‘Ransomed’ from Director Kim Seong-hun is an action film that draws its plot from a real-life abduction of a Korean diplomat in Bierut, Lebanon during the 1980s towards the country’s civil war. Packed with drama from the get-go, Ransomed is a film that is full of life. The characters are likeable, and the storyline holds the audience’s interest throughout the 132 minute run time.
Lee Min-jun (Ha Jung-woo), disgruntled at having been passed over for a role, is working late one December night (about a year and a half following the aforementioned abduction), when he answers a phone call and notes a secret code. From this, Lee deducts that the presumed dead Diplomat Oh is very likely still alive. What follows is a humorous few scenes covering the dynamics and differing standpoints between the foreign service and the KCIA, the latter opting to avoid a potential national embarrassment in light of the pending 1988 Olympics, citing a national policy of ‘we do not negotiate with terrorists’. The former attempts to enter into negotiations for Oh’s release itself, without involving the KCIA. Seeing this as an opportunity that can be used to his advantage, Lee volunteers himself for the task of transporting ransom money to facilitate the rescue mission. Lee’s agreement to do so however is conditional on the assurance that when he brings Oh back to native soil, he will be assigned a posting in the US.
The events that follow are a re-imagining of the arduous rescue mission which sees Lee completely out of his depth almost immediately. No sooner has he landed when he finds himself on the wrong side of the Lebanese Police Force. This chase is one that entertainingly continues throughout the film. The nature of the quickly escalating situation sees Lee getting into the wrong getaway car. Fortunately for Lee, the car he gets into is being driven by another Korean: charismatic Kim Pan-su (Joo Ji-hoon). The chemistry between the two is what makes this film really great. Whilst Pan-su is a fictional addition to the story, Lee is fortunate that his paths cross with the scammer /adept taxi-man, a character who is impossible not to like, and conveniently capable of blending in wherever he goes. Despite his best efforts, Pan-su gets roped into the rescue mission, and his involvement brings an element of style and humour to what would otherwise have been a serious film. Together, Lee and Pan-su embark on the seemingly ill-fated mission, and with the assistance of Karim (Fehd Benchesmi), the mismatched duo form a shaky alliance which evolves into one of camaraderie and friendship.
As the rescue mission turns into an international incident, this well-paced, engaging film is full of tense car chases and shoot-outs that fortunately do not stretch the bounds of plausibility too far. Ransomed is a wonderful blend of comedy and action thriller that captivates the audience’s attention and keeps them sitting on the edge of their seats.
Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Trailer: