Watch The Age of Shadows

Set in 1920s Korea, The Age of Shadows is a thrilling spy movie directed and co-written by Kim Jee-woon. The film stars Song Kang-ho as Lee Jeong-chool, an officer in the Japanese police tasked with infiltrating the Korean resistance movement against Japan's occupation of Korea. Lee Byung-hun plays Kim Woo-jin, the leader of the resistance group, while Gong Yoo portrays Yun Gye-soo, a Korean agent working for the Japanese police.

The movie opens with a tense scene in which Korean resistance fighters plan to bomb a train carrying a high-ranking Japanese official, Captain Inoue (Shingo Tsurumi). However, the plan goes awry, and the group's leader is captured and executed. This sets the stage for the rest of the film, as the resistance group struggles to find a new leader and stay one step ahead of the Japanese police.

Enter Lee Jeong-chool, a Korean police officer who has been working for the Japanese for years. He's tasked with identifying the new resistance leader and stopping their attacks on Japanese targets. Lee is a complex character, caught between loyalty to his Korean heritage and duty to his Japanese employers. As he becomes more involved with the resistance group, he finds himself torn between his allegiances and must ultimately decide where his loyalties lie.

The Age of Shadows is a stylish movie, with gorgeous cinematography and thrilling action scenes. Kim Jee-woon is known for his stylized, intense action scenes, and this film is no exception. The train sequence that opens the film is particularly impressive, as the resistance fighters leap between cars and struggle to set the bomb without being detected. Later scenes, such as a raid on a resistance safe house and a tense car chase, are also expertly crafted and keep the audience on the edge of their seat.

But what sets The Age of Shadows apart from other spy movies is its exploration of the complex and painful history between Korea and Japan. The film is set during a time when Japan occupied Korea and oppressed its people, leading to widespread resistance and rebellion. The characters in the film are all struggling with their identities and allegiances, and the movie doesn't shy away from the violence and trauma of this time period.

The performances in The Age of Shadows are top-notch, particularly from Song Kang-ho as Lee Jeong-chool. He brings a quiet intensity to the role, conveying the character's inner turmoil with subtle expressions and body language. Lee Byung-hun is also excellent as Kim Woo-jin, bringing charisma and authority to the role of the resistance leader. Gong Yoo is a standout as well, playing the conflicted Korean agent with nuance and depth.

The Age of Shadows is a thrilling and thought-provoking spy movie that sheds light on a little-known period of history. It's tense, stylish, and full of memorable performances, and it's a must-watch for fans of action movies and historical dramas.

The Age of Shadows is a 2016 action movie with a runtime of 2 hours and 19 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.1 and a MetaScore of 78.