RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / Opening / The Chaser
The Chaser

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Showtimes & Tickets
  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

The Chaser (2009)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
83 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:18

Fresh:15

Rotten:3

Average Rating:6.6/10

Consensus: A frantic and taut Korean serial killer thriller. One classy, if bloody and messy, gut wrencher of a movie.

Runtime: 2 hrs 5 mins

Genre: Foreign Films

Theatrical Release:2008

Synopsis: Ex-detective pimp Jung-ho has a big problem on his hands. His girls keep disappearing without clearing their debts. One night, he gets a call from a customer and sends Mi-jin, one of his girls... Ex-detective pimp Jung-ho has a big problem on his hands. His girls keep disappearing without clearing their debts. One night, he gets a call from a customer and sends Mi-jin, one of his girls still remaining, while ignoring her refusal due to her bad cold. But when Mi-jin meets the customer against her will, Jung-ho realizes the phone number of the customer matches that of the calls the missing girls got last. As something smells fishy, he searches for her. --© IFC [More]

Starring: Ha Jung-Woo, Yun-seok Kim

Starring: Ha Jung-Woo, Yun-seok Kim

Director: Hong-jin Na

Director: Hong-jin Na
Screenwriter: Won-Chan Hong, Shinho Lee
Studio: IFC Films

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
1 - 4 of 4

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for The Chaser

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
 
 
1 - 19 (sorted by rotten rating)
Text View
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
10/18/08
Justin Chang
Justin Chang
Variety

This playfulness, however, backfires massively in the second half when coincidence and unforeseen consequence conspire uneasily with bloody, messy results.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
09/19/08
David Jenkins
David Jenkins
Time Out

An impotent thriller about an insane serial killer, incompetent cops and an irritating overweight sweaty pimp.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
05/02/09
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

It's atmospheric but derivative, and I didn't find the denouement's Christian imagery convincing.

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
09/19/08
Peter Bradshaw
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]

In between moments of chisel-hacking horror there is some impressively dark humour and top-notch acting. But be warned – emotionally this movie will reach deep into the pit of your stomach and wriggle your guts about before wrenching them out.

Full Review Source: Sun Online | comment Comment
09/19/08
Sun Online

It runs so fast and twisted a course through a range of tones and genres that just trying to keep up will leave the viewer as breathless as the monstrous protagonist - and it has a real social conscience to boot.

Full Review Source: Little White Lies | comment Comment
08/28/08
Anton Bitel
Anton Bitel
Little White Lies

Na Hong-Jin's feature debut is a bleakly frantic psycho-noir, furiously edited, ferociously performed - and despite allying itself to the serial killer genre so beloved in the west, it is distinctly Korean in its settings and references.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
09/11/08
Anton Bitel
Anton Bitel
Channel 4 Film

It runs long at over two hours but it is expertly directed, shot, edited, and acted.

Full Review Source: HollywoodChicago.com | comment Comment
06/12/09
Brian Tallerico
Brian Tallerico
HollywoodChicago.com

shifts its tone effortlessly between white-knuckle suspense and investigatory drama

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
05/29/09
Chris Cabin
Chris Cabin
Filmcritic.com

It's hard out here for a detective turned pimp in the thrilling import The Chaser

Full Review Source: What Would Toto Watch? | comment Comment
06/15/09
Christian Toto
Christian Toto
What Would Toto Watch?

But The Chaser delivers as a piece of cinema rather like Seven did — it doesn’t let up for a moment.

Full Review Source: This is London | comment Comment
09/19/08
Derek Malcolm
Derek Malcolm
This is London

It announces Na Hong-jin as a filmmaker willing to go to places that even most so-called horror movies would shy away from.

Full Review Source: MovieMartyr.com | comment Comment
07/28/08
Jeremy Heilman
Jeremy Heilman
MovieMartyr.com

The Chaser is one of the better Korean films to emerge since Park Chan Wook's Oldboy.

Full Review Source: The Horror Geek | comment Comment
05/03/09
Mike Bracken
Mike Bracken
The Horror Geek

Some of the tension drains from a slow middle act, but it remains a gripping tale of sleuth-work and moral awakening.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
09/09/08
Nick De Semlyen
Nick De Semlyen
Empire Magazine

Uma obra madura e complexa que insiste em desafiar as idéias pré-concebidas do espectador do início ao fim.

Full Review Source: Cinema em Cena | comment Comment
10/15/09
Pablo Villaca
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena

This is expert filmmaking at every level, continually adding engaging subtext that touches on family pressures, blind self-interest and warped justice.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
09/19/08
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

A good example of a film grabbing the audience by the collar, only for the audience to shake themselves free, The Chaser is a promising fusion of detective thrills, sweaty-palmed horror, and black comedy that ultimately does not hang together.

Full Review Source: Sky Movies | comment Comment
09/19/08
Rob Daniel
Rob Daniel
Sky Movies

It's twisty, provocative and impressively grim, a sort of Asian-extreme Manhunter for the strong of nerve.

Full Review Source: Daily Telegraph | comment Comment
09/19/08
Tim Robey
Tim Robey
Daily Telegraph

Watching the Korean film The Chaser is like chewing diamonds – you know there’s something of value in there but mostly it’s just a mess of pain and blood.

Full Review Source: Times [UK] | comment Comment
09/19/08
Wendy Ide
Wendy Ide
Times [UK]
 
 
1 - 19 (sorted by rotten rating)
Text View
all

Latest News for The Chaser

April 19, 2009: Trailer & Poster review Opens in new window
More...

September 19, 2008: UK Critics Consensus: Tropic Thunder Soldiers On; Then She Found Me Is Found Out
This week's UK releases, expect big laughs as Ben Stiller's star-studded Hollywood satire comedy blasts onto our screens in Tropic Thunder. The sound of a big old biological... More...

See All

More Movies

Close
Opening
Tomatometer Percentage Movie

More Opening Movies…

83% 83% The Chaser
— Untitled Sequel to Tintin
— Puss In Boots
— What's the Matter With Kansas?
— Farragut North
See All

RT On Current TV

The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

Learn how you can be part of the show

More...

What’s Hot On RT

Best of the Decade

Best of the Decade

Find out what movies made our list!

Awards Tour

Awards Tour

Stay up on the latest awards and noms!

Sex and The City 2

Sex and The City 2

Friendship, fashion, and fun in one trailer!

Box Office

Box Office

See Sherlock? Rate and review it!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Star Trek Tops 2009's Most-Pirated Movies List Source: Hollywood Reporter
8
  • Weekly Ketchup: Peter Jackson's Secret Sci-Fi Project
93
  • New Toy Story 3 Clip, Photos Posted Source: Slashfilm
26
  • Danny Trejo Talks Machete, Possible Sequels Source: Collider.com
14
  • It's Official: Jackass 3-D Coming in 2010 Source: Collider.com
16
  • Bryan Singer Returning to X-Men for First Class Source: Superhero Hype
102
  • Mark Strong Talks Kick-Ass, John Carter, and Robin Hood Source: Collider.com
1
  • How Avatar Happened: The Path to Innovation Source: CinemaBlend.com
19
  • Rob Marshall Says Pirates 4 Is Still a Maybe Source: ComingSoon.net
32
  • ET Teases Iron Man 2 Teaser Source: Collider.com
28
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • RT's Best of the Decade!
165
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Avatar, Sherlock, and Alvin Team Up To Break Records
105
  • Five Favorite Films With Peter Jackson
72
  • Total Recall: Jude Law's Best Movies
57
  • Critics Consensus: Sherlock Holmes Is Worth Investigating
33
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: District 9 and (500) Days of Summer
32
  • Weekly Ketchup: Peter Jackson's Secret Sci-Fi Project
31
  • Friday Harvest: Sherlock Holmes, Toy Story 3, and more!
10
  • What We're Watching on Blu-ray from Disney!
9
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Five Favorite Films With Peter Jackson
72
  • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
21
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
2
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
12
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
24
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
16
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
24
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • The Chaser at Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh Links

Featured
Best Dozen of the Decade
Best Dozen of the Decade External Link

Last week, MSN gave us their top 09 films. Now see what their favorites of the decade are!

Top 50 of 2009
Top 50 of 2009 External Link

Here's a list of the 50 best movies of 2009, according to the good people over at Moviefone.

Santa's Naughty List
Santa's Naughty List External Link

Hollywood.com takes a stab at determining who in movies will be on Santa's naughty list in 2009.

Top 10 Movies of 2009
Top 10 Movies of 2009 External Link

TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.

Top 20 of the Decade
Top 20 of the Decade External Link

Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!

Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Follow RT on Twitter External Link

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo
About Us | Advertise | Contact Us | Press | Careers
IGN | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | Direct2Drive | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Game Sites | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | GIGA.DE | What They Play | Battlefield Heroes
By continuing past this page, and by your continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. | Support | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! RSS Feeds
IGN’s enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA.
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.