★ 7 / 10
I must admit I didn’t quite understand just
CinemaSerf
I must admit I didn’t quite understand just what was going on at the start of this. “Lee Kang-su” (Kang Ha-neul) is a brash and confident young man who manages…
I must admit I didn’t quite understand just what was going on at the start of this. “Lee Kang-su” (Kang Ha-neul) is a brash and confident young man who manages to get information on drug dealers which he then passes on to the police and/or the public prosecutors in return for a cut and them getting a reduced sentence if they turn state’s evidence. Thing is, the further up the food chain they get the more political “interference” the investigators encounter and pretty swiftly that causes problems for this young “Yadang” as he ends up a victim of his erstwhile protector, ambitious prosecutor “Ku Gwen-hee” (Yoo Hae-jin) and pumped full of blue methadone to the point where he doesn’t know day from night. Once released, though, he unites with similarly manipulated former police captain “Oh Sang-jae” (Park Hae-joon) and an young actor (Chae Won-bin) whose career was wrecked after she, too, was exposed to this highly addictive substance and ultimately used as a glorified hooker by someone extremely close to the presidency - and the election is looming. Once the story gets up and running, this proves to be quite an entertaining, if not always entirely plausible, analysis of lucrative drug running and politicking in a South Korea that seems determined to stamp out criminality however perilous that path might be. It’s a gritty, sometimes seedy film that sees both men and Chae Win-bin deliver strongly and in the case of Kang Hae-neul enthusiastically too. There is plenty of action across the two hours and the denouement has something of “The Sting” (1973) to it as vengeance knows few bounds. Worth a watch.
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★ 6 / 10
A stylishly made Korean crime drama, with a super buzzed Kang Ha-neul. [+64%]
arungeorge13
This is an out-and-out Kang Ha-neul show, I can say. The plot loses focus midway after a fun-filled first act that establishes the protagonists, but the…
This is an out-and-out Kang Ha-neul show, I can say. The plot loses focus midway after a fun-filled first act that establishes the protagonists, but the stylistic flourishes keep coming. The third act recoups some of the lost steam and ends with a neatly packed twist, even when a large chunk of it is predictable. Like I said in the beginning, Kang Ha-neul is front and center of everything. That's the film's major selling point. He's riveting as the titular snitch, oscillating between smart and witty depending on the scene. There are issues with the way the film handles its drug-infused subplots, though director Hwang Byeong-gug keeps things interesting for the most part. Also, having Yoo Hai-jin as part of the cast is always a plus!P. S. I'm genuinely surprised Netflix hasn't picked this up yet, given their catalogue has SO MUCH of Kang Ha-neul.
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★ 8 / 10
Girl4Movies
When a swift street smart Lee Kang-soo (Kang Ha-neul) finds himself in jail for being unjustly accused as a meth dealer, he encounters an eager prosecutor, Goo…
When a swift street smart Lee Kang-soo (Kang Ha-neul) finds himself in jail for being unjustly accused as a meth dealer, he encounters an eager prosecutor, Goo Gwan-hee (Yoo Hai-jin), who offers to reduce Lee's sentence by having him work as a snitch, "Ya-Dang". However, when it comes to sting operations and using Ya-Dangs, narcotics officer Oh Sang-jae (Park Hae-joon ) becomes suspicious of Goo's techniques, and it appears he might be involved in a convoluted criminal network.This South Korean film, Yadang - The Snitch, has a well written storyline with many exiting and unsuspected plot twists, from betrayal, corruption, to settling the score revenge. Director Hwang Byeng-Gug exercised good judgement not implementing exaggerated CGI's and kept the action scenes interesting and grounded.The trio of main characters had great development, with outstanding cast members giving flawless performances.Promising actor Kang Ha-neul, best known for Squid Game 2, knows how to deliver a combination of dynamic action with humor. Kang was well-suited to portray the sharp dressed, charismatic Lee Kang-soo.Yoo Hai-jin was impressive transforming his role and building the underlying forces, while Park Hae-joon maintained a well balanced role that rises to the occasion.Besides the entertaining action, the traditional South Korean food culture was incorporated throughout many of the scenes giving it a delicious element - It left me craving those noodles! Also, the post credits were a nice dessert of laughter.With absolute certainty this movie is fantastic, and I am hopeful for a sequel.Writer for Countdown City Geeks.
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87%
TOMATOMETER
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87%
AUDIENCE
6.5/10
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