The Wild is currently streaming on Hi-YAH!, and will release on Digital on April 9 from Well Go USA.
Korean crime noir is full-up in The Wild. Director Kim Bong-han’s third outing is dark, moody, and thrilling at times, and lead actor Park Sung-woong presents a worthwhile protagonist in Woo-cheol, an underground fighter sentenced to eight years for killing a man in the ring, and released a year early on good behavior.
Eager to live a more quiet life away from the hustle and bustle of the criminal underworld familiar to his best friend Do-sik (Oh Dae-hwan), his outro is soon interrupted when an attempt to hold an assailant accountable for assaulting a woman envelopes him into an even deeper and more troubling predicament. What follows is a tale of love, betrayal and redemption with Woo-cheol wedged between three major players in a deal that will ultimately determine his fate.
The Wild is a suitably entertaining thriller with plenty of brooding to whet the appetites of fans of Korean crime noir. Park’s lead role isn’t necessarily the strongest, but he carries it well and decent enough that it translates to viewers. Oh’s co-starring role is one of the several, more definite standouts of the film, alongside newcomer Seo Ji-Hye who plays “Bom,” a call girl whose shared past with Woo-cheol runs deeper than he realizes. Joo Seok-Tae plays Jun-gon, an incorrigible dirty cop and the proverbial thorne on pretty much everyone’s side in this crime tale, including drug smuggler Gak-soo, played by Oh Dal-su.
For all this and more, The Wild is about as murky and moody as it gets. The drama runs a little bit dry in the middle, and so it helps that things pick up from time to time and we get to see how each character affects one another. The violence and action serves as a plus to the matter, as does the intricate interweaving and plotting between the film’s three antagonists, and watching it all unfold well into the film’s tragic recapitulation.
It’s worth noting that among some of his other film and TV credits, Park plays brilliantly in the villain category of hit Netflix series “Bloodhounds”. If you haven’t seen it yet, consider yourselves invited, while others who have are also welcome to this latest screen entry by the actor. Be warned though, as The Wild defintiely lives out its title in some areas, and may leave you wanting a cigarette by the end credits.
