“Inside Men” (내부자들) – 2016 NYAFF Review

It is easy to see why “Inside Men” became the top grossing 18+ movie of all time in South Korea.  With a simultaneous takedown of three major institutions – the media, the government and the chaebol (business conglomerates in Korea, often owned by families) – the testosterone-fueled caper is packed with so many bad guys and so much sleaze that you actually find yourself rooting for who can devise the most vicious scheme to win. 

In this case, it could be Lee Byung-Hun who as Ahn Sang-goo, the one-handed gangster seeking revenge on that seemingly insurmountable trio of institutions, has deservedly won the most plaudits (Best Actor at the 2016 Asian Film Awards and PaekSang Arts Awards). However, there are plenty of others in the cast who can compete for that top slot, notably Cho Seung-woo as a lowly prosecutor unable to move up the corporate ladder due to a lack of connections, Baek Yoon-sik as the chilling newspaper editor and Lee Kyoung-young as the slimy presidential candidate. 

Although “Inside Men” clocks in at 130 minutes, it actually feels a bit short on character development given the complexity of the twists and turns in the plot.  Just one month after its domestic release in November 2015, a longer version titled “Inside Men: The Original” hit theaters in South Korea, adding 50 minutes and more ticket sales.  Available on DVD, perhaps the three-hour version – which will not be shown in New York – will connect some of the dots left isolated in the first cut.

The 130-minute version of “Inside Men” screens at the New York Asian Film Festival on Tues., July 5, at 8:30 p.m.  Actor Lee Byung-hun will receive a Star Asia Award and participate in a Q&A session at the screening.