Arriving on Netflix today is the South Korean action-thriller, Kill Boksoon. The movie – from writer/director Sung-hyun Byun – stars Jeon Do-yeon, and tells the story of single mother who tries to balance the day-to-day challenges of her home life, with her career as a hired killer.
In the movie, Gil Boksoon has a lovely home, money in the bank, and well-to-do friends. She also has a very successful job as an assassin, which sees her despatch members of the criminal underworld with regularity.
Her latest hit is the leader of the Yakuza, whom she deals with very quickly, but despite her success at the job, Boksoon has reached a point in her life where she is considering a change. Her daughter is going through her high school years, things aren’t going so well, and Boksoon wonders if maybe it is time to step down and concentrate on her home life.
However, before she makes a decision about her future, she takes on a new job. But after choosing not to complete this particular task, for ethical reasons, she finds herself at odds with the company that hired her, and soon becomes a target from fellow assassins.
Playful, occasionally humorous, and featuring some good fight choreography, Kill Boksoon is a fairly decent-ish action movie, about someone who has begun to question their path in life. The film has fun with the idea of a middle-aged killer, who is highly skilled but also domesticated, and who is trying to understand the inner workings of her teenage daughter.
Some of this makes for a few interesting sequences and there are some enjoyable ideas in place. The film also has a great lead in Jeon Do-yeon, who commands the screen at every opportunity.
But unfortunately, while the film is OK, it is nothing particularly spectacular. While Kill Boksoon has moments which work very well, there is the overriding sense that it’s not quite hitting the heights it is aiming for.
The biggest issue the film suffers from is pacing. Kill Boksoon starts off strong, with a great opening sequence, then meanders for far too long, with only occasional spurts of energy here and there.
When the film is engaged in combat sequences, it is fair to say it is firing on all cylinders. But when it’s not, the picture starts to run out of steam a bit and the cracks begin to show.
That said, I do feel like Kill Boksoon tries to do its best with its central premise, so it’s not bad, but as I say, it’s only OK. And unfortunately, a ‘so-so’ assassin movie is never going to get me onside.
Over the past few years a fair few assassin movies have been released (the John Wick films, Gunpowder Milkshake, Bullet Train, Kate, etc), and this just feels like another one which has been chucked into the mix. I will admit, this isn’t my favourite subgenre of action movie, but I’m always open to anything which offers entertainment, so I wanted it to work for me.
But the entertainment here just feels a bit lacking. I like the premise, but I’m underwhelmed by the execution (no pun intended), and I’m neither here nor there about the film.
Kill Boksoon has its moments, but for me it just doesn’t quite cut the mustard. Those who are into this particular line of films may get more out of it than I did, but I’m not entirely sure that anyone will come away feeling entirely satisfied.
Either way, should you wish to take a look for yourself, Kill Boksoon is streaming on Netflix from today.
__
Thank you for taking the time to read this review on It’s A Stampede!. For more reviews, check out the recommended reads below.
It's A Stampede! 
Leave a Reply