220. The Man Standing Next (Namsanui bujangdeul); movie review

 

THE MAN STANDING NEXT (NAMSANUI BUJANGDEUL)

Cert 15

114 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong bloody violence

What drives political assassins to kill? Is it power, notoriety or because they believe they are taking a life for the greater good?

The death of Korean leader Park Chung-hee (Sung-min Lee) ended a regime which had been sparked by a people's revolution but became a dictatorship.

The Man Standing Next examines the lead-up to his demise and the question of his murderer's motive.

The political intrigue is deftly handled by Min-ho Woo whose movie has been added to the impressive list of successes to come out of Korea.

Lee Byung-hun gives a towering performance as Director Kim, the head of the KCIA (the Korean Intelligence Service) who served in the revolutionary forces alongside the president.

His ally and friend, Park Yong-gak (Do-won Kwak) has fled to America after losing favour and has written a memoir criticising the dictatorial regime.

The pair had presumed that either of them was heir apparent to the presidency but have discovered a third unknown hand is at play.

Meanwhile, the head of state is becoming ever more reliant on the chief of his security team (Lee Hee-joon) who proposes brutal repression for anyone protesting against the leadership.

The Man Standing Next highlights the power wielded by those in authority, the military and the secret services and immerses itself in the backstabbing of high-end politics while also demonstrating the dangers of working within a dictatorship.

It is well-constructed and is based on historical fact, although there is some speculation because nobody can know exactly what was said or done leading up to the assassination.

It also benefits from some cracking performances and direction which keep the audience rapt. Korean cinema is right on top of its game at the moment and this is another film in its impressive catalogue.

Reasons to watch: Intriguing to the end

Reasons to avoid: Quite complex - needs concentration

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? The Korean Central Intelligence Agency was created in 1961 to coordinate both international and domestic intelligence activities, including those of the military. Almost immediately following its creation, the KCIA was used to suppress any domestic opposition to Park Chung-hee's regime: wiretapping, arresting, and torturing without court order.

The final word. Min-ho Woo: "I wanted the audience to see how tragedy occurs when huge power is abused by a few people in enclosed spaces, without the consent of the people. As said earlier, this is not only in the past but could be happening in progress currently, so whether Korean or not, the audience will be able to see from a similar perspective."

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