The Chaser
Chugyeogja
South Korea
2008
125 Min
Color
2.35:1
Korean
Synopsis
Ex-detective pimp Jung-ho is angry because his girls keep disappearing without clearing their debts. One night, he gets a call from a customer and sends Mi-jin. But when Mi-jin meets the customer, Jung-ho realizes the phone number of the customer matches that of the calls the missing girls got last. As something smells fishy, he searches for her. During his search, Jung-ho dents a car in the alley. When Jung-ho spots blood splattered on the driver’s shirt, he senses the man, Young-min, is the suspect. After an intense chase, Jung-ho finally catches Young-min. But because of Jung-ho’s pretense as a cop, they are both taken to the police station. At the station, he bluntly tells the policemen that he has killed the missing women, and the last girl, Mi-jin, may still be alive. As the police force is obsessed with a random search for corpses, Jung-ho is the only one who believes Mi-jin is still alive. With only 12 hours left to detain the serial killer without a warrant, Jung-ho’s hunt begins. –Cannes Film Festival
Director
Na Hong-jin
In 2005 director Na Hong-jin received the Best Horror/Sci-fi Short Film Award at Mise-en-Scene Film Festival with his 9-minute and 30-second short film The Perfect Fishplate and made his spectacular feature debut with The Chaser in 2008, which swept the nation with over 5 million admissions and invited to the midnight special screening of the 61st Cannes Film Festival. His feature debut accumulated countless awards from all over the world and won the hearts of 20th Century Fox. Without superfluousness in his story and with speedy cuts, Na is heralded as a powerful figure who will lead a new wave of directors in Korea. –Yellow Sea Press Kit
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Sean
23Apr12
the Koreans know how to make a film that's compelling, great stories and the tense factor raised up. excellent film about an ex detective turned pimp who is wondering why the girls who works for him are disappearing. All he's got is the number of who keeps hiring them, thinking that they are being sold. Very intense film.
dschank
13Feb12
the serial killer/police procedural usually equals bland, programmatic filmmaking. not this one, though. ambititous, loosey-goosey and genuinely surprising - one of the most vibrant movies i've seen in a while, albeit not 100% successful. the myraid twists and turns hit a few sour notes, but the invention and momentum are downright infectious. bonus points for good acting and complex characters in unexpected places.
MR. Universe
28Jan12
Grade a thriller, Starts out dramatic then has you on the edge of your seat, Best to go in blind
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Senses of Cinema, "The White Ribbon," DVDs
By David Hudson on December 30, 2009
It's a busy Wednesday between Christmas and New Year's, with film journals posting new issues, a handful of films opening in theaters and
Movie Review: The Chaser
By Twitchfilm.com on May 17, 2011
For the last few years I have been openly condemning the Korean film market. The films have become flat and a huge money loser for their production companies. I was prepared to watch the latest, so called
[K-FILM REVIEWS] 추격자 (The Chaser)
By Twitchfilm.com on May 17, 2011
Like a vulture hovering over its prey with menacing subtlety, the darkly fostered rays of the night often become a creature of their own, enveloping man and his darkest instincts, dreams and fears in a
[Korean DVD Review] The Chaser (추격자)
By Twitchfilm.com on May 17, 2011
With the countless stories yet to be committed to film, what is it that draws Korean filmmakers time and time again to the same worn-out formulas and conventions? This and sundry other cosmological reflections
Movie Review: The Chaser
By Twitchfilm.net on July 16, 2010
For the last few years I have been openly condemning the Korean film market. The films have become flat and a huge money loser for their production companies. I was prepared to watch the latest, so called
[Korean DVD Review] The Chaser (추격자)
By Twitchfilm.net on July 16, 2010
With the countless stories yet to be committed to film, what is it that draws Korean filmmakers time and time again to the same worn-out formulas and conventions? This and sundry other cosmological reflections
[K-FILM REVIEWS] 추격자 (The Chaser)
By Twitchfilm.net on July 16, 2010
Like a vulture hovering over its prey with menacing subtlety, the darkly fostered rays of the night often become a creature of their own, enveloping man and his darkest instincts, dreams and fears in a
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Untitled
By Andhika Eka Buana on November 12, 2009
The Chaser kick ass!! after enduring myself for so long with cheesy thriller from hollywood,the koreans save the day again! (at least for me). this is just,well,i;m not saying it is unpredictable,but… read review
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