Kim Hong-sun's Project Wolf Hunting hits VOD this Friday. This Korean action-horror hybrid is one of the most carnal and bloody spectacles in some time. It is a damn good time for those that can stomach the gore. Paced at breakneck speed, the film is a thrill ride.
Taking place on a cargo ship, the body count includes the ship's crew, medical staff, a slew of criminals being extradited to Korea, and a bunch of police officers. Oh, and there is a super soldier who's more monster than man. The film's convoluted plot involves many twists but essentially the film follows the criminals as they break free, take over the ship, and then are attacked by the monster. Any of the other details fall to the wayside once the extreme and well-staged action starts.
The criminals are led by Jong-du (Seo In-guk), a moral-less murderer covered in tattoos. He is a snake, a rapist, and an all-around awful guy. In-guk brings charisma to the role creating a formidable villain before the real baddie even shows up. Jong-du orchestrates an impressive takeover of the ship, securing freedom for the criminals on board.
The monster (Choi Guy-hwa) is secretly being transported in the bowels of the ship. His eyelids are stapled shut and his body is marred with surgical scars. He sees like Predator, using heat vision and begins tearing everyone apart. The sheer amount of of arterial sprays and dismemberment is staggering, requiring what must have been an ocean's worth of fake blood.
The has been a recent blast of ultra-violent horror and action films from this part of the world. All, including The Sadness and The Night Comes for Us, have been executed with verve, style and skill. I mention this to all the genre fans out there, don't sleep on these films. They are some of the most visceral cinema one can find right now. Project Wolf Hunting finds a hundred creatively gruesome ways to kill people. It's a blast if this kind of extreme action is your bag.
4/5