Phantom (2023) Review

“Phantom” Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Hae-Young
Cast: Sol Kyung-Gu, Lee Ha-Nee, Park So-Dam, Park Hae-Soo, Seo Hyun-Woo, Kim Jong-Soo, Bibi, Esom, Lee Joo-Young, Kim Dong-Hee, Kim Joong-Hee
Running Time: 133 min.

By Paul Bramhall

If someone asked if I could recall the name of that Korean movie which was set in 1933, and involves a group of independence fighters whose mission is to assassinate an official in the occupying Japanese government, chances are I’d confidently answer its director Choi Dong-hoon’s 2015 blockbuster Assassination. However as of 2023 I’d only have a 50% chance of being correct, as Phantom shares a plot which is practically identical.

Director Lee Hae-yeong’s (Foxy Festival, The Silenced) 4^th solo outing in the director’s chair, Phantom marks his first production since 2018’s Believer (mercifully he didn’t return for the sequel), and marks a welcome return to the kind of period piece action thriller that’s been missing in action from Korean screens for far too long. Adapted from Chinese novelist Mai Jia’s The Message, Hae-yeong transfers the setting from Japan occupied China in 1941 to Japan occupied Korea in 1933, but the core of the story remains the same.

The decision to steep the tone of Phantom in shades of film noir gives the production a distinctly vintage aesthetic, one that feels like a welcome reprieve from the bright gloss of many of its contemporaries, and is matched by the plot that begins to unfold. Assassination instructions are delivered through encoded messages hidden in movie posters displayed in plain sight at a local cinema (not dissimilar to Zhang Yimou’s 2021 spy thriller Cliffwalkers), while independence fighters lurk within as screenings of the Marlene Dietrich starring Shanghai Express play in the background. The independence fighters are known as Phantoms, however not even they themselves know who else is on their side, a fact which leads to an increasing amount of tension as the narrative progresses.

Opening with a cameoing Esom (Escape, Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman) performing an attempted hit on a Japanese official, with her identity exposed she’s discovered by another Phantom played by Lee Hanee (Alienoid, Heart Blackened), who narrowly avoids being seen by the authorities. What follows is a sting commissioned by the newly appointed Japanese captain, played by Park Hae-soo (Yaksha: Ruthless Operations, Time to Hunt), who rounds up 5 suspects believing at least 1 to be a Phantom, and has them forcibly stay at a remote cliffside hotel repurposed as an interrogation center.

The approach actually sees the first half of Phantom effectively play out as a one location whodunnit, with Hanee amongst the 5. The others comprise of the feisty secretary of a Japanese official played by Park So-dam (Parasite, Special Delivery), a timid codebreaker played by Seo Hyun-woo (Thunderbird, Decision to Leave), and a younger associate of Hanee played by K-drama regular Kim Dong-hee, here making his big screen debut. The fifth suspect is played by Sol Kyung-gu (The Moon, Idol) and is easily the most complex of the group, cast as a former high ranking Japanese official demoted to policeman status after it’s revealed his mother was Korean.

Given the choice to either be individually tortured, or to decide amongst themselves if those who are Phantoms will reveal their identities and give themselves up, much of the intrigue stems from Kyung-gu’s conflicted nature. Is he really loyal to the Japanese and using his captivity as a chance to prove himself and redeem his previous position, or did his demotion awaken part of him that recognises his Korean heritage, and has become an insider that could potentially rescue them all? Both the narrative and Kyung-gu’s interaction with the other characters sees the script (also penned by Hae-yeong) keep its cards close to its chest, which maintains an underlying tension on a gradual simmer for Phantom’s first hour.

The whodunnit approach also results in the first half becoming a rather dialogue heavy affair, with the bold decision taken to have much of the script spoken in Japanese, as it would have been at the time. From a purely linguistic standpoint the cast do a stellar job of acting out lengthy scenes in a language which isn’t their first, and the Japanese dialogue never comes across as stilted or clunky. While at times the plot threatens to go too far into overly talkative territory, thankfully Hae-yeong reels it in at just the right time, and transitions the mystery driven first half into a more action driven second half that sees identities exposed, alliances revealed, and escape plans hatched out of a need to survive.

For those who watched Assassination at the time of its release and wished there’d been more of Jeon Ji-hyeon running around with a sniper rifle, Phantom may very well scratch the itch with its female centric action aesthetic. Heo Myeong-haeng, a stuntman turned director (responsible for helming the Ma Dong-seok flicks Badland Hunters and The Roundup: Punishment) is here on action director duty, and in one of the standout scenes he creates a refreshingly brutal fight that pits Hanee against Kyung-gu. The most enjoyable aspect of it is, much like many of the Girls with Guns movies that came out of Hong Kong in the early 1990’s, there’s no regard given to gender, with the pair going at each other as equals in a fierce exchange of fists and throws.

The second half also moves proceedings out of the hotel providing a broader canvas to work with, as the final third becomes a barrage of bullets and explosions. Much like his contemporary Choi Dong-hoon who helmed 2015’s Assassination, Hae-yeong seems to share an obvious love for Hong Kong cinemas heyday that shines through at certain moments, none more so than when a character grasps a pistol in each hand and starts blasting away at the enemy à la John Woo. The transition from the more mystery focused first half to the action driven latter half feels well earned, and acts as a cathartic payoff to the extended period which focuses on establishing the characters and their interweaving relationships.

Despite Hanee essentially having top billing, it’s arguably Park So-dam that acts as the scene stealer of Phantom, who was unfortunately diagnosed with thyroid cancer shortly after filming (which took place in early 2021) having experienced telltale symptoms while onset. Thankfully she’s now on the road to recovery, and recently returned to acting for the first time, appearing in the K-drama Death’s Game which aired across December 2023 and January 2024. As the secretary of a Japanese official she initially comes across as a spoiled brat and borderline insufferable, however as the narrative progresses her character is revealed to have more layers than initially meets the eye, making her performance a standout. Her role is also responsible for one of Phantom’s best moments of humour, in a scene which offers up a cameo from Kim Hyung-seo (more popularly known as BIBI – Hopeless, Whispering Corridors 6: The Humming).

I confess I have a soft spot for these colonial era set Korean action thrillers, with the likes of Kim Ji-woon’s Age of Shadows also falling into the same category, and Phantom is a more than worthy addition to the genre. Hae-yeong has pulled together a solid cast who come together as an effective ensemble, and even the cameo appearances are from established names (in addition to Esom and Hyun-seo there’s also an appearance from Lee Zoo-young – Tastes of Horror, Miss Baek), giving it a legitimate blockbuster feel. Offering up equal parts mystery, intrigue, action, and drama, Phantom may be ambitious in its genre blending, but it has a strong story and characters at its core which brings the audience along for the ride, and the payoff is well worth the wait.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 7.5/10