Officer Black Belt (2024)

Honestly better than I expected. It feels great to watch pedophiles and sex offenders get beat the fuck up, and even better to see an once-aimless man gain purpose in his life in taking down these scourges on society. It isn’t particularly bold in its social commentary, but it is prescient in regards to the lax treatment of sexual crimes in South Korea and the moral conflicts of the justice system. Officer Black Belt also depicts a natural camaraderie forming between Jeong-do and Sun-Min; the product of blood, sweat and tears. Definitely heavy on the sentimental moments complemented by swelling soundtrack. The movie did a great job balancing levity with seriousness some of the time, although at times it felt tonally disconnected. The best moments of the movie definitely came in the ambush and rescue scenes. I was actually taken aback by how intense and brutal those scenes were. The combination of neon red lighting, labyrinthine fighting sequences, tracking shots, and gradual momentum shifts all contributed to the underlying discomfort.