I should preface this by saying that I have not watched the prequel, so I didn't go in with any expectations about this movie or how it should compare to the original and I will say I was pleasantly surprised. I don't expect a lot for action movies, especially in the way of plot - because you go in for the action, but I found myself enjoying this more than I thought. (BTW the spoilers are in the section on Jung Hae In's acting).

The plot still isn't the best - it is the weakest part of the movie, but its straightforward and clear. The writing isn't bad, it's just not revolutionary, which I think is fine for something like this. The movie shines a lot in practically every other facet. First - on the technical side, I thought the music was noticeable as a plus. There's this dark tone OST they use for a lot of the scenes and it really sets the tone. The cinematography was also great - there are a lot of unsettling moments and really creepy/cool shots that feel artistic at time. It makes the movie feel like more than just an action movie, which is nice.

The fight choreography is also brilliant. I rewound several scenes just to watch them again because of how cool they were. You can tell that different characters have different fighting styles and skill levels, which is a nice touch - because it says a lot about them as characters. The fight choreography for Jung Hae In's character is particularly relevant to his character, and you can analyze what he does in the fight and connect it to him as a person, which I think is brilliant.

Speaking of Jung Hae In, he is fantastic in this. I haven't seen a psychopath/serial killer played this well in a while. Normally they're too charismatic, or too smart, or too suave, but Jung Hae In toes the line really well. The acting he does with his eyes gave me the creeps. You can tell that his character loves violence a bit too much - Jung Hae In does a great job at portraying this particularly through fights. Major props to the script writers too because its his love for violence that is his undoing which is really reflective of actual serial killers - they aren't caught because of some tiny clue, they are caught because of their own flaws. Likewise, we don't ever really get a motive, because a lot of times there isn't a why. It feels realistic but not enough to take away from the vibe of the movie. The other actors are also great (Ahn Bo Hyun was really good in his cameo) especially in handling the fight scenes, but I felt that Jung Hae In was particularly stand out.

Overall this wasn't the movie of the year, but it is really fun for an action movie. Its got good fights, fun choreography, and there are moments that are super chilling that make you remember that what you are watching is in fact, something really dark. The comedy isn't over done, but it isn't unnoticeable. I will definitely be re-watching, and I certainly recommend this to action enjoyers. I think the mystery tag is misleading, but it definitely hits the thriller and action genres on the nose.