Movie Review: Commitment (2013; Showbox/Well Go USA)

...Youth Pre-empted. Interrupted. Innocence, abruptly thrust into maturity. Whether by design, by accident, by choice or by way of necessity...for better or for worse, a hiccup in life, that's quite literally life-changing. For some of us, such a revelation is quite relatable (...for this viewer, here's a hand raised, having had 'youth interrupted', at least in part, by way of an early and lengthy stint in the military). A misfit-flavored sort of loneliness...sometimes, a blurring confusion of identity. In that respect, possibly given way to conditioning and adapting, one is forcibly expected to perform in a mature manner, dealing with serious issues and situations...all while forced to suppress that sense of youth, wanting ever so much to break free (...once again, hand raised over here, in that the military tethered and restricted my youthfully driven creative side). In films, this personal aspect has been examined many times, and in most cases and varied scenarios, has been found quite compelling and intriguing...the sudden thrust into an adult world...how one performs in such a situation...the lonely, misfit feeling of surrendering one's self in a mature role...trying to fit in a coat that's several sizes too big, and forced to shelve one's youth...and the resulting knowledge incorporated, should that sense of lost youth, be recovered. Such is the dilemma of Myung-Hon Ri, a labor-camp youth, turned assassin, and assigned a most unusual, yet ideal undercover...as a high school student, in inaugural director Park Hong-Soo's compelling examination of unconventional espionage, family loyalty, and the struggle to maintain identity...2013's "Commitment"...



...getting out of 'the business' proves a most difficult...and ultimately fatal endeavor for a very skilled and very seasoned North Korean espionage agent, who's had enough of the deadly 'game', and wants out. Naturally, his supervisors aren't particularly savvy to his taking such matters into his own hands, and as such, arrange to have him meet with an untimely death; after all, insubordination not withstanding, his skills are much too valuable, to have them picked up by someone else, and it is felt that he's much too dangerous, in no longer being under the influence of 'the organization'...

...news of his father's death...suggested as being the result of traitorous actions...reaches Myung-Hon Ri, a roguish young man, interred at a North Korean labor camp, with his sister. Alternately distraught and enraged at the accusations flung at his father, Myung-Hon, in making a deal for his freedom as well as his sister's, is willingly coerced into taking up his father's mantle, assuming (...and trained in) the role of a covert spy, in an effort not only to find out the truth about his father's demise and clear his name, but also, to free his sister from captivity...

...given opposing and unstable North Korean forces, playing out a deadly scenario, in the form of a rogue North Korean agent, who is covertly and systematically knocking off other North Korean undercovers, who have assumed domestic roles in unsuspecting South Korean communities, Myung-Hon is sent to Seoul, South Korea, under the guise of a local high school student, in an effort to seek out, and flush out the murderous rogue agent...

...while in school, where he is quickly monikered as a troublemaking outsider, Myung-Hon...while awaiting further word on his mission...gets caught up in a friendly relationship with a pretty, albeit quiet young student, who just happens to have the same name as his sister...an aspiring dancer, who appears plagued with classroom bully problems, in the form of a troublesome lead gang at the school, as well as intimidation from some of the senior members of her dance class. Gladly and valiantly coming to her defense, with as much restraint as possible, as far as using his newly acquired and adeptly honed martial arts skills, Myung-Hon finds this schoolyard drama quickly usurped by the news from his superiors, who say that the murderous rogue agent, whom they are after, is about to strike again. Who is this killer...and what is his next intended target??...

...depending upon what one is looking for, in engaging "Commitment", the film seems to have a strange sort of balance, in it's sense of romanticism, it's exploration of struggling identity, it's sense of devotion to family, and it's overall dynamics, as far as high-octane action, thrills and intrigue. Make no mistake, the balance DOES work here; however, it's the sort of disciplined balance, where subscribers, vying for and favoring one or two of the individual components, might feel selfishly dissatisfied, in the sense that there isn't more emphasis on the specific components, with which they embrace. Cut and dry, one really has to take it all in, as deftly measured and presented...or quite simply, take a walk; there's no middle of the road here, folks...

...watching young actor Choi Seung-hyun run through the paces of the arduous gauntlet of emotional turmoil, confusion of identity, and kick-ass engagement, in the complex performance as Myung-Hon...and being wholly unfamiliar with Seung-hyun's past success (...as was this viewer), one would never consider that Choi Seung-hyun is better know by the Asian pop music crowd, as K-POP singer T.O.P, of the group known as Big Bang. However, Seung-Hyun's overall talent proves to be quite brilliantly multi-faceted, in this auspicious starring role. Despite being in his mid-20's, Choi Seung Hyun's youthfully boyish looks make him ideal for the role of a teen-based character, attending high school. Amusingly enough, his keen ability to carry out the believable role of a cold and ruthless assassin, is quite contrasting to a flawed ability to assume the conflicted and emotional aspects of the character; but then, that acting 'flaw' inevitably goes quite far in exuding the inner-dueling sense of identity crisis, which the Myung-Hon character finds himself constantly wrestling with...

...on the subject of 'flaw', the supporting cast proves to be a hodge-podge of rather eclectic characters, who...to varying degree...seem to lack complete development. Han ye-ri is embraceably sympathetic and relatable, as Lee Hye-in, the quiet and vulnerable dance student, whom Myung-Hon comes to the rescue for; it's a heartfelt performance, which as the viewer, one cannot help but want to see more of. And as embraceable as this performance is, it very much contrasts the tragic role of Ri Hye-in (Yoo Jeung-kim), Myung-Hon's labor-camp-captive sister...a performance which definitely cries out for further development, as the result of the lack thereof. Joe Sung-ha affords a rather brash and ruthless characterization, as the military captain who invariably recruits the young Myung-Hon, in replacing his recently deceased father. Probably the most amusing and heartfelt, is seasoned actress Lee Ju-shill, as a covert and unnamed contact...a sort of maternal caretaker of transiting spys...played quite tenderly, but with a twinkle of wit, that's slightly grin-inducing...

...first-time director Hong Soo-park affords the attentive viewer, a most wayward and fleeting rhythm of changing moods, in engaging this trite little dramatic action/thriller; but despite the fleeting of moods, the ever-changing rhythm of "Commitment" proves quite amiable, from the viewer's perspective, to adapt one's self to. Yes, fleeting...but hardly out of control. It is a compelling excursion of intrigue and dynamics, with a lot of heart and feeling...with a starring performance by a renowned young musician, which only serves to emphasize certain assurance of his talent; further acting performances by Choi Seung-hyun, might well prove checking out...and as far as "Commitment"?? An irresistible distraction of thrills, intrigue and an abundance of emotional content...Recommended....