CINE21: First Reactions to ‘I, The Executioner’ Screening
The sequel to ‘Veteran,’ which attracted 13.41 million viewers, was unveiled after 9 years through a press and distribution screening.
Reporter Kim So-mi
The youngest detective who joined the old boys and the father detective troubled by his child’s problems have plunged into the chaotic investigation network of the cyber-wrecker era. In ‘I, The Executioner,’ the qualities of an analog professional breaking through a violence-addicted society remain unchanged. Actor Hwang Jung-min, who represents the face of conscience through casual gestures, performs more intense action than in the previous film, while also vigorously conveying middle-aged fatigue and dilemmas. Set pieces that capture both style and B-movie vitality, such as the opening large-scale arrest scene and rooftop action in the rain, also announce the continued strength of veteran Ryoo Seung-wan.
Film Critic Yoo Sun-ah
It cleverly secured both the practical benefits and justification of action and narrative. While the vigilante justice game of punishing injustice with greater violence was often divided into a binary choice between good and evil, ‘I, The Executioner‘ adds more complex layers with good or not-so-good citizens, juvenile offenders, and villains. Ryoo Seung-wan’s strength in skillfully coordinating drama and action by weaving multiple subplots into clean MMA and parkour action, alternating between tension and vitality, has been proven once again.
