Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #186377 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-04-09
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Colour, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, Korean
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 125 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
A dazzling action movie from South Korea, Shiri follows two South Korean government agents, Ryu and Lee, as they pursue a female super-assassin from North Korea. Meanwhile, an elite paramilitary squad from North Korea has stolen a shipment of CTX, an undetectable liquid explosive of enormous power, which they've planted all over the city of Seoul. As their investigations are successively foiled, Ryu and Lee begin to suspect that there is a mole within the ranks of the agency--and it may be one of them. Both hyperstylish and hyperrealistic, Shiri rips along as a smooth fusion of Hong Kong and American action movies. Ryu's troubled romance with his alcoholic fiancée adds a striking emotional counterpoint to the blazing gunfights and high-speed chases; the ending is unexpectedly moving. It's not surprising that this film beat Titanic's box-office records in Korea. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews

Korean cinema at its best
I thought this film was excellent. To understand this film and get the most out of it you need to know about Korean history and people. The story is plausible (certainly by Hollywood's standards) and the action and set pieces belie the low budget. The character of the assassin Hee/Hyun symbolises the divided Korean peninsula and Korean people's attitudes towards each other. While there is division, there is still great love, and regret. This film tries to put that in context. The fact that the event of the film is a football match between the two Koreas, and that the leaders shake hands in the movie, expresses what many Koreans wish for - a peaceful and amicable reunification.
Setting aside the story, the cinematography and tense pace of the film are electric. Korean films are individual, and like their people, culture and food, a somewhat acquired taste. However, those that persevere will be well rewarded.
I would also recommend Memories of Murder, Old Boy, Chihwaseon and Public Enemy as excellent examples of contemporary Korean cinema.

South Korea Does It Again
After many years of watching 'World Cinema' it is films like this that make you realise why Western cinema feels so hollow.

In many ways, this could be seen as an Eastern take on stereotypical Hollywood blockbuster, or a Michael Mann film, yet it excels over its original inspiration.

One thing Korean films have in abundance is emotion, films driven by heart, and this film is no exception. I was expecting this to be something similar to a Hollywood blockboster so had been procrastinating for quite a while before seeing it and I was pleasantly surprised by the film. I was utterly compelled throughout and it builds to a very emotional climax towards the end. A beautiful and remarkable film that crosses many genres like to Old Boy or Save The Green Planet.

Granted, there are a few clichéd generic action film moments (the countdown to an exploding bomb being a very guilty example) but, in short, if you want a film that is as full of emotion as it is action, then I can thoroughly recommend this.

Action plus romance
The basic storyline is that two of South Korea's top agents get wind of a plot involving an arms dealer and a known North Korean assassin. The investigate and quickly find out that a top secret explosive is involved. From then on it's a race against the clock to stop whatever plans the North Koreans have hatched.

There's romance in the form of the story of one of the agent's up coming marriage to a fish shop owner. The end is extremely touching and I was close to tears myself (quite an admission coming from a man).

The film mixes action, drama and romance. As a fusion between 3 genres, the film cannot, really, be compared to other films. The extra features are well worth looking at. One thing to bear in mind if you decide to watch the "Making of" documentary -- only key portions are subtitled in English. :(

I whole-heartedly recommend this film to people who like the above genres. It may be two hours long but, believe me, it feels a lot shorter.