There are many
elements within The Suspect which led
me to believe I was going to enjoy this film far more than I did. The reasons
for my disappointment certainly stem from expectations that weren’t met, but
even more so for all of the additional convoluted plot points that I could have
done without. The Suspect tries to do
too much with its narrative, and yet somehow still manages to feel
over-simplified in the areas of spectacle. While there seem to be no shortage
of characters, creating a convoluted representation of a villain, the action in
the film often feels more repetitious than original. Rather than any type of
variety, director Shin-yun Won seems content to pack the film with chase
sequences.
The storyline
feels like something taken out of a Bourne Identity film, with a twist of
Korean politics. Dong-chul (Gong Yoo) is a top field agent for North Korea
There may have
been an exciting 90-minute film in here, but at 137 minutes, The Suspect begins
to outstay its welcome at a certain point. Even when the film appears to move
quickly, there is too much reliance on the chase sequence to carry the
narrative from one sequence to the next. It all starts to blend together in an
unflattering manner. Even when all sequences are adequately constructed and the
energy remains high from scene-to-scene, this feels like a film with a lot of
extra fat that could have been trimmed.
Entertainment Value:
7/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 6.5/10
Historical Significance:
5/10
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