Kill Boksoon (2023) User Reviews

Relationships and Violence

[wheatley-20230 · 7/10 · 2 April 2023]

Not my typical watch. Lorry loads of blood delivered via a plot that only exists to provide an excuse for violence.

Yet this film does transcend those limitations. The characters are well drawn and acted with meaningful relationships. This is one of the key strengths of k drama that makes me watch so much of it.

So, much of the violence is more than mere violence. Otherwise it would grow ever more boring. But here virtually every duel to the death involves some complication between the characters that adds interest.

But the most important (and difficult) relationship is between the female protagonist and her daughter. I found that relationship believable and meaningful. It gave this film a much-needed dimension beyond the gore. It raised this film above watchable to almost recommended.

It's a good assassin film

[ink006 · 8/10 · 5 April 2023]

Seen a lot of people reviewing and comparing this movie to John Wick and saying that it isn't as good. But John Wick is soooo cliché and gratuitous with it's violence and isn't very good. I stopped half way through John Wick 2 because I couldn't take it anymore. In Kill Boksoon, I liked the main story and I also liked the mother-daughter story as an opposite to the main which brought some balance between action and emotion. The characters are well developed and have depth. The acting is very good. It's worth watching and doesn't feel as long as the 2hr 14min suggest. If you like John Wick and assassin movies but don't like this one then I'm smh.

A Killer Balance of Action and Emotion: "Kill Boksoon" Review

[Resurii · 7/10 · 22 April 2023]

"Kill Boksoon" is a captivating Netflix film that explores the life of a contract killer and single mother, Boksoon, played by the phenomenal Jeon Do-yeon. The movie showcases Boksoon as an empowered woman with a 100% success rate in her deadly profession. At the same time, it delves into her personal struggles as she tries to maintain a healthy relationship with her teenage daughter, Jae-young, portrayed by Kim Si-a.

The action sequences in "Kill Boksoon" are intense and visceral, living up to the high standards of top-line Korean action thrillers. As Boksoon continues to excel in her dangerous career, she must also navigate the emotional minefield of her daughter's growing pains. This unique blend of action and emotion adds depth and complexity to the film.

Despite some familiar emotional elements, "Kill Boksoon" manages to create an engaging and entertaining experience for viewers. The film's portrayal of the challenges faced by a single mother, who also happens to be a ruthless killer, offers a fresh take on the action-comedy genre.

If you're a fan of dark action-comedies with a touch of emotional depth, "Kill Boksoon" is a must-watch. With its thrilling fight scenes and realistic exploration of motherhood, this film strikes the perfect balance between exhilarating action and heartwarming emotion.

Pretty cool

[Eiriksterminator · 7/10 · 2 April 2023]

Pretty decent. The drama aspect is actually better than you'd expect. Loved the opening, I've seen Hwang Jung-min in many movies, usually playing gangsters and badguys, but I think this is the first time I've seen him speak quite a bit of Japanese, as he's playing a Yakuza boss who's one of the top 3 best sword fighters in Japan, and wielding a 400 year old katana, which is kind of cool. I don't know if he knows a bit of Japanese, or if he memorized the lines, but he did a good job. Too bad the scene ends in a rather abrupt and anticlimactic way. As for the rest of the movie, aside from a few small, shorter scenes, there are only really two big fight scenes in the whole movie, though at least they are pretty good, so the action is all right.

Everything is in this film!

[dvig0011 · 7/10 · 2 April 2023]

What the hell is this movie? Action, drama, thriller, family, juvenile issues and motherhood.. all of these are mixed well in this film with unbelievable script and the wonderful casting.

From the first scene, this film will thrill you with totally unexpected one showed up. And you will find yourself fully immersed into the leading actress' emotion. How she struggles with her business, her child and her past.

One thing to keep in your mind is that this is not for Academy Award for the Best Screenplay. It is just another obvious evidence that shows incredible creativity of K-content which will last a lot longer than imagined.

Kill Boksoon Review

[ritesh657 · 7/10 · 7 April 2023]

A sharp, stylish assassin story with glistering action and drama Kill Boksoon is stylishly shot, smartly written assassin story which may seem repeatable considering the genre, but kudos to the brilliant cinematography, vibrant production design, breathtaking action blocks and solid performances by the entire cast that leaves you stunned by the end of it. The pacing is slow as more time is given to make the mother-daughter relationship organic and relatable, but as soon as action starts you push yourselves to the edge of your seats in excitement. Highlight of the film for me is the captivating camera work and that Jeon Do-yeon is half a century old. Hot Assassin , Lesbian daughter and Men getting killed is the perfect recipe to tempt you watch this.

Instagram: @streamgenx.

Pretty good

[LetsReviewThat26 · 7/10 · 6 April 2023]

Kill book-soon is another great korean action movie with some hints of thriller thrown in for good measure. This movie centres on a woman named bok soon, played by jean do yeon. She is pretty good in her role and comes off well as the innocent movie that is also hiding a secret, she is actually a hitwoman for hire. From the start of the movie we know what we arein far as this powerful assasin eleminates her first target. The cinemotogrpahy is reallt well done and the way the fighting is coreographed is done in a good way where you can follow the action as the camera does. Its pretty violent too and works well. Overall kill bok soon is another great netflix original with a good mix of action and a little bit of comedy in there too.

Excellent

[JW96 · 9/10 · 31 March 2023]

Watched on a whim without expectations and was thoroughly impressed.

Takes you back to the days of the classic early 2000s Korean crime/action genre. If you enjoyed "A bittersweet life", "The man from nowhere", "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance" or even the much grittier "Old Boy" then you will enjoy this film like I did.

Convincing world building, a brilliant cast mixed with stylish action scenes and a dash of humor/heartache.

Made me sign in to this IMDB account of which I haven't touched in 9 years to leave a positive review to try and right the injustice of the current 6.8 rating.

Worthy of your time.

[6.6] Good bye friend!

[cjonesas · 7/10 · 21 February 2024]

Awesome fight choreography, visual - special effects and many moments in the score section. Aside that a semi-incomprehensible lady invincible mumbo that is stretched for over two hours.

It is enjoyable and cringey at the same time, nice for listening to Hangul with its dramatic intonations and feast on the nice visually polished production value and yummy Korean cuisine with a lot of penchant to soy products.

• Screenplay/storyline/plots: 6.5
• Development: 8
• Realism: 6.5
• Entertainment: 7
• Acting: 7
• Filming/photography/cinematography: 8
• VFX: 8.5
• Music/score/sound: 7.5
• Depth: 6
• Logic: 2.5
• Flow: 6.5
• Crime/action/thriller: 6.5
• Ending: 6.

Mediocre at best

[blueskyy_ng · 5/10 · 2 April 2023]

I don't understand how people could give this movie a 10/10. The action is great, no doubt. But the storyline is weak, far-fetched and illogical. They trivialized murder. They kill for no reason, yet, take the moral high-ground as and when they please.

Please people, when you write a review, at least be honest. Don't just give it a 10 because i like this actor, or that actor.

Truth be told, this movie is complete and utter nonsense. The fights and choreography were the only things outstanding in this movie.

Watch it if you have the time, or if you're learning Korean. Otherwise, avoid it. It's an action movie void of meaning and substance.

About ratings and reviews of this movie

[ysmoon-87467 · 9/10 · 3 April 2023]

I enjoyed the movie. Very well directed and acted. I found the ratings and reviews of this movie are quite unique. The current rating is in the range 6~7 but there are few who scored 6~7 but one third scored very low and the two third scored very high (including me) and the average is that.

I think some people may criticize the movie for its stereotype, typical or cliche. But I don't get the bad reviews criticizing its improbable story or violence. Hey, this is not a suspense nor a drama. It's a dark black comedy, homage to Tarantino movies. An Asian variation of Kill Bill. Fair ratings should be based on the level of completion of the movie itself, not by the personal preference of special genre.

Good but it could have been 2 films

[PedroPires90 · 7/10 · 3 April 2023]

Stylish and with good action scenes, it brings some innovation by trying to put us in the head of the character, anticipating movements. Jeon Do-yeon gives an excellent performance, conveying a lot of self-confidence in her professional aspect, knowing how to balance it very well with the doubts and uncertainties she feels as a mother.

If the first hour of the film is interesting but not very remarkable, it is from its halfway point and the main plot device that the film reaches other levels with several scenes that will hardly leave my retina, being able to surprise in the way the plot unfolds. It is never a boring film - in fact, I even think that there is enough material that could have been divided into two films if that were the desire, strengthening some subplots - and I would like to see more of this mother and daughter in the future, since it is this relationship that often gives us the best of the film, even if apparently calming down the action. As for the action, there is much to explore regarding the rival gangs.

It's missing a climax

[misungpark · 3/10 · 1 April 2023]

Some action scenes are good and the acting is overall not too bad, but the story is definitely missing an important climax in a movie that is way too long. We are expecting edges and thrill but got none.

It feels like the director started something promising and suddenly could not wait to finish it as soon as possible, leaving the viewers disappointed and frustrated.

I also think that the main character of Gil Boksoon was miscast. Although Jeon Do Yeon is a talented actress, this kind of role was not a convincing fit at all.

All in all, it's a bit of a waste of time and a disappointing movie which offers more style over substance.

Kill Boksoon (2023)

[thecinephilereviews · 7/10 · 31 December 2023]

Gil Bok-soon (Jeon Do-yeon) is an illustrious assassin who works for MK Enterprises. The largest contract-killing agency in the country run by Chairman Cha Min-kyu (Sol Kyung-gu) who has established three strict rules. Don't kill minors, don't take jobs from other agencies and always finish the kill.

Jeon Do-yeon showcases versatility in her portrayal as a single mother who is proficient in the art of death. Yet bears a complicated kinship with her teenage daughter, Gil Jae-young (Kim Si-ah) as she struggles to maintain their strained relationship within this rather familiar tale written and directed by Byun Sung-hyun. The scenes involving her attempts at connecting with her daughter were the most appealing. But they lacked the emotional weight due to the underdevelopment of the characters. The runtime would have benefitted from more heart-to-heart moments. Focusing on their relationship about acceptance. Whilst specific scenes in the second act could have been trimmed down as it caused issues with pacing.

The action sequences are bloody and enticing with Jeon Do-yeon performing all of her stunt choreography. She found them to be "challenging" as a 50-year-old actress but this only proved how dedicated she was to the role. This has to be the year of Jeon Do-yeon as she released another critical success, 'Crash Course in Romance.' A thoroughly entertaining drama that I would recommend.

In summation, 'Kill Boksoon' is worth a viewing despite the elongated runtime and absence of emotion. Jeon Do-yeon's star power, the dark humor, the world-building and the cinematography which captures the intensity of the fight segments supplement for its deficiencies.

IG: thecinephilereviews.

Entertaining and heartfelt!

[SoumikBanerjee1996 · 7/10 · 18 November 2023]

Style, dark humour and emotions they don't always gel well together. Because, one, there are only a few directors who could combine those elements into a competent mixture and two, it's generally difficult to create an amalgam which could counterbalance the needs and requirements of these different elements.

Taking all that into consideration, I believe Director Byun Sung-hyun made a solid impression here. He not only took foremost care of the mother-daughter dynamic by allowing their relationship to have ample time and space in the narrative, but he also offered special attention to all the combats and their upbeat stylisation. Culminating in a byproduct that not only possesses entertaining action but lot of heart, too.

Deserves a Better Rating

[Isle1970 · 8 January 2024]

It's really about an 8.5 for me, but like others, I felt the need to aid in getting this movie more appropriately rated.

What keeps it from being a full 10 for me was the length, a somewhat dissatisfying ending, and a not fully explained flashback scene.

But what it did well, it did very well indeed. The fight scenes were absolutely outstandingly choreographed and filmed. The angst between mother and daughter was realistic. The irony of honor and rules being part of an assassin's "moral" code was breathtaking in its absurdity, but the film still manages to convince you of the sincerity of their convictions, even as you disagree with them.

So please give this movie a fair shot. I probably won't watch it again, as gore isn't usually my thing. But it is a movie worth seeing for some amazing acting, fight scenes, complex characters living double lives, and the thing I loved the most was seeing a middle aged woman be attractive, strong, and portray such depth.

A Korean decent spin-off version of John wick...!!!

[PANDIAN120621 · 6/10 · 1 April 2023]

Written and directed by Sung hyun byun takes a well intense action movie with a emotional touch of daughter-mom relationship that anchors well at places with strong star cast and brilliant stunt choreography..... Jeon kicks off brilliantly with her seamless action sequences and the balanced emotional part with her daughter is amazing ... Another notable performance is of Lee yeon as an aspirant contract killer and her action sequence is brilliant ... There is slight lagging in the screenplay in the mid portion where the director takes time to settle for a vendetta base... The other two villainous are fair enough to carry over the moment of the movie Overall a decent action thriller well balanced with emotional-off makes it a one-time watchable.

I liked it, but it's 30 minutes too long

[lojitsu · 7/10 · 27 May 2023]

Here's The 4K Lowedown on "Kill Boksoon" (TV-MA - 2023 - Netflix) Genre: Action/Thriller

My Score: 7.4 Cast=4 Acting=7 Plot=8 Ending=9 Story=7 Violent=10 Pace=5 F/X=9 Intense=8 Suspense=7

A single mother who is a renowned hired killer finds it difficult to achieve a balance between her personal and work life.

"Can I ask you something...what is my mom like when she's at work?" I liked this a lot, but I had issues with the pace. At 2hrs 17mins, it was about 30 minutes too long. Get rid of some of the character development, tighten the slow spots, and this could have been great. As it stands, this is worth a watch on Netflix but not something I would buy on physical.

Motherhood and Assassin Clash in This Great Romp!

[spasek · 9/10 · 7 April 2023]

I find it interesting that so many viewers are complaining about the ending, and why it feels incomplete. I guess you have to have been around for 45+ years, watching movies and shows to understand that an ending that feels incomplete is because there's another part on the way. Another episode or another movie. It really isn't that hard to figure out.

Kill Bok Soon is a very good film about a Gil Bok Soon, one of the best assassins of the MK guild. They call them companies, but I think a guild is more accurate. She's deadly and she brings light humor to her personality. She smirks and lightly banters with her victims in a way that tells them, "This is business. It's not personal." What makes this story compelling is that she also has a teenage daughter. And it becomes obvious, very quickly, that her daughter has no idea what she does for a living, and she aims to keep it that way. And there is, of course, some compelling reasons why Bok Soon shields her daughter from her life.

Bok Soon is nearing the end of her contract, and the guild wants her to renew with them. She's seriously considering retiring. However, can a rogue assassin who is as good as Bok Soon be allowed to simply retire?

Cha Min Kyu is the top assassin of the MK guild. And make no mistake, his skills outrival even Bok Soon's as we see him take down 30+ Russians in a massacre. His sister, Cha Min Hee is the director of the MK guild, and she views Bok Soon as more of a liability than an asset since her announcement. It's also obvious that she doesn't care much for Bok Soon, which makes you also wonder if she knows the secret between Bok Soon and Cha Min Kyu.

Bodies pile up rapidly as it becomes apparent that it's a fatal mistake to underestimate or even to target Bok Soon. She's also not stupid. She knows what's going to happen before it does, even running through probable scenarios in her mind-which play out on the screen in expert fashion. She will also use any item as a weapon. There's no such thing as fighting fair in a fight, and Bok Soon is a master of this realization. It's kill or be killed. There's no room for apologies.

Jason Bourne is still one of my all-time favorite assassins because he's just as smart as he is deadly. He's like a grandmaster chess player who is always several moves ahead of his opponents, as well as being able to adapt to his situation with mere seconds of contemplation. Bok Soon is similar in this regard.

That cast is all top-notch, especially Jeon Do Yeon, who is very believable as the assassin Bok Soon. She's also masterful at giving us a mom who is trying very hard to understand her teenage daughter, and why being a parent is even harder than being an assassin.

As I stated from the beginning, they certainly left the door open for another film, and I would be very surprised if another one isn't made. Especially given how Bok Soon's daughter reacts after finding out the truth about her mother. We were left to wonder how she would react to her mother upon finding out who she really is and what she really does. And what is intriguing is that we some elements of a young Bok Soon in her own daughter.

This was a fun film to watch. It's well-written and well-performed. The fight scenes were all exceedingly well choreographed. Thank God these actors and actresses do their own stunt work, as it makes the scenes all the more believable and intriguing. Looking forward to the next one!

Just another show

[misterplunderer · 6/10 · 4 May 2023]

MK send me to finish tis show of review. Get the curtains up.

Sypnosis: it's about a single mother who tries to balance her life as a top hitman and as a single mother to a teenage girl.

Pros: the casts are strong and solid. A very good acting and some of the expression works. The chemistry was there, the awkwardness, the tone set well enough. The fight scene, the gore are also exhilirating. It's an action movie you know?. Also loves the premonition idea. Kinda fresh

Cons: storyline kinda bland and over the place. Some emotion scene doesn't hit and they tried to tackle some cases in here subtlety. Kinda out of place. To me, this works IF the story revolves around the daughter but kinda confusing when we're seeing it on gil book soon's perspective. You'll understand when you watch it.

In summary, slow burn action movies. A good throaway. Just don't watch it when you're tired. Surely you'll sleep since it's not that engaging.

Oh man

[barabasoffice · 4/10 · 3 April 2023]

I' ve seen several movies lately written and directed by the same person. My message to them: don't. The outcome is inevitably a salad with everything in it, desperately trying to be original but falling apart in this gigantic effort to mix everything in. Unfortunately, Kill Bok-soon is no exception. First, the director has no idea what this movie wants to be: a dark movie? A comedy? A jaw-dropping action movie? A psychological drama? Second: if you want yo make a local John Wick movie, just do it. Don't pretend to be something else, patching it with endless, boring and nonsense mother-daughter dialogues. Third: choose your villain and stick to it. Who is it here? Chairman Cha? Director Cha? And finally, and probably because of all those mentioned before: it is soooo loooongggg. Man I had to switch it off and some point, it was so unbearably boring. Less is more people. It's such an old rule, just go with it, please.

Korean version of John Wick....great movie! Now make a sequel.

[hanalisss · 9/10 · 8 April 2023]

Yet again, Koreans are trying to emulate a winning formula and making its own version, which I am not complaining about but it feels like a trend....

Exactly the same concept as John Wicks saga but a female version this time ( and she has children and not dogs haha)

Regardless of the familiar theme and similarities the movie is great.

Fight choreography and effects are top notch, it has a fast pace and good balance of the bizarre combination of the female lead family plot versus her second life as a paid assassin.

It has some very dark humor I didn't expect and I loved the acting, I only watched her before in Crash Course in Romance and I think she is just great.

I would dare to say this will be the perfect prequel for a second movie featuring the daughter following her mum steps in the future... might be wishful thinking but this movie felt like Just the beginning.

Very good watch.

Edging, edging, edging

[semmmmmm · 7/10 · 7 April 2023]

Action-wise, this movie is exceptional. Great action moves, sound, and editing - a film that would really hype you up and make your heart pound.

But it lacks something big, important.

It fails to provide what the viewers are really looking and waiting for in a show - the highest point of the story. If we will relate it to a song, it lacks the "money note," or if I will relate it to coital matters, it lacks climax (apologies for this). This is the sort of movie that will keep you hanging, it will edge you so hard (pun intended) but it will fail to deliver the satisfaction you truly desire.

*If you are a John Wick fan, this movie is a must-watch, (they actually have some obvious similar elements), but do not expect more from it.

But still, it is a great picture, it is enjoyable, and it raises some subjects regarding morality and even highlights some social issues that will make people think and ponder. That's why I gave it a seven.

Not satisfy

[methatjau · 2/10 · 4 April 2023]

It is such a weak plot for me. I am not satisfied with the story. She is an assassin but no clear explanation.

This movie tries to be very "21st century" lifestyle, a single parent an assassin who is so rich, so good at killing people but cant deal with her daughter just weird for me, pointless too.

She killed with no details. She just reveived money and killed.

I am just not into it. Just weird seeing a 40 years old woman who is very skilled in killing people but has no idea to deal with her personal life. I just watched it aroud 20 minutes and I gave up eventho the actions scenes are good.

Decent but could have been better

[awithluv · 6/10 · 9 April 2023]

The fight scenes were pretty good, until the very last one....it felt very anticlimactic and needed a little more thrill to it for this movie to be great

They showed every possible outcome of the final fight and even those were more intense than the actual real fight... like be for real, he just lets her stab him because he loves her? Like what? They could've at least added a bit more suspense

I feel like this movie had a lot of potential and it could've been better... it was just missing something...

The cinematography was great, the rest of the fight scenes felt very vivid- the effects used were great, I just wish it was more suspenseful towards the end.