This 2016 suspense movie was recently released on Viki and I had to check it out, since I am a huge Kim Sung Oh fan. Come find out if this is your next chilling movie, chock full of serial killers, or if you need to keep searching for your next thrilling cinematic experience, as I review Missing You.

Synopsis

When Hee-Joo (Shim Eun-Kyung) was 7 years old, her father was murdered. Her father worked as a detective and was working on a serial killer case. The killer, Ki-Bum (Kim Sung-Oh), was eventually arrested, but found guilty for only one murder. 15 years later, Ki-Bum is released from prison. Detective Dae-Young (Yoon Je-Moon) worked on the original case with Hee-Joo’s father and he has not given up getting a murder conviction for his former partner. Meanwhile, Hee-Joo has waited patiently for Gi-beom’s release. (IMDb)

Trigger Warnings

Usually I am one of those people that figures you take your own chances when watching Asian movies, but this film was more violent than your usual killer flick. At the 19-minute mark, there is an extremely graphic violent scene against women. The whole show is all about various serial killers trying to outwit each other and the body count is high. You have been warned.

The Plot

We all know that serial killer dramas and movies are totally my favorite thing ever. So it is no surprise that I was all in on checking out this movie. I was not disappointed. After the first twenty minutes, the whole movie was all cat-and-mouse deaths, with all of the players trying to outwit and outlast the others. I loved it.

Cinematography

I found it very interesting how the director emphasized Kim Sung Oh’s sharp features until there were times he looked inhuman. The demonic visuals really worked to increase the unease you felt while watching him murder people and chase our elusive female lead. It was very interesting to watch and I might rewatch it in the future so I can really take in the artistry of the cinematography.

Character Observations

Kim Sung Oh and Shim Eun Kyung’s charisma exploded off the screen every moment they were present. So much so, that the other characters were pretty forgettable. The cops were all veteran actors, but were pretty standard angry cops and couldn’t outshine the leads. This wasn’t a horrible thing, since the majority of the whole show had one or both of the actors in every scene. I do wish that the second serial killer had been a bit more dynamic. Although I suppose his normal visuals made him scarier if you sat and thought about it.

Overall Reaction

I really enjoyed this movie, but it had a few spots that I wish were fleshed out. For example, the relationship between the two serial killers and their motivations needed more. Overall, though, I was pleased with the results. It was well-acted and had a solid conclusion that resonated even days later. Again, this was a very violent film, but if that doesn’t put you off, I highly recommend it.

Til the next movie,

Kmuse

Dramas With a Side of Kimchi