The new world korean movie review

Though it boasts a full complement of brutal gangsters, black-suited goons, morally compromised good guys, explosive action sequences and tightly knit, unpredictable scripting, what finally elevates “New World” well above similarly accomplished Korean actioners is Hwang Jeong-min’s high-octane performance as a volatile contender in a three-way power struggle to control Korea’s largest corporate crime syndicate. This is only the second helming gig for Park Hoon-jung, the talented screenwriter of “I Saw the Devil” and “The Unjust,” and he demonstrates equally strong directorial chops. Despite some excellent reviews, the New York Asian Film Festival entry failed to fully cross over in its limited 2013 Stateside release.

After the suspicious death of the Goldmoon crime syndicate’s head honcho (his car blindsided by a speeding truck), contentious factions vie for succession. Two polar opposites locked in mutual hatred — the controlled, ruthless Lee Jeong-gu (Park Seong-ung), in charge of operations in Seoul, and psychotic loose cannon Jeong Cheong (Hwang), handling interests outside Korea — emerge as the obvious candidates. Jeong-gu’s cool demeanor and firm rooting in the corporate hierarchy make him the frontrunner, while Jeong’s flamboyance and Chinese ancestry weigh against his noted skill at swelling company coffers.