Another Public Enemy

D

Directed by Woo-Suk Kang

My regular readers (hi, mom!) will remember that a few days ago I posted a glowing review for "The Rebel" stating that its action sequences were the most exciting I had seen put to screen since watching the first three minutes of "Another Public Enemy." I still stand by that statement, which may seem surprising due to the low rating I gave Woo-Suk Kang's cop flick. The fact is that the first few minutes of APE are, without a shred of doubt, truly awesome but that the action unfortunately stops there and never picks up again, an inexcusable crime for an action film.

The plot of APE is your standard cop saga fare as Chung Jul Kang, a public prosecutor, tries to take down the corrupt and morally bankrupt Sang Woo-Han, a local golden boy businessman who is also Chung Jul Kang's old high school nemesis. As stated above, the film begins brilliantly, with a flashback to Ching Jul Kang and Sang Woo-Han's high school days when a royal rumble of truly biblical proportions breaks out between their high school ands a crosstown rival institution. The violence is completely unhinged and hilarious and delightfully mimicked some of the cartoonish violence found in earlier Hong Kong action films. Once that action is done, we cut to the present day where Chung Jul Kang and his boys at the prosectors office are preparing a bust on a local crime boss. Just like that, another drawn out, wild bit of mayhem is unleashed as their takedown devolves into an all out brawl between local law enforcement (who all seem to wear leather jackets and jeans to work) and local criminals (who also wear leather jackets and jeans to work).

These few minutes of action alone are worth the price of a rental, trust me. Once they are through, however, not much of interest is left in APA. Indeed, the energy of the film's promising debut is quickly sapped and replaced by a plodding, Law and Order-esque storyline that is shockingly devoid of both action and intrigue. The characters are well fleshed out and the acting is solid but the film's denouement is a foregone conclusion and just getting there is laborious and yawn worthy, criticisms that should really sound the death knell of any self respecting action flick.