Is
it the violent video games or just bad parenting? Regardless, a gang of high school boys has no
remorse for the violent crimes they commit and post on video-sharing sites. In
contrast, it is no secret why Lee Sang-hyeon resorts to killing. The
grief-stricken father is determined to punish his daughter’s under-aged
murderers in Lee Jung-ho’s Broken (trailer here), which opens this
Friday in Los Angeles.
Frankly,
a good part of Lee already died inside following his wife’s slow death from
cancer. Subsequently, he was not able to give his daughter Su-jin adequate emotional
support, and now he will never be able to make amends. Jo Doo-sik and Kim
Cheol-yong were the perpetrators of her rape and murder, but there was a
witness—their socially awkward classmate, Kim Min-ki. Uncomfortable with his
accomplice status, Kim texts the grieving father Kim Cheol-yong’s name and
address. When Lee finds the privileged thug enjoying the video of Su-jin’s
murder, his rage takes over. He then starts following the trail of the
oblivious Jo Doo-sik.
Broken is fueled by
justifiable anger, but it is a far cry from typically exploitative vigilante
films. Frankly, it focuses nearly as much on Detective Jang Eok-gwan, the cop
in charge of apprehending Lee and Jo. Dogged by Internal Affairs for his rough
treatment of another murderous minor from a prior case, Jang understands Lee’s
anguish only too well. While he admonishes his openly sympathetic junior to
play it by the book, the extent of his internal conflict becomes increasingly
clear as the manhunt closes in.
Although
Jung Jae-young portrayed a similarly driven protagonist in Confession of Murder, he reaches a far higher level of soul-searing
anguish as Lee. When unleashed, his fury is palpable, but it is even more
chilling to watch his persona collapse in on itself. Yet, it is Lee Sung-min who
gives the film its bitterly acidic heart. It is an uncommonly smart and subtle
performance from an actor best known for television dramas and smaller feature supporting
roles.
Broken also represents
a considerable step up from Lee Jung-ho’s solid but relatively conventional
genre outing, Bestseller. There are
indeed tight and tense thriller elements at work, but the prevailing vibe is
one of high tragedy. Lee’s adaptation of Keigo Higashino’s Japanese novel also
pointedly critiques a legal system that too frequently compounds the pain of
victims, while protecting the guilty. It is a bracing film that takes viewers
to some very dark places. Recommended for those who will appreciate the
harrowing ride, Broken opens this
Friday (5/9) in Los Angeles at the CGV Cinemas.
