The Chaser

Saw The Chaser, a Korean crime film. This one follows an ex-cop turned pimp who has lost one of his girls after she went to a john's house. Then the same john calls for another girl some time later (months or years or something) and his ex-cop-ly skills are re-aroused to investigate. Sure enough, the john is a psycho killer whom fate smiles upon and gets every lucky break while the increasingly harried-looking pimp always remains just a few tantalizing steps behind him. The film is a cop-drama with an ex-cop, not that that changes much. It just means that the cliched turning-in-the-badge scene has already happened. Anyway, I thought the film was pretty good.

It has the rhythms and beats of a comedy, with tiny infuriating details and coincidences always frustrating the hero, and goofy idiot-side-kick characters and also an adorably sullen little girl to silently judge the pimp when he screws up. There's also a B-plot going on about the mayor of the city having poop flung at him by a protester. This thread serves to muddy the main plot when the cops become involved, but I was hopeful that there could be some message hear about classism, that the mayor being dirtied was a more sensational story than a mere prostitute being killed. I think some theme along these lines could be mined out, but it's certainly not the main point of the film. The film is much more straightforward, so far as I can tell, and is more interested in the simple thrill of the chase.

I think this film wouldn't bear up to repeat viewings. The tension of the chase is undercut somewhat if you already know who gets away. Also, the killer tantalizingly slipping through the righteously indignant fingers of the pimp is frustrating enough the first time. The film is messy and fun however, full of false starts and blind alleys. Also I loved the twisty back-alleys that the film is predominantly set in. Also, I have to commend this film for being relatively light on the melodrama. I've whined about the Korean predilection for melodrama before and was worried that this one would be full of pointless histrionics but, baring one or two scenes, this one was almost understated. Anyway, not a bad film at all. Also the scene where the prostitute is realizing what deep trouble she's in is great.