Mantis

Story: Lee Han-wool (Yim Si-wan) is known and feared in assassin circles as Mantis. He has long considered starting his own business, but to do so, he must get out of his contract, which still runs for seven years. His boss, MK, promises him that they can discuss the length of his contract after Mantis's vacation, and that he is also willing to sign his good friend, Sin Jae-i (Park Gyu-young). However, after Mantis returns from vacation, his boss has been murdered. His boss's company, also called MK, is nothing more than a loose structure, and everyone in the industry is now trying to fill the power vacuum. Under pressure from Jae-i and her friends, Mantis wants to start his own company, and with his name, he shouldn't have any trouble finding clients. Still, he is fairly inexperienced when it comes to organizational matters, and they first need an investor. Mantis therefore seeks out his old mentor Dok-go (Jo Woo-jin), who left MK and is now considering returning from early retirement to rebuild the company. Accordingly, Mantis can't expect any help from him, even though he occasionally receives a few assignments from him. When an investor turns up in the form of an arrogant software developer, Mantis ultimately rejects him because he mistreats Jae-i, for whom he has feelings. Jae-i, however, has been tired of this kind of protectiveness for a while and wants to finally step out of Mantis's shadow...

Review: For once, I only looked at the reviews after watching a movie - and was quite confused. I actually really enjoyed "Mantis". Admittedly, I didn't know about any possible hype, as it's actually a spin-off of "Kill Boksoon", but of course, there are a few cameos in the film itself, and the events from back then are woven into the story, which allows everyone to vividly recall everything. I would rather say that "Kill Boksoon" was hyped far too much, while "Mantis" is currently receiving harsh criticism that is completely out of proportion. This starts with the fact that I didn't really buy the actors' action in the "predecessor", but the mostly younger cast delivers a better performance here. Furthermore, the film also resonated with me much more on an emotional level, and the feelings between the characters develop much more believably. As it turns out, I seem to be pretty alone with my opinion, though, but perhaps that makes this review all the more refreshing.

I can easily accept one point of criticism: At least at the beginning, the tone is a bit too relaxed due to the new hero, and the buddy factor almost contrasts too strongly with the otherwise harsh world in which people are constantly being killed by assassins. Despite that, I think it was a good decision to put more focus on the political events and intrigue this time. After all, MK is no longer around, and everyone wants a piece of the pie. There are different parties and views on how to proceed, and our protagonists don't entirely agree on this either. This leads to some pretty well-written developments, and there is no shortage of twists and turns. Everything becomes quite unpredictable towards the end, and so I don't really understand the criticism that everything is predictable. It also suits the film well that it centers on two characters who actually like each other but inevitably become rivals — which is in fact somewhat predictable — and ultimately have to see how far they'll go to become number 1.

As already mentioned before, everything is quite lighthearted at first. While the relationship between Mantis and Jae-i suggests that there will be some drama, as it's apparently a one-sided love affair, there are plenty of jokes that are simply meant to be fun. The encounter between Mantis and his old master, for example, where they immediately let their fists fly at each other as a greeting, has something of an old kung fu movie about it. Jo Woo-jin ("Kingmaker") gets a lot out of his role anyway. In "Mantis", it's emphasized that while everyone involved is a killer, each pursues their own goals and isn't evil in the traditional sense. This can sometimes make Mantis's master sympathetic or even turn him into a tragic figure. In terms of the story, it's also noticeable that the individuals' goals ensure that there are subplots that run alongside each other and converge in the end. But you never get the impression that you're lingering on one story or another for too long.

Apparently, another point of criticism for most is the emphasis on drama. For me, however, this worked quite well and gave the story a stronger foundation than was the case in "Kill Boksoon". Perhaps expectations simply played a role, as I was expecting a bit more from Jeon Do-yeon in "Kill Boksoon", who also has a small cameo here. Yim Si-wan and Park Gyu-young, both last seen in the second and third season of "Squid Game", undoubtedly do a solid job. Mantis is relaxed and takes everything lightly, mainly because he's simply the best in his field. Nevertheless, when it comes to his love interest, he can also become more serious, and when the inevitable crisis arises, his character also gains a bit more color, and we get to see his emotions and suffering. Yim is able to portray the different facets well, giving his character more depth than one would initially expect. Park, on the other hand, is able to convey her envy of Mantis' abilities convincingly and, in the sadder scenes, can credibly portray her inner turmoil, disappointment, and despair.

Some of the dialogues particularly stuck with me. Mantis and Jae-i have some pretty good ones, and the drama and all the misunderstandings, intrigues, and even the betrayal revolve around Jae-i being told she would never be as good as Mantis. The changes in the characters and their motivations are understandable and can really draw you into the story. At least, that was the case for me. The action isn't lacking either, and Mantis's weapons, which are reminiscent of the arms/front legs of a praying mantis, are inventive and are used well in the fights. Even though I always like to see more fights, the ones we get are beautifully choreographed and have a pleasant martial arts foundation, which gives them a nice rhythm. Certainly, the epilogue deserves some criticism, which contrasts with the harshness of the second half in particular — there's no shortage of blood and severed body parts — but the gripping story, which centers on the relationship between two killers, but also between master and apprentice, absolutely captivated me. In my book, this is a clearly recommendable gangster drama with good action scenes - but apparently most other people out there have a different opinion, which is a real shame.

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