Yaksha: Ruthless Operations

...except that it only cost a fraction to make, that it was made by filmmakers who seem to still believe that movies should be fun, and that it employs every cliché in the spy movie playbook, including probably some not yet invented.

The movie stars the veteran Sol Kyung-gu as Ji Kang-in, one of these rugged agents whose standard operating procedure indeed seems ruthless. He has a pre-credits teaser in Hong Kong at his disposal to prove his worth looking for a double agent and leaving bodies everywhere.

If I attempted to write a plot summary, I would most likely be writing well into next year, so let's say that the action shifts to Shenyang in northeast China four years later. The former Seoul prosecutor Han Ji-hoon (Park Hae-soo) comes to the city now representing NIS - South Koreas answer to CIA - to check out a supposed information leak. Is there a mole in agent Ji's team? Agent Ji sure hasn't found the one he been looking for himself.

The banter between Sol Kyung-gu and Park Hae-soo as polar opposites makes for some good fun in between a lot of shooting and a lot of plot. The movie's politics is equally offensive to everyone, from the North Koreans to the Japanese, while the Chinese apparently couldn't care less as the Shenyang police is mostly nowhere in sight despite all the gunfights going on in broad nightlight.

The idea of Shenyang as a hotbed for spies is a bit like Istanbul in "From Russia With Love", so maybe this is what the 1960s Cold War spy thrillers have developed into for the 2020s?

It's fast-paced fun, anyway, full of blood and guts. But it's not a movie to think too deeply about.

Came across this new Korea action movie on Netflix. Storyline was intriguing and fast pace. Quite a few plot twist and good action. Look like there is going to have a sequel. Can't wait to see.

While some of the action scenes were filmed rather poorly, the action scenes were acceptable. It is a nothing special, solid enough spy movie. The background is very visually cool. And the writing was fine. There is nothing wrong with this film, its just not a special movie or a movie that stands out. But thats not always bad. Overall if you like spy films this is a solid enough spy film.

Undeveloped characters (I have nothing against actors), weak script, fable story. Nothing special, I just a mediocre spy/police movie with action (some very unrealistic) scenes.

Yaksha is a fast paced movie. Rarely in the movie you will find a slow moment and if any, it's just to explain some situations to the viewer.

It's not the among the bests that exist and not among the worsts. In a lot of the gunfights, seeing how no bullets hit the good guys the movie just becomes comedic. But it stays enjoyable to watch. The acting is just okay. Just watch it if you got nothing else to watch and need a good time.

Please Note that the movie can be sensitive to viewers who are into politics especially Japanese and Koreans. A lot of hates cliché that Japanese hates koreans and koreans hate Japanese more than North Koreans. This movie won't resolve any tensions of the past. So just a warning to any who are into politics.