Kick the Moon

The 1999 film Attack the Gas Station surprised everyone with its runaway popularity, drawing mobs of viewers despite its low budget and simple premise. In 2001, the team behind this film tried to duplicate their level of success with this next feature, and unexpectedly, that's just what they did. At the time of this writing, Kick the Moon was the fourth best-selling Korean film of all time.
The film stars [Üye Olmadan Linkleri Göremezsiniz. Üye Olmak için TIKLAYIN...] and Cha Seung-won as two former high-school classmates who grow up into unexpected professions: Lee, the smart kid in school, becomes a gangster; while Cha, the school bully, decides to be a physical education teacher (perhaps that one wasn't quite as unexpected). Relations between the two had always had an edge of competitiveness, but when they run into each other years later in the city of Gyeongju, they try to put old rivalries aside for a friendly reunion. All this changes, however, when they meet the outspoken owner of a local restaurant, played by popular actress and model Kim Hye-soo. Kim's earthy appeal sets both their hearts aflame, and their latent competitiveness soon transforms into insults, threats, and full-scale street warfare.
As in their previous feature, director Kim Sang-jin and producer Kim Mi-hee (one of Korea's top trio of female producers) employ violence, hyperbole, and struggles for power to drive their film forward. Kick the Moon also contains its share of well-drawn characters. Cha as the slightly obsessed gym teacher makes the biggest impression, first terrorizing his students and then battling to win over Kim. Strangely enough, the gangster played by Lee comes across as the film's most sensible and admirable character. Kim Hye-soo, in her return to the screen after an absence of several years, seems perfectly cast as the spirited woman who sets both men's hearts reeling.
Perhaps the biggest difference between this film and its predecessor is in its setting. Attack the Gas Station made do with a remarkably limited set, while Kick the Moon sprawls amidst the rural city of Gyeongju, a popular tourist site and the old capital of the Shilla Dynasty. The expansive set gives the film a unique look, but at the same time makes for a somewhat chaotic viewing experience. Scores of characters add to this feeling, as if the plot had gone slightly out of control. This need not be a bad thing; viewers who liked Attack the Gas Station will surely enjoy the twists and lumps this new film dishes out. Personally, however, I found myself missing the simplicity and charm of the first film. ([Üye Olmadan Linkleri Göremezsiniz. Üye Olmak için TIKLAYIN...])