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The Chaser
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The Chaser

2008
Drama, Suspense/Thriller
2h 5m
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Avg Percentile 66.89% from 1456 total ratings

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(1456)
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Rated 08 Oct 2009
75
77th
The serial killer is chilling and brutal. The police are complete idiots and ruin the mood a bit. The pimp does a good job of being the chaser. Ultimately, like the pimp himself, I was overwhelmed with frustration over how stupid the cops were.
Rated 16 Feb 2015
92
85th
Oldboy? What the fuck is Oldboy? Get that basic shit out of my Korean cinema discussion. This shit right here, THIS shit is the shit. This shit is THE shit, for sure. Fuck Oldboy
Rated 12 Mar 2009
55
47th
I had high expectations for this film, sadly it turned out to be a big letdown. The plot relies on coincidences and accidents to develop, character motivation is somewhat unclear. It is a bit of mystery for me why it was so popular in S Korean box office, and why it was picked up for remake so fast. I think the movie is average at best. S. Korea have produced much better violent action/crime movies over few past years.
Rated 22 Jul 2009
83
95th
The South Koreans have a way of mixing in humour in tense thrillers and get away with it that quite frankly blow me away. The Chaser is one of the more accomplished ones, where an ex-cop turned pimp goes on the search for his missing hookers. Feel-bad and feel-good wrapped into one.
Rated 26 Oct 2010
60
38th
A bit of an letdown for me, mainly because the script relies so heavily on imposing completely nonsensical decisions upon its characters to advance the plot. "Here, creepy, beaten up customer, help yourself to a hammer, will ya?" Come on...
Rated 16 Nov 2010
60
27th
A little nightmare in which the police exist solely to perpetuate the endangerment of society and obstruct justice, dressed up to resemble a thriller. The killer is immediately known and quickly captured, but the matter of finding his house and victims before setting him free proves impossible; they're lost in a impenetrable maze of dense (but depopulated) urban housing. For all that, though, there's very little terror involved; it's governed by nonsense logic, rendering it somewhat impotent.
Rated 17 May 2011
81
58th
A frantic and taut Korean serial killer thriller. One classy, if bloody and messy, gut wrencher of a movie
Rated 10 Jul 2012
79
72nd
Great direction empowers this take on a well-worn story. The only chase here is a footchase leading to a brutal beating, something almost refreshing after so many ridiculous stunts and action. Weakens a bit near the beginning of the third act, but it picks back up and delivers something satisfying.
Rated 09 Aug 2012
85
83rd
Alışılmadık! Türüyle ilgili klişeleri yerle yeksan etmiş. Hikayenin bazı yerleri hiç mantıklı ve gerçekçi gelmiyor ama o kadar sürükleyici ve heyecanlı bir film ki, bu çok önemli eksiklik bile filmi sevmeme engel olmadı. Bu Koreliler yaptı mı bi başka yapıyor hakkaten efenim. ^^
Rated 25 Jan 2009
55
20th
Good premise, bad execution. The script is full of silly coincidences and characters switching behaviour with no real reason.
Rated 18 May 2009
60
41st
There are too much nonsense in the story i think. And the film is much disturbing with "original" serial killer profile.
Rated 08 Jan 2010
5
80th
Thrillhouse.
Rated 15 Jan 2010
75
71st
There are a bit too many coincidences in the plot but it's still a movie with good actors and a few twists that you don't expect. The suspense is pretty decent despite the flaws.
Rated 26 Jul 2010
71
69th
So apparently, what we're seing here is actually rocket science. Must be, since no one else seem to be able to wrap their minds around a good, solid, consistently entertaining thriller which, to boot, isn't rapidly edited to resemble the pov of en epeleptic teen with yellow fever. I never thought I'd get nostalgic for just seing people running a block or two, but there you go. Pretty much follows Hawks "good movie" formula.
Rated 02 Apr 2011
83
86th
Very good thriller with a lot of suspense. I enjoyed the way time is taken to portray different sides there are to people, and how they develop themselves through what happens to them. Also nice in the unconventional line of the plot.
Rated 15 Apr 2011
75
55th
Memories of Murder's retarded cousin.
Rated 24 Dec 2011
66
55th
Huh, PSI's kinda high on this one. Interesting choice of main character in the pimp with a heart of go... bronze, but the coincidences kill off the suspension of disbelief, and it does feel a bit like a second-rate Memories of Murder. But that's still a pretty good place for a movie to be.
Rated 09 Sep 2012
79
70th
What I cannot figure, and is giving me pause, is why I hated 'I Saw the Devil' but loved this film. This feels near-Hitchcockian in themes and understanding of human nature: cops are idiots, some people are jacked up, and some Wrong Men can be, at least somewhat, redeemed. And perhaps, the relationship with the child is the secret. This serial killer existed, and provides realism like shock treatment. The child means something contradictory, uplifting and melancholic, about Korea's future.
Rated 08 Nov 2012
85
64th
Gripping and tension filled psycho thriller. Flawless acting and cinematography.
Rated 12 Aug 2014
90
81st
Synthesis of detective adventure, desperate dismay and dark comedy. Its foremost chase scene features a foot pursuit through the derelict constricted nighttime streets of Seoul. No car bombs. The climax is the outcome of everything that has come before, not an obligatory display. This is excitement, and a fine instance of a film gripping the audience by the lapel with vicious kicks, hectic foot chases and some authentically revolutionary variations on the police procedural.
Rated 30 Jun 2016
85
88th
Chaser is a great political movie painted with the outlook of a thriller. Hong-Jin depicts a world where the lines between authority, state, victim, killer or hero are extremely blurry; a situation in which a cop becomes a pimp, then a father, then a hero, in a struggle against the corrupt order which recognizes only the political power. Through extreme human emotions Chaser distills a religious sublimation in a rotten world, only negative point is sometimes it's too melodramatic.
Rated 04 Aug 2016
86
88th
If you're some sort of dickhole who won't watch fantastic films because they happen to be in another language, go and fuck yourself. South Korea churns out some amazing movies. The Chaser is a gritty, violent film that doesn't pull punches or attempt to fool the audience. It is what it is.
Rated 02 Oct 2008
75
88th
Not your typical Suspense/Thriller flick. Not quite sure how to describe it, but it was a breath of fresh air to watch this, not your typical Hollywood style film.
Rated 04 Oct 2008
83
89th
Smart, unpredictable, at times very gruesome, no actually sympathetic people anywhere.
Rated 22 Feb 2009
75
47th
Taut Korean thriller which plays loose with the conventions of the genre so feels fresh. The fight scenes have a visceral edge to them and the ex-cop/pimp lead has an authentic air about him. Worth tracking down if you like Korean cinema.
Rated 01 May 2009
80
88th
Thriller right down to the end, a violent action movie similar to some of the other Korean movies. A must watch for movie for all. This movie is not pretentious.
Rated 23 May 2009
91
93rd
Definitely an extraordinary crime/thriller. I sat in front of it with some ordinary action expectancy but I found a lot more in this movie. Impressive.
Rated 22 Jun 2009
29
9th
Suspenseless Korean crime movie.
Rated 03 Jul 2009
75
78th
Just rewatched it (07.08.17). While it was well directed and acted, some of the characters actions and plot elements were really stupid and distracting.
Rated 04 Apr 2010
79
78th
Great.An ex-cop turned pimp races against time to save one of his girls from a serial killer. This isn't your run of the mill ticking bomb scenarios. The story unfolds fast, then slows down to a deliberate crawl, then picks up the chase again. It is funny and brutal and sad and reflective. Great character development and pacing, excellent performances and admirable direction make this a must watch. Highly recommended.
Rated 23 Jun 2010
70
75th
A good film with a great atmosphere.. Loses it's balance at the beginning of the 2nd part but finishes good. The acting, directing, comedy, drama, all well balanced.
Rated 25 Nov 2010
75
74th
has its problems, but is entertaining, looks good and i like the performance from the lead actor as well as villain. a little long, perhaps.
Rated 04 Dec 2010
70
53rd
It could have been something more than just a thriller. Nevertheless, a very good thriller.
Rated 20 Dec 2010
0
0th
Bugune kadar izledigim en sacma filmlerden biri. Filmde akli basinda olan tek biri var, o da katil. Onun disinda herkes gerizekali. Diycemki sistem elestirisi yapmis senarist. Hic inandirici degil. Sirf hikaye devam etsin de adina yarasir takip sahneleri olsun diye bir suru tesaduf ki hepsi de birilerinin aptalligi yuzunden. Polis aptal, bas rol aptal, bakkal aptal, vali aptal.
Rated 22 Mar 2011
83
59th
A great Korean thriller. The Chaser has a great plot, and stupendous camera work. I love the dark atmosphere and the lead actor gives a spectacular performance. This movie gives smart bits of humor with its serious moments, and is a refreshing addition to its genre. Not for everyone, but if you are a Korean film junkie or tired of the typical American thriller you'll love this.
Rated 09 Jun 2011
78
70th
Jesus, this was really provoking. Crazy to even think of an ending like this. Typic Korean crazy
Rated 26 Jul 2011
70
64th
Overall Enjoyment: 25/40, Plot/Themes: 15/20, Cinematography/Direction: 15/20, Acting/Writing: 15/20 A fast paced crime thriller with a complex story that keeps you wondering what will happen right up until the very end. At times quite disturbing to watch, but very well made and well acted.
Rated 18 Aug 2011
85
83rd
One of the best thrillers I've seen this decade. A must-watch.
Rated 02 Nov 2011
39
31st
Relies far too much on coincidences and the police being bumbling idiots. The whole convenience store scene is incredibly stupid.
Rated 15 Nov 2011
81
84th
An excellent mix of drama and suspense. Has a few surprises along the way, and the story can get pretty dark at times (if you don't mind some unlikely coincidences). Gave some flashbacks to Memories of Murder at times.
Rated 18 Nov 2011
72
57th
Based on true events this film is a little unusual in that we now who the killer is right off the bat.What this film focuses on is the incompetence of the police and the search by an ex-cop turned pimp's quest to find one of his girls.The acting by the pimp is pretty good and though there seems to be some plot contrivances to extend the run time I really didn't find them all that bad.The ending was O.K. but I though the fight could have been better.
Rated 14 Feb 2012
81
66th
The Chaser is a decent Korean serial killer thriller. It does a lot of things differently that Hollywood would have done. There's barely any music, not a ton of action, no guns, and the girl who barely escapes ends up dying. There are quite a lot of coincidences in it, and quite a bit of violence. Jung-Woo Ha was great as the serial killer. There was a lot of black comedy with him. Overall I think the way a lot of the characters acted was kind of idiotic. Visually it was great though.
Rated 14 Jul 2012
77
60th
Another brutal, brilliant Korean thriller that definitely ignores the normal plot devices of such films. But I am getting weary of the extreme gore which the South Korean industry seems to delight in...
Rated 05 Jan 2013
15
10th
Warning: This is not an action movie, nor is it a thriller. It is a slow, long, drawn-out and somewhat pretentious crime drama. Some decent acting, pacing and premise at first, but then the writing turns to crap, the pacing grinds to a virtual halt, and the script is just filled with random event after random event. Very dullThere is also nobody to care about in this film.
Rated 20 Jan 2013
45
13th
After a solid opening it throws away suspense and grittiness and the plot descends into silliness where almost everyone is not just inept but utterly idiotic, bumbling clowns and the moments of entertainment are replaced by disruptive, awful attempts at humour.
Rated 07 Mar 2013
84
76th
This disturbed me. Like another reviewer here said, the great number of coincidences bothered me greatly, but this movie is fast paced and engrossing. Very memorable.
Rated 24 Mar 2013
27
24th
A fantastic movie that falls apart during the final act. Sudden coincidences, lack of realism, and character stupidity drags this movie down a lot. Can't say I'd recommend it.
Rated 29 Mar 2013
60
54th
Korean movies are better.
Rated 20 Apr 2013
80
78th
Excellent police drama. Another Korean gem of a film. Beautifully shot and acted.
Rated 12 Aug 2013
25
3rd
boring and repetitive. chase, catch, release, repeat.
Rated 19 Nov 2013
80
80th
Probably the funniest thriller about murdering prostitutes I've seen. also a movie where it pays to keep in mind the distinction between what the audience knows and what the characters know
Rated 06 Apr 2014
82
56th
The ineffectual police for the sake of narrative convenience thing kinda bugs me, but it's effective.
Rated 12 May 2014
80
68th
I could list a dozen things wrong with this (exploitative attitudes towards its female "characters", glaring third-act plot holes and contrivances, a grim tone that eventually crosses the line into nihilism, etc.), but it's so ruthlessly, energetically compelling, and the structure of the plot in the beginning and middle acts so delightfully unconventional and unpredictable that I just couldn't help enjoying myself. Looking forward to this director maturing into a great filmmaker.
Rated 16 Sep 2014
85
92nd
pezevenk, fahise, orospu, polisiye,unformal dedektif (pezevenk), seri katil, psikopat, iktisarsiz, kazik (keski), çekiç, aptal polisler, savci, sorguda suclu, adalet (eski polis artik bir pezevenktir ve iki orospusu kaybolmustur. Orospularin ayni kisi tarafindan cagrildigini fark edince bir kizi daha yanina yollar. Fakat isler umdugu gibi gitmez. Kiz psikopat tarafindan iskence görür. Pezevenk ile psikopat bir trafik kazasinda karsilasir. SÃœRÃœKLEYİC
Rated 19 Oct 2014
80
65th
About as subtle as the hammer and chisel used as the killer's weapon. It is impressive in its bleak darkness even if it occasionally pours it on a little thick. It's very familiar, and so its impact is dulled a bit but there are several moments when the story zigs when you expect it to zag, and even if it dabbles in the absurd it does it in a pretty gripping way.
Rated 02 Jun 2015
67
40th
Sets itself up well, but things become familiar when we get a glimmer of the religious driver behind the serial killer. The convenience store scene was a bit of a stretch. Yeong-hie Seo gets herself into some dark roles, huh?
Rated 25 Aug 2015
6
55th
It has some really cool scenes and Jing Ho has a really solid pimp hand that you have to respect but for me the police's incompetence was so frustrating that it really downgraded the film. When they let him go even after confessing to multiple murders it made no sense and then to just magically go to that convenience store? Come on man. Entertaining but could've been so much better.
Rated 10 Dec 2015
86
97th
The acting from everyone involve was truly impressive. This isn't an action film or even really a crime thriller this is more of a character study drama. Most of the film is split into two parts, one the pimp's search for his girls and the other the killer's interactions with the police. This movie is brutal and unforgiving, it doesn't really give you anyone to root for not even the police. But what it does do is present a story that has a realistic air to it and I found myself feeling like a vo
Rated 09 May 2016
82
64th
Gripping but gory
Rated 08 Sep 2017
80
89th
This was great! The best Korean crime film I've seen so far: exciting hunt with some surprises ahead.
Rated 09 Sep 2017
65
30th
Another fucked up Korean movie, just what I came for. However, aside from the bloodly fight scenes and the fucked up winning streak of the badguy, this was not a very good movie. Seriously, what more did this movie have to offer? All of a suddon, after LOADS of girls have gone missing, some pimp cares about the missing of 1 of his women? Get the hell out of here man.. what a farce. Pretty dumb and simple movie. No deeper layer. If this movie would have been in English, I'd have rated it lower.
Rated 07 Mar 2018
80
88th
Not as bold or revolutionary as "I Saw the Devil" but it's more complex with political criticism.
Rated 01 Aug 2018
65
74th
dont really remember
Rated 06 Aug 2018
74
84th
If this must still be called a genre film, then it is one of the best examples, with good characters, an unusual narrative, and an all-pervading sense of violence and tragedy. For this viewer it was also strongly affecting, and the best Korean feature seen thus far. Based on his debut film, this director is perhaps superior to some of his better-known compatriots, avoiding their seeming propensity to produce works that are stylistically, narratively and thematically over-cooked. Recommended.
Rated 12 Dec 2018
30
8th
Boooooooooooooooooring!!!
Rated 14 Feb 2019
66
43rd
Good acting and direction, but the heinous incompetence of everyone from hero/pimp to serial killer and especially the cops is maddening.
Rated 16 Nov 2020
72
23rd
Would have been rated higher if not for dour ending
Rated 06 Feb 2021
75
45th
Appropriately raw and grimy for the subject matter with a convincing actor in the main role. The script is not afraid to go to some really dark places; a certain turn of events was genuinely surprising in its brutality. With something as grim as this, the need for a realistic plot and/or a strong theme is extra strong and unfortunately there are a few too many contrivances to make it really feel as real or poignant as it needs to. The pacing is a little wonky during the second act.
Rated 16 Mar 2021
75
72nd
This is dark, brutal, no-holds-barred stuff, which has become typical of this type of Korean film. The beauty about it is that the violence does not hinder the storytelling and they managed to also add in the right amount of emotion into it despite it all. Not for the squeamish but it is very good.
Rated 04 Sep 2021
70
70th
A tragic story of a maniacal serial killer and his bloody mayhem. The action was often quite chaotic. The protagonist hero was messy and corrupt but doggedly determined. They held back little in providing heartbreaking cringe worthy violence. My least favorite parts was everything inside the police station. Worth watching but not for the young, the squeamish or anyone with delicate sensibilities. This movie is raw, intense and occasionally riveting.
Rated 18 Apr 2023
70
82nd
Very entertaining.
Rated 18 Jul 2023
87
83rd
exceptional thrilling movie
Rated 21 Sep 2023
62
54th
for a film that leans so heavily into gritty realism, there are one too many coincidences and illogical decisions for the plot to be entirely believable. it's an okay, if less than memorable, watch.

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