"Resurrection Man: The Red" raises expectations on the strength of its lead alone: Koo Kyo-hwan, who has appeared in a string of hits including "What If Us," "Colony" and "Everyone Is Fighting Their Own Worthlessness." Unveiled at a press screening recently, the film is what director Baek Jong-yul calls "a movie whose title says it all" — a fantasy action piece that layers brightness, wit and warmth over an unusual premise.
Based on a popular webtoon of the same name, the film follows Seok-hwan (Koo), a 31-year-old job seeker running on unfounded confidence, who acquires a superpower after yet another failed job application. "Why is it so hard to have that ordinary life where you grab a beer after work?" he grumbles. He keeps failing interviews but lives on the hope that an ordinary daily life will come to him someday. Then one day he gains the power to come back to life within 72 hours of dying.
The tension and thrills mount as the story adds a strand about children sacrificed for those who dream of eternal life. The superpower and human-experiment setups may feel familiar from works such as "Wonderfuls," "Family Plan" and "High Five," but "Resurrection Man" sets itself apart from darker, heavier genre fare by weaving in a job seeker's daily grind and dreams, friendship and family love. Seok-hwan's lines — "Don't worry, I won't die" — land like consolation offered to young people who keep getting knocked back, much like his power that grows stronger with each death.
Koo's performance in particular injects a sense of reality into the far-fetched premise. He detonates Seok-hwan's trademark oddness and humor at just the right moments, easing the tension of the action scenes and turning even painful situations into laughs. The chemistry between Seok-hwan and his friend Yeong-ha (Kang Ki-young) is not to be missed either. Kang's relaxed, natural acting blends with Koo's to add energy and lightness to the film.
Baek's stylish, fast-paced direction also leaves an impression. Cutting quickly between action and comedy, he delivers a 4DX-grade dopamine action fantasy even though this is a 2D film. And Seok-hwan's "first-day-at-work ending" is endearing enough to make viewers silently cheer, "Seok-hwan, congratulations on your first day." As Koo put it, he acted the part "so you can even smell the commute," and the flutter and buoyancy of that first morning at a new job come through intact. Opens on the 30th. Rated 15 and over. 101 minutes.
