Film review: Midnight Runners – Park Seo-joon, Kang Ha-neul play crime-fighting rookies in hugely entertaining buddy cop thriller
After witnessing an abduction, a slow-witted jock and shy bookworm join forces to try to rescue the victim, leading to a night of comedic high jinks and shocking revelations
PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 30 August, 2017, 8:04am
UPDATED : Friday, 20 October, 2017, 12:04pm
Related topics
4/5 stars
After attracting recognition for his low-budget debut Koala, writer-director Kim Joo-hwan strides confidently into the commercial arena with Midnight Runners. It’s a fast-paced buddy cop thriller that proves the perfect star vehicle for young heartthrobs Park Seo-joon ( The Beauty Inside ) and Kang Ha-neul ( Mourning Grave ).
At Seoul’s prestigious Police University, slow-witted jock Gi-jun (Park) and shy bookworm Hee-yeol (Kang) make an unlikely pair, but on a rare night out must become a formidable crime-fighting force, after witnessing the abduction of a young woman.
Turning to the authorities for support, their pleas fall on deaf ears as the police are preoccupied with a high-profile kidnapping case. Gi-jun and Hee-yeol have no alternative but to investigate the abduction themselves, leading to a night of comedic high jinks and shocking revelations as they learn to apply both their deductive and combat training in the real world.
Film review: The Battleship Island – violence, melodrama and jingoism vie for attention in South Korea’s biggest release of 2017
The mismatched duo creates plenty of laugh-out-loud moments as the action moves from nightclubs to illegal sex parlours and hostile neighbourhoods controlled by Chinese-born immigrant gangs. Their discoveries lead them into some pretty dark territory, from black market organ harvesting to the inherent bureaucracy within the police force that actively discourages the kind of youthful exuberance driving the pair’s investigation.
Kim transitions effortlessly between moments of slapstick comedy, bone-crunching action and genuinely upsetting drama with the sure hand of a seasoned veteran, all while knowing when to precisely step back and let the natural charisma of his leads take the helm.
Film review: The Villainess – Kim Ok-vin plays killing machine in action thriller
Kim presents us with a pair of confident, pretty-boy protagonists, and then manages to ensure we are wholly invested in their struggles, friendship, and evolution into effective law enforcement officers. Midnight Runners manages to be critical of the police, without demonising the entire force. It also tackles some pressing social issues, without making grown men cry about it.
Midnight Runners opens on August 31
Want more articles like this? Follow SCMP Film on Facebook
Most Popular
Viewed
- 1
![A Chinese tourist frolics with a cabaret performer at ZAG, a gay bar in Thailand’s southern tourist destination of Phuket. Photo: AFP]( "A Chinese tourist frolics with a cabaret performer at ZAG, a gay bar in Thailand’s southern tourist destination of Phuket. Photo: AFP")
- 2
![The piano duo of Jennifer Rüth (left) and Ming, known as the Queenz of Piano, who will perform their dynamic acrobatic musical show, mixing classical, pop and rock music in Hong Kong on November 17.]( "The piano duo of Jennifer Rüth (left) and Ming, known as the Queenz of Piano, who will perform their dynamic acrobatic musical show, mixing classical, pop and rock music in Hong Kong on November 17.")
- 3
![Jessica Henwick as Colleen Wing in Marvel's Iron Fist on Netflix.]( "Jessica Henwick as Colleen Wing in Marvel's Iron Fist on Netflix.")
- 4
![Tropical cyclones were named for ease of communication, first by storm forecasters for the Atlantic Ocean, who chose Christian saints’ names; Pacific Ocean storms are given native names contributed by 14 countries and regions]( "Tropical cyclones were named for ease of communication, first by storm forecasters for the Atlantic Ocean, who chose Christian saints’ names; Pacific Ocean storms are given native names contributed by 14 countries and regions")
- 5
![Japanese game developer Yoshihisa Kurosawa says he is baffled by the cult success of his low-budget Hong Kong 97 video game.]( "Japanese game developer Yoshihisa Kurosawa says he is baffled by the cult success of his low-budget Hong Kong 97 video game.")
Shared
- 1
![The piano duo of Jennifer Rüth (left) and Ming, known as the Queenz of Piano, who will perform their dynamic acrobatic musical show, mixing classical, pop and rock music in Hong Kong on November 17.]( "The piano duo of Jennifer Rüth (left) and Ming, known as the Queenz of Piano, who will perform their dynamic acrobatic musical show, mixing classical, pop and rock music in Hong Kong on November 17.")
- 2
![A Chinese tourist frolics with a cabaret performer at ZAG, a gay bar in Thailand’s southern tourist destination of Phuket. Photo: AFP]( "A Chinese tourist frolics with a cabaret performer at ZAG, a gay bar in Thailand’s southern tourist destination of Phuket. Photo: AFP")
- 3
![Japanese game developer Yoshihisa Kurosawa says he is baffled by the cult success of his low-budget Hong Kong 97 video game.]( "Japanese game developer Yoshihisa Kurosawa says he is baffled by the cult success of his low-budget Hong Kong 97 video game.")
- 4
![Steven Chan (above centre), stage manager of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra for the past 40 years, has enjoyed being able to watch the growth and development of the orchestra, which celebrates its 45th anniversary this year. Photo: Phil Shek/HK Phil.]( "Steven Chan (above centre), stage manager of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra for the past 40 years, has enjoyed being able to watch the growth and development of the orchestra, which celebrates its 45th anniversary this year. Photo: Phil Shek/HK Phil.")
- 5
![Jessica Henwick as Colleen Wing in Marvel's Iron Fist on Netflix.]( "Jessica Henwick as Colleen Wing in Marvel's Iron Fist on Netflix.")
Commented
- 1
![A new form of Sinophobia or anti-Chinese sentiment is emerging in Australia, according to Jieh-Yung Lo. Photo: Alamy]( "A new form of Sinophobia or anti-Chinese sentiment is emerging in Australia, according to Jieh-Yung Lo. Photo: Alamy")
- 2
![After one of the most powerful storms on record to hit the city, suspensions and delays mean confusion and long waits for residents]( "After one of the most powerful storms on record to hit the city, suspensions and delays mean confusion and long waits for residents")
- 3
![President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, China's president, in Beijing last year. Photo: Bloomberg.]( "President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, China's president, in Beijing last year. Photo: Bloomberg.")
- 4
![No 8 warning signal downgraded to No 3 on Monday morning as monster storm no longer a threat to city]( "No 8 warning signal downgraded to No 3 on Monday morning as monster storm no longer a threat to city")
- 5
![They’re coming from different angles, but American leaders are beginning to sound a lot like China’s when warning of the dangers of an untamed, unregulated internet]( "They’re coming from different angles, but American leaders are beginning to sound a lot like China’s when warning of the dangers of an untamed, unregulated internet")
You may also like
Show goes on for Steven Chan, HK Phil’s ‘Mr Fixit’ for 40 years
In partnership with: HK Phil
The Role of Philanthropy in Building a Sustainable City
Brought to you by: The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust
Comments: