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History is handled with care in Harbin
The Straits Times
|December 25, 2024
The period drama directed by Woo Min-ho is a handsome but reverent account of a Korean hero
HARBIN (NC16) 113 minutes, opens on Dec 25 ★★★★☆
The story: It is 1909 and the Korean Empire is under Japanese control. In this thriller based on a real assassination plot, Lieutenant General Ahn Jung-geun (Hyun Bin) and his band of Korean independence fighters plan to intercept Japanese statesman Ito Hirobumi (Japanese actor Lily Franky) in Harbin. After a battle where Ahn shows mercy to the enemy, his compatriots mistake his kindness for treason, making him a target of suspicion. Still, Ahn and his fighters vow to kill the Japanese official, despite opposition from fellow fighter Lee Chang-sup (Lee Dong-wook) and pursuit by the vengeful Japanese Major Mori Tatsuo (Park Hoon). A traitor in their midst helps the major lure the fighters into a trap.
For a film about one of history's most audacious attempts to fell an oppressor, Harbin plays it remarkably safe.
This story is from the December 25, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.
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