The Roundup: Punishment

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Paul 05/09/2024 Action and comedy well constructed. See more vikram 05/04/2024 ma deong seok for the win! See more TONY D 05/03/2024 great movie ... will definitely go see it again See more babarizam D @RT59932316 03/19/2025 I give three stars because there are some part that makes no sense for example stopping a private plane once the doors are closed See more Matthew D @OceanSage 02/22/2025 Ma Dong-seok is once again hilarious and awesome as the hard hitting detective Ma Seok-do! Director Heo Myeong-haeng’s South Korean crime action thriller The Roundup: Punishment (2024) is vicious and hysterical. I think it’s cool that the martial arts choreographer Heo Myung-haeng from the first three Roundup films got to direct The Roundup: Punishment. He delivers dozens of ruthless knife fights and martial arts fist fights. I really enjoyed this fourth film in this outstanding series. The Roundup: Punishment is all jokes and violence. Writers Oh Sang-ho, Don Lee, and Kim Hyeong-seok’s script adapts the 2015 Pattaya murder case in Thailand, where South Korean criminals were kidnapping tech savvy computer programmers to operate an illegal gambling site. They just changed the location to the Philippines for the movie. Having the villains be a crypto tech bro is hilarious and easy to root for him to keep beat up. All the poor kidnapped victims had me feeling sorry for them. It’s wild how dangerous and complex online gambling has become in a world of prevalent online gambling in general. I liked how likable the cop friends are as they track down these gangs controlling gambling sites and cryptocurrency scams. Editor Kim Sun-min’s smooth transitions between South Korea and the Philippines are easy to follow as we follow both the crooks and cops alike. It’s super easy to follow all the punches and stabbings this time too. Cinematographer Lee Seong-je’s careful panning shots cut through the violent attacks for a very clear image of each duel. I loved seeing some of the far wide shots of Seoul, South Korea as well as the city in the Philippines. The dark and shadowy lighting by Park Sung-chan is very ominous as we witness several stabbings. Ma Dong-seok is ultra cool as the tough Detective Ma Seok-do, with massive arms and powerful punches. His wry humor and fast dodging are as impressive as his gigantic punches. He actually feels like he’s getting faster as these films go along even in his 50’s! He’s a wonderfully kind man in these movies as he supports the families of the fallen. I love how he feels like a good example for men to protect women and children, treating them with respect. Kim Mu-yeol is frightening as the lunatic with knives Baek Chang-ki. His villain runs all these gambling halls and attacks any competition. He does a great job of showing his madness and ambition. Lee Dong-hwi is very funny as the young crypto CEO Chang Dong-cheol, who is trying to scam the public and rip off the other crooks. Kim Ji-yoon is great as Cho Ji-hoon, the other knife wielding subordinate. Park Ji-hwan is hilarious once again as gambler turned arcade chairman Jang Yi-soo. Him returning to be a police informant and pretend detective is a scream to watch. He now has incredibly long hair and Gucci clothes for extra laughs. Im Seo-ah and Komleva Zoia are very pretty as Yi-soo’s girlfriends. Lee Beom-soo’s humorous Police Captain Jang Tae-soo is still a riot. Lee Joo-bin is gorgeous, charming, and amusing as Detective Han Ji-soo. Her tech savvy heroine is a lovely addition to the group of officers. Her undercover disguise in the gambling hall casino is adorable. She’s so fun trying to dupe the casino crooks with her sly smile and signals to Yi-soo. I love when they’re making fun of Yi-soo and you can see her laughing in the background. Bae Hae-sun gets a very moving cameo as the kidnapping victim Sung-jae's mother. Composer Yoon Il-sang delivers an electrifying film score for all the excitement. Sound designers Gong Tae-won, Kim Gi-nam, and Kim Hyeon-gyu make Ma Dong-seok’s punches sound like cannonballs hitting the criminals. Costume designer Nam Ji-soo gives Ma a fuzzy brown aviator jacket this time. Lee Joo-bin gets a fuzzy coat and pink suit for the cutest outfit in The Roundup: Punishment. I love all of Yi-soo’s outrageous designer Gucci outfits. Makeup artists Nam Ji-soo and Pi Dae-seong play around with different looks by giving everyone many disguises. In the end, The Roundup: Punishment is as ruthless in its violent action and hilarious in its comedy for a delightful sequel. See more Waheduzzaman A @RT07000160 02/06/2025 Goodwatch, but it lacks the story and energy from the previous installments. See more Read all reviews

The Roundup: Punishment

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