Jeri Jacquin
Currently streaming on the martial arts service Hi-Yah! Today and coming to Bluray from writer/director Yoon Jae-keun and Well Go USA Entertainment is the thriller SPIRITWALKER.
Kang I-an (Yoon Kye-sang) is an agent working undercover on a very well-kept secret mission. The problem is, he is awakened by Haengryeo (Park Ji-hwan), a homeless man who is going through the crashed van. Realizing that I-an is awake, he tells him the ambulance is on the way and shuffles away to a nearby homeless camp.
At the hospital, I-an does not know who he is and quickly realizes that he does not even recognize his face in the glass. Finding the homeless man to ask questions, Haengryeo tells him there is only one way to figure it all out, start at the beginning. Off he goes to start looking through the wrecked car, but it does not take long before something crazy happens.
I-an is now Ji Cheol-ho (Lee Woon-san) and goes back to Haengryeo frustrated trying to figure out what is happening. It becomes clear that every 12 hours, I-an becomes someone else. In the process of finding answers, he realizes he is also looking for Moon Jin-ah (Lim Ji-yeon). During one of his changes, when he does find her, there is no way to convince her that he is I-an.
So now the mystery begins to come together as Director Park (Park Yong-woo) sends out officers to look for I-an but not for police reasons. The twists become intense and with each change, I-an comes closer and closer to discovering who is trying to kill him and more importantly – why!
Kye-sang as I-an is just so amazing to watch! Not only does he give us his view of how he sees what is happening but reacts very well with the mirror views of another face. This is an intense character to be sure and Kye-sang just rolls with each incarnation with obvious intensity (I mean who wouldn’t be a little shocked right?) but determination to discover what has happened and why. He gets a chance to use some serious martial arts and it is fast past and very cool.
Ji-hwan as Haengryeo is sheer perfection in this role. He is a little different to be sure, but he cannot help but be curious by what I-an is going through. Helping when he can and experiencing how crazy it all is – he sees it to the end. I just loved when he was on the screen because he may not understand it all, but he certainly is all in.
Ji-yeon as Jin-nah is also involved in the complex happenings that surround I-an. She is equally on the run and when strangers keep trying to save her, Jin-nah realizes that there is more here than she could possible have expected. Joining whatever incarnation is helping her, they both get closer and closer to learning who is responsible for it all.
Yong-woo as Director Park is a dog that is not going to stop until he finds out who has his bone! This character is relentless but then again, there is a deep, dark and disturbing reason for him to be on the hunt for I-an. Young-woo gives his character a clean-cut look until the frayed edges begin to show.
Other cast includes Yoo Seung-mok as Chief Lee Shin-woo, Lee Sung-wook as Yoo Dae-ri, Seo Hyun-woo as Baek Sang-sa, Hong Ki-joon as Go Joong-sa, Joo Jin-mo as Director Hong, and Park Min-jung as Cake Lady.
Well Go USA Entertainment is a theatrical and home entertainment company specializing in bringing the best Action, Genre and Independent films from around the world to North American markets. As a leader in independent film distribution, Well Go USA Entertainment’s titles can be seen across a variety of platforms including theatrical, digital, subscription and cable VOD, packaged media and broadcast television. Well Go USA Entertainment currently releases three to five films per month. To see more please visit www.wellgousa.com.
SPIRITWALKER is a very cool thriller with so many twists and turns that are extremely cool. There is never time to get comfortable with the characters because director Jae-keun has other plans for us. Keeping the action consistent, each frame brings the viewer closer to the truth about it all but, of course, he leaves us hanging in the end.
This is a truly original thriller that is thought out and put on film deliberately and carefully. Every time I thought I had it, the conspiracy slipped off my fingers and I had to start again. That’s what makes a film truly fun.
In the end – no memory, no allies, nowhere left to run!
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