July 1, 2019– Revenge is a fairly universal theme in many martial arts action films.   This, early 2019, Netflix release from South Korea, doesn’t try to hide the main theme- it’s in the title!  However, what Revenger does do better than many martial arts films is in its execution.   This is a highly engaging and exciting movie to watch.

Bruce Khan is Poised for International Action Stardom

Bruce Khan, the co-writer on the film, stars as a police officer imprisoned on an inescapable island prison known as AP-101.   His crime, attempting to murder the man that assassinated his wife and daughter.  Unlike the plot of other prison films, Khan’s character does not look to escape his capture. He uses this opportunity to hunt down the villainous crime boss, also imprisoned on AP-101, who ruthlessly rules the island as his own kingdom and exact his revenge.

There is a subplot of Khan rescuing and protecting a young girl and her mother that are on the island, in some way, as the result of Khan’s prior police work.  Much of this and the main back story are left out of the film.   Perhaps the writer’s felt too many details of these stories would interfere with the pacing of the film, which is virtually non-stop action from the film’s opening.

Taekwondo is on Display in REVENGER’S Melee

Khan’s character speaks less than a page of dialogue; however, he has a commanding presence of the screen.  He conveys pain and anger; tempered by an undercurrent of humanity.    His martial arts and weaponry skills are first class.  It is Khan’s fighting that is the real star of Revenger.   Taekwondo practitioners will revel at seeing the implementation of their signature techniques in an action film that is immersed in fight scenes that are powerful, violent, well choreographed, yet never “over the top”.

The film is co written by Ahn Seung-hwan and masterfully directed by Lee Seung-won.

This film had me longing for more.  Bruce Khan is a certified action star!

Check out Revenger on Netflix.