Kwik (2011) Reviews

• Loud and full of action = my kind of movie

  mikesmeier2011-08-09

  I was in an action-movie mood when I went to see the movie "Quick" while in Seoul. A great action movie is what I got! I like the "Fast & Furious" movies because of the fast cars, and I liked this movie because of the fast motorcycles. I can never get enough of crotch-rockets zooming through high-speed traffic, causing major car pile-ups along the way. The action is very real, and it looks like it, too. "Quick" was special-effects heavy, but tastefully done. I like when I watch movies and I'm not sure whether or not what I just saw was real or CG. It does a great job of playing on that line. Even with an action movie, the plot is strong with a solid story line. Everything blowing up has a point to it. Overall, very good movie, and I look forward to analyzing more in the future when it comes out on DVD.

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• A Nutshell Review: Quick

  DICK STEEL2012-02-04

  The producers of the Korean disaster movie Haeundae probably had enough of water and massive flooding in their blockbuster film, that they had turned their sights and efforts into making an action adventure that's just the opposite, this time playing with fire and bombs in an action comedy that at first glance looked very much like Jan de Bont's Speed starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. But save for some slight narrative references, Quick is very much its own film, with impressive bike and vehicular stunts in addition to the typical Korean sprawling narrative that expands it beyond a simplistic chase film. Quick begins with a prologue about a love triangle gone awry. Super cool biker Ki-Soo (Lee Min-Ki) is seen leading a pack of mean bikers down a road during the Independence Day holiday and is nonchalant to the pursuit of Choon-Sim (Kang Hye-Won) his girlfriend whom he's trying to dump, who in turn is being chased on a bike by another suitor Myung-Sik (Kim In-Kwon). The scene ends with one big mess of an accident and pile up that leave things unresolved, and the events here will have its repercussions some six years later where the film proper picks up. Ki-Soo has become a bike courier, putting his skills to legitimate use in order to earn a living. Choon-Sim is now one part of a massive Korean K-pop all girls group (like so many out there) and unknowingly hires Ki-Soo's services to get her from one location to another. However a switch of a helmet was made, one that contains a bomb, and soon both Ki-Soo and Choon- Sim find themselves held ransom by an anonymous bomber who communicates with them through a mobile device - that they are to deliver bombs to designated spots within 30 minutes each mission, and should they fail, or alert the cops, or remove the helmet, or do anything that's detrimental to their mission, they'll get blown up. So begins a madcap race around town to perform the dastardly deeds, and for Myung-Sik, now a traffic cop, sort of engaged as well to bring them to justice. Narratively this may seem like Speed, with its bomber dictating the terms that the couple have got to go through, and wielding tremendous power over his hostages to do his bidding. And the final act was really quite like the Hollywood film with it taking place on a train and Choon-Sim vested up with an improvised explosive device. But what you have to tip your hat to, is the story writers having to tie up all the loose ends in order not to make the selection of victims quite random, as well as managing an all out gang land rivalry that's taking place beneath all the bombings, leaving you guessing just who the perpetrator might really be. And in true Korean movie style, as previously discussed with screenwriter Lee Shin-Ho, Quick has its plate full of bumbling police officers who get outwitted and snooked almost every step of the way, right down to lean and mean SWAT members being anything but capable of addressing the simplest of threats and orders, leaving it open to plenty of slapstick comedy situations. And the genuinely funny moments in the film don't even have to try too hard to bring on the laughs, with most of the cast being adapt to perfecting their respective comic timing for maximum effect. But what truly stood out are the countless of motorcycle and vehicle stunts that pepper the film landscape, since this is after all touted as an action film first and foremost, and has enough meticulously designed sequences to thrill. The outtakes provide a glimpse at what was practical stunts involving daring stuntpeople who risked life and limb to make the death defying stunts believable, leaving the rest of the more hokey aspects to computer generated images. Unfortunately for the filmmakers with experience in dealing with spectacular special effects, it seemed their touch of experience got lost here, with efforts drawing too much attention to themselves with a constant over-exposure of scenes that betrayed a probable studio or soundstage setting, coupled with some CGI that were left quite unrefined that they stood out quite obviously like a sore thumb. Quick, despite its flaws, still had enough in its tank to entertaining an audience out for a light hearted action adventure spectacle that don't cometo our screens too often these days, and story and funnier bits to thank for making the film that way.

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• A hilarious and gripping action movie of the highest standard

  kluseba2011-12-23

  This movie from South Korea is easily one of the best movies of the year 2011 and I hope it gets further attention and a world wide release in the rest of the world within the next month. It's sure that I will try anything to purchase a copy of this stunning movie that I saw by pure coincidence on a plane flight a few days ago. The movie tells the story of a motorcycle courier that gets in a dangerous situation when a madman forces him to deliver a couple of bombs to several addresses. If he refuses, he risks the life of his old love that wears a motorcycle helmet that will explode if the courier arrives to late, menaces the madman or gets involved with the police. The whole scenario leads to a stunning rat race with a furious and emotional showdown involving philosophical topics such as life, death, love, friendship, forgiveness, truth and lies. This entertaining movie offers many different styles. First of all, it has some great slapstick humour that made me laugh really hard a couple of times. It's rather hard to make me laugh but I really appreciate this kind of humour thanks to many amusing characters and a very good acting. As a next point, this movie has some spectacular motorcycle action scenes reminding me of "The fast and the furious", "Speed" or "Twelve rounds". This movie doesn't give you a break and is an exciting high speed adventure. This film even has more to offer as there are some great suspense scenes that will keep you on the edge of your seat and the story offers a couple of interesting elements and introduces some interesting connections between the different characters of the movie. In the end, let's note that the movie is filmed in a very modern way and is a true high quality product that might please to a large audience in the world. Anybody that likes spectacular action movies has found his or her new bible with this movie. On a personal note, I fell once again in love with the charming and cute female actors from South Korea in this movie and the authentic male characters. If you're able to get your hands on a copy of this movie, pay the price you need to pay and you surely won't disappointed. The movie is energizing, fresh and highly entertaining. South Korea proves once again that they actually make the best movies in the whole world and they do succeed in any genre as they prove with this outstanding action flick.

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• It's a fun ride from start to finish

  KineticSeoul2012-02-18

  This is a fast paced and action packed movie from start to finish and is also engaging from start to finish. Judging by the trailer I was expecting a movie that is lazy and didn't have as much action and explosions as the trailer made it seem. But this is one of those movies where it surpasses the trailer and goes beyond. The comedic elements are done right and the right moments to the point I couldn't help but have a grin on my face while watching and some parts got me laughing. Sure this movie is absurd and over the top but that is the direction it's trying to go and it knows which direction it wants to head and it works. The actress Kang Hye-Won is not just a pretty face but she is a good actress that can pull off comedic roles such as the one in this. Even the action sequences are done very well for a movie that is made outside of Hollywood and I was impressed, especially with the CGI scenes. This movie reminded me of a comedic and over the top version of the movies "Speed" and "Transporter 3". So this movie is almost a perfect blend of action and slapstick comedy that is so very entertaining from start to finish. 8.2/10

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• Adrenaline Rush

  kittenkongshow2017-06-20

  The version I watched while in the original Korean language has been cut down to 80m and it shows. OK, so it's not the most densely plotted film but the edits take a lot of the exposition away, characters suddenly join the chase scenes with no clue as to how. It's still a fun film but I'd much rather it made sense!.