In my opinion, the best way to watch movies is when you go in knowing nothing about them. It’s even better if the information you’ve gotten about a movie is completely wrong. Because that’s how you can see the movie for what it is without the burden of expectations and anticipation. This phenomenon happened to me in 2023 when I sat down to watch Kill Boksoon. Everyone kept saying that it was just another action flick that was trying to capitalize on the trend kicked off by the John Wick franchise. And, sure, if you squint hard enough, Byun Sung-hyun’s film might seem similar to Chad Stahelski’s work. But upon closer inspection, the differences become apparent. The interpersonal dynamics between the titular character, her allies, her enemies, and her daughter had depth and complexity. The action sequences were inventive and unique. On top of that, it had a jaw-dropping finale where we saw Boksoon at the zenith of her powers. Why am I talking about that film, though? That’s because when I sat down to watch Mantis, I assumed it was just another South Korean action flick. But as soon as I heard the words MK ENT, Cha Min-kyu, and Gil Boksoon, the realization hit me that I was watching a sequel to a movie that I loved. However, did that dopamine hit last all the way to the end credits or did it fizzle away? Let’s find out.
Lee Tae-sung’s Mantis, which he has co-written with Sung-hyun and Lee Jin-seong, tells the story of Han-ul, who is an employee of MK ENT and goes by the titular alias. He is extremely confident and skilled; hence, it doesn’t take too long for him to get into Min-kyu’s good books. But after a few years of service, Han-ul finds himself limited by the organization’s rules, and he expresses his thoughts about terminating his contract and going solo. In order to defer Han-ul’s decision, Min-kyu sends him off on a vacation so that he can marinate in his thoughts. He even promises to give his best friend, Jae-yi, a chance to audition for MK ENT if Han-ul chooses to stay. However, after his vacation, when he returns to Seoul, he learns that not only has Min-kyu been killed, but MK ENT is in a state of flux. With nobody to enforce the organization’s rules, Han-ul joins hands with Jae-yi, Dong-young, Su-min, and Bboombye to begin his own assassins-for-hire company. Things start off fine, but in order to scale up, they need help. So, on one hand, the Mantis Company talks to Han-ul’s old mentor, Dokgo, and on the other, they approach a famous game developer, Benjamin, to back them up. Their demands, as well as the team members’ personal ambitions, created a toxic concoction that had the potential to demolish this assassination entertainment industry before it got back on its feet.
The writing in Mantis is way more complex than it seems. There’s an air of frivolity and, if you have watched Kill Boksoon, a feeling of familiarity in the first 2 acts that lulls you into a sense of comfort. But when you least expect it, the writers begin landing one emotional gut punch after another. For starters, Han-ul and Jae-yi’s bond seems like a standard romantic “will they or won’t they” type of relationship. However, as you dig deeper into their dynamic, you find sentiments like jealousy, ambition, pity, and more. And when they reach their lowest point, you genuinely start questioning if Han-ul’s empathy is a facade or genuine, and if love is enough to overcome their differences. Dokgo, Han-ul, and Jae-yi’s whole relationship is—brace yourself for this comparison—extremely reminiscent of the dynamic between Master Shifu, Po, and Tai Lung. Since this is a little spoiler-y, I implore you to think about this particular parallel. I assure you, I don’t mean this as a joke. If Kung Fu Panda really is the inspiration for that subplot, I’ll say that it’s an excellent reimagining. In addition to all that, much like its predecessor, the movie has some subtle commentary on the pitfalls of capitalism, monopoly, and fascism, and it emphasizes the need for empathy to navigate this cruel world.
The only reason why I have deducted half a star from Mantis’ rating is because of its mid-act lull. This is one of the rare instances where the filmmaker could have padded the runtime with some action sequences or flashbacks. But the choice to partake in silent contemplation akin to purely romantic movies really kills the overall momentum of the film. Other than that, I don’t have any real criticism for the movie. I like how effortlessly Tae-sun emulates the tone that Sung-hyun has established for this franchise while adding his own personal touches to it. The action is kinetic, hard-hitting, and a delight to look at. Boksoon’s Sherlock Holmes-esque premonitions are substituted with weapons unique to the central characters. Han-ul’s sickles resemble the arms of a mantis, Jae-yi has a cool-looking sword, and Dokgo has the sickest-looking batons. The choice of weapons factors beautifully during the hand-to-hand combat. The stunt doubles, choreographers, cinematographer, editor, set designer, sound designer, and all those in charge of making each punch, kick, and fall seem realistic deserve a round of applause. The costumes for all the characters are exquisite; Han-ul’s red and black ensemble is instantly iconic. The visuals are excellent. There’s one shot towards the end, in the MK ENT training facility, which is reminiscent of that shot of the tennis court from Challengers—you know the one—that genuinely made me gasp.
Coming to the performances, Yim Si-wan is great. He walks a thin line between arrogance and compassion, which makes Han-ul surprisingly unpredictable. Si-wan seems to have done a lot of his action sequences himself, which is always great to watch. Jo Woo-jin is quietly menacing for the most part. But when he needs to be vulnerable, he delivers in spades. Woo-jin has also done a major chunk of his stunts by himself, which is awesome. Choi Hyun-wook, despite not having a lot of screen time, will get on your nerves as he channels the cocky energy of every entrepreneur born with a golden spoon in their mouth. By the way, there’s a line about Benjamin spotting beautiful women, scanning them, and putting them in his video games, which reminded me of Hideo Kojima. The rest of the supporting cast is great; no questions asked. But the one who steals the entire goddamn show, in my opinion, is Park Gyu-young. If I had any kind of pull in the entertainment world, I would have been campaigning for her in every award show. From the first frame to the last, the acting range that he puts on display is fascinating to witness. It’s the equivalent of slowly turning the knob of your stove until the heat is unbearable. During the concluding moments of Mantis, she has a scene where the camera lingers on her face, and Gyu-young alternates between catharsis, regret, sadness, and then defeat. That clip should be played when the nominees are announced at all the award shows where her performance in this film is appreciated.
While Mantis is definitely cut from the same cloth as Kill Boksoon, it’s a different beast altogether. Their exploration of sentiments such as love, friendship, loyalty, sincerity, ambition, and empathy varies vastly from each other. In doing so, it deepens the franchise and keeps you wanting more. Both of their approaches to action storytelling seem familiar. However, when you sit down and analyze what these 2 movies are trying to say through their combat sequences, you understand how dissimilar they are to each other. And all of this adds to the worldbuilding of this franchise and makes me yearn for more installments, more assassinations, and more emotional drama. I know that, much like its predecessor, this movie is also going to get its fair share of John Wick comparisons. So, here’s a hot take: the John Wick franchise cannot function without Keanu Reeves, and that has been proven by the way The Continental and Ballerina flopped. Meanwhile, Mantis has proven that despite limiting Boksoon’s appearance to a cameo, this franchise has the potential to make standalone sequels, spin-offs, prequels, and more. And I’m saying this as a fan of the John Wick movies. Anyway, if all of this sounds like a recommendation to you, please, go and watch Kill Boksoon and Mantis, and don’t forget to give Park Gyu-young a round of applause.
