share their favorite aspects of this delightful film in the latest movie review.
SYNOPSIS:
Two new students at the Korean National Police University, Ki Joon (Park Seo Joon) and Hee Yeol (Kang Ha Neul), find a common ground in their sincerity and compassion for other people. One night, when they are out on the town, they witness a kidnapping. They try to report it to the police, but are met with distraction and by-the-book officers who won’t investigate. So the two amateurs decide to take the case on themselves before it’s too late.
THE PLOT:
Karie the Maknae: The plot of Midnight Runners is simple — there is no romance or other B-stories cluttering up the events. This is straight-up character development and conflict and it WORKS so well. I was never bored. It’s a great example of following the rules of storytelling and doing it right.
Drama Geek: I agree with the maknae. There was nothing distracting us from our two underdogs and their determined pursuit to save the day. It’s so much fun to watch characters start out not quite up to the task, grow and learn, then finally become a hero right in front of your eyes. It helped that both boys light up the screen, and the comedy kept me laughing through the entire movie.
Kmuse: I agree with my co-bloggers. This show was all about the boys, their friendship, and what they believed was the right thing to do when confronted with an ethical crime. I loved how entertained I was despite how single focused the plot.
Clkytta: I’m also going to agree with the rest of the group. I was amazed at how much this movie kept me on the edge of my seat. The bromance between these guys really made the show. I want them to be partners in another show.
Kdrama Jen: This show cracked me up, but also made me appreciate the earnestness of the characters. It was a very plot-driven movie with little time to develop the side characters, but that did not matter. It was very entertaining.
CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Karie the Maknae: There were no sweeping shots of the horizon or artistic blending of human and nature in this movie, but it wasn’t needed. As Kmuse points out below, the cinematography focused on the people — faces and bodies and the mundane things that brought to light the conflict.
Kmuse: I would pass this director with flying colors simply for that getting ready to fight the bad guys montage. The directing of their glistening bodies was brilliant.
Drama Geek: Ha! I have to agree. The director knew where to keep the viewer focused… Seriously though, Park Seo Joon isn’t just fit, he’s really strong. There were several scenes where there was no tricky camera work going on, he was straight up doing whatever his character was supposed to be doing.
Clkytta: Exactly what Kmuse said.
Kdrama Jen: I think the camera angles added to some of the intensity of various scenes. Capturing the expression on Hee Yeol’s face while having his earwax removed was brilliant.
CHARACTER OBSERVATIONS:
Karie the Maknae: I LOVED THESE TWO. Their solid friendship, complete with unquestioning back up of each other, made the movie. This is bromance at its finest. Hee Yeol didn’t look down on Ki Joon for not being as smart as he was, and Ki Joon didn’t mock Hee Yeol for his brains-over-cool vibe. Much. They were just good friends. I loved this exchange: “Are you a moron??” “I think so!” It’s very representative of the relationship these two have developed.
Drama Geek: My favorite part was how they developed into friends. They were antagonistic at the beginning, for no real apparent reason. Then by chance, they became total besties. Once the kidnapping occurred, you could see how well they complemented one another, not only as police officers, but as people. They felt like two really good friends who understood and just clicked. I loved all the little looks and motions they would do in unison.
Kmuse: You know they have great chemistry when side characters are not needed to fill out the plot. These two boys just make me happy and I would watch show after show of them solving crime.
Clkytta: I love this bromance so much. We need a spinoff drama of these two out saving lives and solving crimes.
Kdrama Jen: I am with Clkytta! I want a whole series of these two as real cops. They had an easy friendship that felt real. I loved their bromance!
OVERALL REACTION:
Karie the Maknae: I absolutely loved this movie. The characterization and tight plot made it into a solid, memorable story that will stick with me for a while. Park Seo Joon and Kang Ha Neul did a commendable job–this was a great project for them. There were no surprises — I think I will always call it “straightforward” — but it was a good way to spend a couple of hours, and it made me laugh pretty hard. The ending was brilliantly satisfying, especially the final touch in the epilogue. (GENTLE WATCHER ALERT: There were some swears, and a serious amount of violence. My best guess is that this would be about a PG-13 level, but you’d have to make your own call on that.)
Drama Geek: Park Seo Joon and Kang Ha Neul meshed well together, and kept me entertained the entire time. There have been a lot of heavy dramas on my plate lately, and even some of the lighter ones are a bit aggravating for one reason or another, so this was a nice pallet cleanser. I give this 5 workout montages and would recommend it to anyone needing a fun break from reality, and just wants to see two handsome young men save the day.
Kmuse: Midnight Runners just made me happy. Bromance, action, and great acting make this a must watch film. 10 out of 10 stars from me.
Clkytta: I give it a 10/10, the bromance was so strong that the comedic element was in their friendship and it wasn’t a typical Keystone Cop movie.
Kdrama Jen: It was a great distraction from some of the heavier dramas (clearly Dramageek and I are watching the same shows). It was nice to just sit back and enjoy for a couple of hours!
Til our next movie adventure,
The Fangirls
Dramas With a Side of Kimchi