The Roundup: No Way Out is a flexible changeover for action star Ma Dong-seok

It takes a lot of moving parts to make an action movie. The choreography, camera placement and editing all have to be in sync and you need people who know what they’re doing before and after the camera. But perhaps the most important factor is matching the action style of a movie with the super skills of the stars. And there’s no better combination of the battle scenes of the modern action series and its stardom than the juxtaposition of the Korean series Crime City and burly star Ma Dong Seok.

Ma, also known as Don Lee, has made a career out of his charms, comedic acting, and trunk-sized biceps. After years of success in the Korean film industry, he gained international attention for his outstanding supporting role in Train to Busangot Hollywood calling, which led to his role as Gilgamesh in by Marvel the eternal.

Recently, his career has reached new heights with Crime City, an action thriller series in which Ma plays the tough detective Ma Seok Do. Second entry, summaryis the highest-grossing domestic film in Korea in 2022 and the third newly released film, No way out, possibly the best in the franchise. The fourth film is slated to premiere in 2024, with More batches are planned.

Returning director Lee Sang Yong knows exactly how to bring out everything that makes Ma so special. All three Crime City movies make the most of his incredible physique, especially in the way they first presented him on screen. Each intro begins with a scene of chaos in a public place, such as a traffic incident that leads to a street fight. The camera then shifts to Ma’s imposing figure from behind, letting his shoulders take up the full width of the screen as he strides forward to do justice with his palms or fists. solve the situation so that traffic can clear up and he can go to work.

Image: Entertainment BA

mom, who became the president of the Korea Arm Wrestling Federation in 2018, unbelievably charming — even as a tough cop, he’s warm, funny, likable, and sometimes gallant in an incredibly endearing way. He walks confidently, and he constantly warns people not to mess with him. His body can fill a picture frame, but his smile can fill a room.

Ma’s sense of humor, both in his words and actions, helps elevate these films from brutally hilarious action to all-around enjoyable times. IN No way out, he walks into a group of criminals who are trying a dangerous new drug and casually asks them to put the drugs in a Ziploc bag while he takes pictures. They obey mechanically before realizing that they are incriminating themselves; that is the power of Ma’s presence and attraction. When faced with people who wanted to take him down, he reacted with annoyance more than anything. It was like he was disciplining unruly kids who happened to be attacking him with a weapon, and needed to be disciplined with punches to the head.

Image: Entertainment BA

Image: Entertainment BA

Now at 50, Ma is not slowing down as an action star. His character ached, stretched out his arms after a long battle, or exclaimed “Oh my god, I’m so tired” mid-round. But he moves with incredible speed for a man of his age and stature, and he hits harder than ever.

And the Crime City movies admit that those punches are the real main attraction. Mother used to be a ambitious boxer, and that shows in his fluid movements and perfect form. He has incredibly large fists and arms, and he hits harder than any other action star working today. While his massive build shows his strength, No way out Director Lee also knows how to bring out Ma’s unique features. Lee’s camera moves with the action and follows punches, highlighting shots for maximum impact. When Ma took down a particularly large opponent, the camera shook as if there had been an earthquake.

Image: Entertainment BA

In addition to the kinetic cinematography is No way outMa’s sensational hoax, which amplifies every hit — a fusion effect that makes it feel like Ma is taking down the bad guy with a truck, not with his fists. Punches are loud, but it’s important that misses too — when fists or knives squeak, the air hisses with the power and danger of the blows. However, when Ma makes contact, the recipient will disappear.

The series features the tiresome story of “good cop constrained by annoying human rights concerns,” including a joke in No way out where Ma and the officers came up with creative ways to cover the camera while hitting the person they were interrogating. These movies live in the common fantasy world of many police movies, in which the police only question bad people who deserve any extralegal punishment they have to receive. If you have enough patience for that ancient idea, you’ll be rewarded with one of the best action series made today.

You don’t have to watch Crime City movies first to follow them No way out, but you should, because they rule, and any reason to watch Ma Dong-seok punch fools is a good one. His years of training as a movie star and a boxer have paid off in this series, and the people behind the camera know how to use it to maximum benefit. . As these movies continue to be shown, it’s a recipe for success.

The Roundup: No Way Out now out in theaters. The first film in the franchise, outlawsis live now viki, Free with ads on Tubi, and can be rented on Amazon. You can stream the second movie, summaryABOVE viki; watch it for free with ads on Tubi, plexiAnd free of charge; or rent it on Amazon.