If “The Accidental Detective” was a steadfast, inoffensively brittle attempt at the archetypal buddy cop formula, then its sequel is a complete undoing of any prior good work. Sluggish, hokey and rather bland, director Lee Eon-hee's attempts at changing a successful formula prove fruitless, even if some initial box office success would have one believe otherwise.
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Story wise, “In Action” picks up shortly after the finale of its prequel, following the grumpy ex-cop No Tae-soo (Sung Dong-il) and crime enthusiast Kang Dae-man (Kwon Sang-woo) as they fulfil their promise of opening up a private detective agency together. Far from the glamorous dream team they once envisaged themselves as, though, the pairing find they are mostly confined to their desks, only fleetingly manoeuvring around to distribute promotional material of their technically illegal venture throughout police stations and public areas. Yet, just as quickly as it seems all hope is lost, the dynamic duo are handed an unlikely lifeline, and the chance to investigate a reputation-hinging potential murder case.
As expected, from here the escapades begin. With the addition of the money hungry hacker Grasshopper (Lee Kwang-soo), the clumsy trio steer their way towards solving the unexpectedly high-stakes crime, never failing to bring chaos with them. The question is, will their illicit behaviour bring with it the acclaim they so desire, or result in a proverbial egg-on-face scenario, leaving the makeshift self-employed detectives nothing more than one-hit wonders?
Unfortunately, “The Accidental Detective 2: In Action” fails to answer this query excitingly. Far too often, it feels like a gimmick, only occasionally redeemed with a moment of intrigue, or a rare, genuinely funny altercation. It is a shame, as the story itself is clever, particularly when it is revealed that the protagonists have a link to the crime they are so strenuously searching for a resolution to, but in a mainstream sequel such as this, a lot of the potential for a raw, telling tale is lost to breezy accessibility.
Furthermore, the addition of Lee Kwang-soo as Grasshopper is nothing short of disastrous. Although a serviceable actor in his own right, the jumpy, loose cannon that the lanky phone-hacker is portrayed as does not fit Lee at all, and leaves him feeling out of place when sharing scenes with the two main protagonists, two men who share a natural and tangible chemistry. Thus, ‘Hopper frustrates the off-kilter synergy of the detective pairing, as opposed to complementing it. Far too often he borders on farcical, and whilst his unconventional peers are seldom straight-laced, they do at least have genuine, relatable backstories which can relate them to more mature audiences.
Considering those sentiments, it will not come as a surprise to find that it is the performances of both Sung Dong-il and Kwon Sang-woo that extricate the movie from being on the borderline of calamitous. In the same vein as the prequel, the duo fit seamlessly as a buddy cop team, balancing maturity and hyperbole with ease. They are effortlessly pleasant when sharing the spotlight, and gift their characters with risible charm. Additionally, their comic timing is just as sharp as ever, and guarantees that while the bulk of the hilarity misses the mark comfortably, there are still laughs to be found, even if they have to be almost strangled out of scenes.
Technically, “In Action” is fairly impressive, offering sleek visuals and an agreeable viewing experience. Ki Se-hoon's constant reliance on close-ups can get frustrating, however, but predominantly the film serves up a palatable experience which somewhat helps it breeze through the near two-hour runtime.
In conclusion, Lee Eon-hee's attempt to breathe life into Kim Jeong-hoon's concept was tiresome, trope-driven and habitually unrewarding. The choice to break away from the formula which worked so impeccably well the first time around was a prodigious error, and harmed the quirky chemistry achieved so well just a few years prior. There is nothing palpable to be gained from viewing “In Action,” and therefore it must go down as a piece of cinema which fails at its overriding ambition, and mars a movie that did not need tampering with. Simply put, for this action comedy, avoidance is best.
