Decibel
Decibelmay be marketed as a thrilling action mechanism play , but beneath the trappings of the genre , it explore how trauma and loss shape the choices of survivors . Directed by Hwang In - ho , who co - wrote the screenplay with Lee Jin - hoon , the moving-picture show keep up on the blackguard of Koreanthrillers such asDecision to LeaveandProject Wolf Huntingthat have pushed the boundaries of their tale convention . While the newest entrance in the res publica ’s cinematic canon may not be as data-based as its predecessors , its talented cast aid it stand out in a crowd . In particular , thoughDecibelboasts loud explosion and a nerve-wracking race against the clock , its hole-and-corner weapon lie in Lee Jong - suk & Cha Eun - woo ’s emotional panorama .
The story follows former Navy commander Kang Do - youthful ( Kim Rae - won ) , who retired from his post after an unexplained tragedy take out a orotund part of his crowd . On the anniversary of the severe event , however , he receives a mysterious call ( from Jong - suk , who remains conceal in patent sight through most of the action ) warning him a bomb has been plant in the area . Unable to adjoin authorities for fear of retaliation , he is forced to deal with the incoming threat and the hidden terrorist on his own . What make the bomb special — and givesDecibelits name — is that it is activated by sound , and any noise above a certain level will cut its timer in half . This caveat make Do - young ’s foreign mission all the more pressing as more bombs are set in child ’s playgrounds , public swim pools , and even football stadiums .
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Director Hwang took a farseeing fracture after film 2014’sMonster , which starred Kim Go - eunand Lee Min - ki , and the rusting is perhaps felt when sealed activity sequences inDecibellast longer than they should . They are technically well - execute and construct suspense as the tale progresses , but they lack the critical aroused impact of the flashback sequences that make up the inwardness of the story . The closed book of the terrorist ’s identity element is wind up in the tragedy that lead the present - day events , as well as Do - young ’s ambiguous blameworthiness in the incident . But since the champion can not excuse himself to the unseen scoundrel , who is himself easy to approximate from the promotional fabric , Rae - won is not able-bodied to utilize his dramatic chop to their wide-cut extent and must bring his privileged turmoil and confusion in subtle ways .
He is certainly up to the task , but the nidus on preventing the next tragedy and defuse the next explosive alienates viewing audience from him to a level . Thankfully , he has the clumsy but well - mean newsman Oh Dae - oh ( Jung Sang - hoon ) by his side to inject some clowning and ask questions on behalf of the audience . That alone would not be enough to elevateDecibelabove a typical action thriller , and indeed the main takeout from the film rest with the flashbacks interlard throughout . The movie opens in the past , with the young extremity of Do - young ’s submarine crowd , Jeon Tae - ryong ( Eun - woo , construct his movie debut ) , joking that his commander play more jejunely than he does . This lead to a heartwarming successiveness of camaraderie between the Navy officer that entail everything the reticent hero has lost .
AsDecibelhurtles towards its inevitable face - off and conclusion , putting Do - young ’s menage member in danger in the process , the flashbacks peel back the complicated layers of the submarine incident at the heart and soul of the story . While the dynamic between Eun - woo and Jong - suk ’s characters is not explored as profoundly as it could have been , their brief present moment together create a heartbreaking backstory and a misrepresented justification for his maniacal choices in the present . While both actors shine inDecibel’stense and tragic scenes , Eun - woo ’s execution is the biggest surprise given his myopic filmography thus far mainly includeslighthearted romantic dramas likeTrue Beauty .
Cha Eun-woo and Lee Jong-suk in Decibel
That ’s not to say that Jong - suk is n’t as impressive , of path . He masterfully depicts the stark demarcation between his grapheme ’s unagitated and supportive posture in the flashbacks and his hardened despair in the present , highlighting how his trauma has crack him down . In the close , that ’s whatDecibelis really about , and it ’s a theme that touches its champion and antagonist in adequate measure . Neither man will ever be the same after what they go through together , but the style they each choose to bring around is what divides them always and seal their various destiny . Thanks to this powerful tale thread , and the performance of actors act the lost Navy officer , viewers will come away with plenty of food for thought .
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Decibelpremiered at Asian World Film Festival on November 12 and is releasing in modified theaters on Friday , December 2 . The celluloid is 110 minutes long and is not rated .
Kim Rae-won in Decibel
Cha Eun-woo in Decibel
