Harbin Review | Seeking an End to an Everlasting War [Video]

Min-ho Woo’s deftly constructed spy thriller Harbin is the kind of movie where even those unfamiliar with the real life events that inspired the story will be able to see that some creative and dramatic liberties are taking place. And yet, none of it really matters based sheerly on entertainment value, overall storytelling smarts, and exceptional execution. Impressive in scope and scale, this tale of revenge and an assassination attempt set amid the backdrop of the Korean fight for independence circa 1909 scratches a particular kind of old school itch. It’s assuredly jingoistic and rousing, but also quickly paced and easy to get caught up in, even if you can sense deep down that this isn’t how things went down in reality.

Military leader Ahn Jung-geun (Hyun Bin) has returned from the battlefield a broken man. Following a battle with the Korean freedom fighter’s Japanese oppressors, Ahn allows prisoner-of-war and rival general Tatsuo Mori (Park Hoon) to …