The Chaser (2008)

This is Na Hong-jin’s debut film. Usually “debut film” is a phrase used to manage expectations, but The Chaser is a different case. Na Hong-jin became a central name in Korean thriller cinema in an instant with this picture. The story of Eom Joong-ho (Kim Yoon-seok) — a disgraced former detective now running an illegal massage service — searching for a missing employee and coming face to face with a serial killer creates tension that never once releases its grip across 123 minutes. My rating is ★4.5. It is one of the films that most directly demonstrates the power of Korean genre cinema.

What it’s about — A lone chase racing against time

As his massage workers disappear one by one, Joong-ho realizes the same customer has taken them all. His main concern is money he hasn’t been paid — but he soon discovers he is tracking a serial killer. The murderer Ji Young-min (Ha Jung-woo) confesses to the crimes while using the law to protect himself, and the police are helpless within the constraints of the system. Joong-ho runs alone. Against the clock — while there’s still a chance that victim Mi-jin (Seo Young-hee) might be alive.

Direction — The dread born of being unable to stop it

Na Hong-jin presents his directorial voice in fully formed shape from this debut feature. Rain-soaked alleyways, dark spaces lit only by swaying torchlight, and the rough handheld photography of the chase sequences give the entire film a suffocating sense of reality. The choice to reveal the killer’s identity early works to heighten the dread rather than reduce it. The horror of knowing and being unable to stop anything — that helplessness is the film’s real source of suspense.

Performance — The controlled unease of Kim Yoon-seok and Ha Jung-woo

Kim Yoon-seok anchors the film as a character who is neither good nor bad. A former detective who runs an illegal operation exploiting his workers, whose initial motivation for finding the victim is money — yet the process by which such a man begins running for something else is drawn naturally. Ha Jung-woo’s Young-min operates from an unusual direction of fear. He never raises his voice or resorts to exaggerated villainy, yet every moment he is on screen is uncomfortable. The fact that this discomfort comes from a perfectly controlled performance makes it more frightening still.

What the film says — The desperation in the space the system left empty

The Chaser is also a story about systemic failure. Even with a confession, the killer is released within 48 hours for lack of evidence. The police move within bureaucratic procedure. The media is focused on other events. Crime continues to be sustained by the gaps that open in those failures, and a lone individual running against that backdrop looks less heroic than desperate. That desperation is what elevates this film beyond a simple thriller.

Ratings & reception

TMDB gives it 7.8. IMDb scores it 7.8, and Rotten Tomatoes gives it 82%. It drew more than 6 million admissions domestically, succeeding both critically and at the box office. Director Na Hong-jin received the Blue Dragon Film Award for Best Director for this film, and went on to develop his own distinctive style further in The Yellow Sea and The Wailing.

What falls short

Despite its high overall quality, there are complaints that certain police characters are portrayed as implausibly incompetent in the second half. This is understandable as a choice to sustain dramatic tension, but occasionally crosses into territory that strains credibility. There is also a lingering wish that Mi-jin’s character had been drawn more fully — a richer portrayal would have deepened the emotional investment. The relentless helplessness and anger embedded throughout the film are clearly intentional emotional states, but their intensity lingers considerably after viewing.

Verdict

The Chaser is one of the films through which Korean thriller cinema announced itself to international audiences. This film — which combines ferocious tension, outstanding performances, and a coldly cynical eye on systems and individuals — has a level of completeness that is difficult to believe from a first-time director. It belongs on the essential list for anyone entering Korean genre cinema, or already a fan.

Recommended for

• Fans of Korean crime thrillers
• Viewers interested in Na Hong-jin’s other work or wanting to start somewhere
• Anyone looking for a film where extreme tension and realistic helplessness intersect