FANTASIA FILM FESTIVAL
Director Choi Ho’s “Big Match” is probably one of my favorite action movies of the year. It’s a wonderful amalgam of action, comedy, and thrills acting on a fast pace with a multi layered story of a man running against the clock. Choi Ik-ho is a man kicked out of professional soccer for rough housing and enters in to MMA to get his aggression out. With the help of his big brother Young-ho, Choi Ik-ho has become one of the greatest fighters of modern times. He’s kept under tight supervision by his big brother, a retired MMA fighter. But when he suddenly disappears, Ik-ho is suspect number one. Young-ho is suspected of being murdered, and Ik-ho is arrested.
While in jail, Ik-ho gets a message from a seemingly sentient game master who has kidnapped his brother. Guiding him on a labyrinth of obstacles and real life foes, the man simply known as Ace wants Ik-ho to break out of jail and find his brother before time runs out. Now Ik-ho has to rely on his years as an athlete to break out of jail and take on a literal army of men, all of whom are oblivious to the harrowing situation both men have been placed under. With a hefty helping of laugh out loud comedy, “Big Match” is a top notch action thriller that relies heavily on the performance by Lee Jeong-jae who plays hero Ik-ho. He brings immense charisma and brutal acting talent to the table, playing a lovable and flawed hero who has to defy the law and all sorts of ethics to save his brother from being murdered.
The tension ratchets up every minute as Ik-ho has to find ways around the law and civilization to reach his brother, all with the guidance of Ace. Ace is an enigmatic villain who is using Ik-ho as a means of placing bets in an underground gambling ring and the pair of brothers are unfortunate victims. Much of Ik-ho’s plight is unbelievably chaotic, as he has to battle a SWAT team, a team of local officers, and even dodge speeding cars on a high way just to get to his brother. One of the best sequences finds Ik-ho infiltrating a local gangster hide out where he has to battle a hallway of armed thugs single handedly. Channeling “Oldboy,” Choi Ho stages this sequence with slick editing and beautiful direction that make Ik-ho a force to be reckoned with. Despite its long in the tooth run time, “Big Match” moves at a break neck pace, doling out laughter and broken bones at every turn, and I was never bored.
I loved how no two challenges for Ik-ho were alike, and Ace always kept him guessing what utterly brutal task lay ahead of him. Every story element just works well. What could have been a flat comedy gag like Ik-ho having to sing karaoke during his chase through an underground club is saved by Lee Jeong-jae’s great performance and sharp comic timing. Admittedly, I think ten minutes could have been cut down from the narrative, but that’s only a mere squabble in a truly excellent action offering. What helps “Big Match” is also the great supporting cast, as folks like BoA, and Lee Sung Min contribute to the chaos and hilarity. Re Mi-Ran is also a stand out as Young Ho’s militant wife. “Big Match” is a definite raucous good time mixing adventure, and laughs in to one really great action offering. It’s a film teeming with international appeal, and I hope we see more of this great title soon.