I don’t know how you feel about conspiracies but they terrify me. Just the thought of something corrupt happening with the consent of those in “power” is enough to make me want to pack up and leave the country. Sadly, it would probably land me in another country with the same “problem” but I digress. Murder, corruption and conspiracy are the primary themes in last years well received movie MOBY DICK (모비딕). While the title may instantly make you think of Herman Melville’s classic novel the only thing the two stories have in common are the battles of being in deep water. With an all star cast, including some of my personal favorites, MOBY DICK stirred up all of the common questions about what governments supposedly do and how they try to hide it.
Hwang Jeong Min plays newspaper reporter Lee Bang Woo. While covering a story of a mysterious explosion of a bridge in the middle of Seoul he gets a surprise visit from an old friend. His friend Yoon Hyuk, played by Jin Goo, is on edge and seemingly on the run. Bang Woo assumes he’s skipped out on his military service when in actuality he has vital information proving that the government purposely caused the bridge explosion and he is on the run for his life. Knowing that he can’t handle a case of this magnitude on his own Hwang calls on fellow reporters Son Jin Ki (Kang Sang Ho) and Seong Hyo Kwan (Kim Min Hee) to assist him. Together the trio discover conspiracy after conspiracy and begin to get threats that threaten their lives while uncovering one of the biggest conspiracies of all time.
Normally, a movie like this wouldn’t be my cup of tea. I like leaving movies feeling happy and light, not neurotic. But, if I had to expand my horizons I’m happy it was with this film. Why? Because, it was good. Hwang Jeong Min and Kim Sang Ho have proven countless times that they can carry their weight and then some in a film and this time was no exception. They both struck the perfect balance between humor and paranoia which lightened the mood just enough for me to get through the film. Then when you add in the budding talent of Kim Min Hee you’ve definitely built a solid foundation to make a good film. The intrigues were well thought out and the resolutions were good enough to leave you feeling satisfied. For all the research I’ve done it seems like this was director Park In Je’s first film. Kudos to him. It was disturbing which, in my opinion, also meant it was effective, suspenseful and, overall, a job well done.

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