CJ Entertainment is proudly signaling moviegoers with a release date for September 11 for Son Yong-Ho’s feature crime thriller, The Bad Guys: Reign Of Chaos. The film takes its cues from the 2014 and 2016 OCN drama series with the return of actors Kim Sang-Joong and Marvel Phase Four addition Don Lee to their respective roles from the first series.
While transporting dangerous high-profile prisoners, a prisoner transport vehicle turns over. These prisoners escape and make a run for it. To catch these escaped prisoners, the police decide to regroup a special crime investigation team, which consists of prisoners like Park Woong-Cheol (DON LEE) known to take out 30 people by himself; Kwak No-Soon (KIM A-JOONG) who is a skilled con artist; Ko Yoo-Sung (JANG KI-YONG) a former detective, and the legendary detective Oh Goo-Tak (KIM SANG-JOONG).
I’d known of the original OCN drama and wasn’t keen on it right away after digesting the 2015 series, Last. By this year I pretty much made it a priority to catch up and though the action was disappointingly flawed in cinematography and editing, it was largely suitable for TV consumption paired with the elevating twists and turns amid the character and story development.
Granted, a feature film could see better treatment of the lensing with equally feasible performances by the cast as with the show. Sang-Joong is one of the most memorable faces in TV as he carried the 2014 drama with the utmost grit and gumption next to Lee, whose hulking mass never encroaches on his ability to invoke screen charisma and gravitas as one of the most discernible stars working today.
I’d say director Yong-ho is in good company. And so are the fans. And the moviegoers for that matter.
