Mogadisyu

Ryoo Seung-Wan is a highly acclaimed Korean director, he has made films such as The Berlin File and Veteran, and the highlight of his work is The Battleship Island, so of course I look forward to every new film from him. Escape from Mogadishu promised to be a candidate for Korean film of the year according to early reviews, but unfortunately, for me it is a slight disappointment. The story focuses on a dramatic situation in 1990, in Somalia, where a revolution has broken out and respected families from North and South Korean are stranded there and must work together to escape under adverse circumstances. It's kind of a Korean variation on Ben Affleck's Argo. The direction is obviously perfect; the cinematography, the music, the actors, the story, all of this is top notch and it's certainly not a bad film, except that I was kind of looking forward to something along the lines of 13 Hours, and that didn't quite happen. There is action, but it's more with Somali rebels attacking, and none of the Koreans hitting back (I wanted a proper shootout like in Commando, but unfortunately that didn't happen). So the action left me cold and I wasn't too entertained. Worth mentioning though is the finale, with one very impressive and stylishly shot car chase, but that's not enough for a higher rating for me. The storyline missed me, I guess Koreans or people interested in the issue will like it more.It's not exactly my cup of tea, but the film definitely has its qualities and deserves a chance to be seen. Story 4/5, Action 3/5, Humour 1/5, Violence 2/5, Fun 3/5 Music 3/5, Visuals 4/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 2/5, Emotion 2/5, Actors 3/5. 6/10. (22.10.2021)