Smugglers Movie Review: Crime Wrapped In Comedy From Quality Actors

JAKARTA - Two years after Escape from Mogadishu, director Ryoo Seung Wan made the latest film titled Smugglers. This film still has an action side like the previous film but with a touch of comedy that will refresh the story.

In this film, Ryoo Seung Wan again collaborated with actor Jo In Sung who also starred in Mogadishu. In addition, he also brought together a number of top actors such as Kim Hye Soo, Yeom Jung Ah, Park Jung Min, Kim Jong Soo and Go Min Si who are increasingly shining.

This collaboration between well-known actors and the undeniably director made by Smugglers, a presentation that has general premises that still leaves laughter when watching it on the big screen.

Smugglers set in the 1970s started the story with haenyeo or female divers who worked looking for fish to sell in the market. One day, they feel disappointed after diving but instead get rotten fish.

Jo Chun Ja (Kim Hye Soo) and cap Jin Suk (Yeom Jung Ah) realized that more and more fish rot in the sea due to factories built near the beach. These two friends, assisted by Jin Suk's father, received an offer from a broker (Kim Won Hae) to work to smuggle illegal goods.

Once or twice, Haenyeo are happy because they earn easily. However, the longer the smuggling business began to expand and it was threatened that the police, Lee Jang Chun (Kim Jong Soo), was known who often patrolled.

Jin Suk's father, who wanted to end the smuggling work, took the initiative to take the last job approved by the haenyeos. However, in that last task when they were arrested by the police.

Year after year, the lives of Chun Ja and Jin Suk changed. Chun Ja became a wealthy man while Jin Suk tried to make a living after being jailed for several years. The first meeting after several years became revenge between them. Will their relationship return to normal or really end?

The premise sounds simple, can even be found in various similar genre films where crimes committed by a group of people. But Ryoo Seung Wan uses the background of time and the main character as a vehicle for plots for other plots.

The plot managed to develop well and featured a surprising element that made the audience laugh. The moment was created by Chun Ja and Jin Suk as the main characters in this film. However, the atmosphere became even more interesting after Sergeant Kwon (Jo In Sung) appeared and his visuals were unquestionable.

The actors also took intense pictures, one of the scenes of Sergeant Kwon's fight with several men in the hotel. Thrilling as well as making laughter plummet throughout the rolling scene.

Judging by the title, Smugglers refer to the haenyeo who in an instant turned into smugglers. With this drastic change, the characters also managed to show a turning point when facing their work.

Overall, the ensembles of Smugglers actors are also unquestionable, especially Jo In Sung and Kim Hye Soo who often create eye contact moments into explosive chemistry.

In the end, watching Smugglers doesn't require hard work to think because this film comes as a form of entertainment which of course remains packaged in quality. Ryoo Seung Wan is good at creating fantastic ensembles that make this film fun.

Film Smugglers tayang di bioskop Indonesia mulai Rabu, 27 Juli 2023.