Kim Hong-Sun's movies are always intensely thrilling and, more often than not, they are also quite violent. The 2017 title “The Age of Blood” was Hong-Sun's debut feature-length film. Operating as a nonstop action adventure and period piece, “The Age of Blood” told the story of a swordsman who quickly finds himself immersed in an attempted prison break, and must do everything in his capacity to keep the escaping convicts at bay. In “Project Wolf Hunting,” Hong-Sun returns to the escaped convict motif. This time around, though, things get a little bit… weirder. “Project Wolf Hunting” is a rampant action-horror mashup; although not for the faint of heart, the movie is wildly entertaining and contains enough twists and turns to keep audiences on their seats all-throughout.
Project Wolf Hunting is screening in Canada and the US, courtesy of Wellgo USA
Rather than following one perspective throughout the length of “Project Wolf Hunting,” the story is told through the multiple perspectives of individuals on a cargo ship headed from Manila, Philippines to Busan, South Korea. This ship is being used to transport some of the most dangerous criminals in the Philippines, where they will likely be tried and convicted of their crimes upon reaching their final destination of South Korea. What the guards and staff among the cargo ship don't know, however, is that these killers have been carefully plotting an escape during their cruise towards South Korea for a long time.
That description is just a small taste of what's to come in “Project Wolf Hunting.” As the prisoners plan their escape, a network of lies and corruption slowly weaves itself into the story; it turns out that there are secrets on this cargo ship that nobody knew about, dating all the way back to Imperial Japan's occupation of the Philippines in World War 2. Not much more can be said without spoiling some of the most exciting and surprising elements of the film, but one thing is for sure: There is a ton of blood and skull-bashing involved. Viewers should be advised not to become too attached to a single character in “Project Wolf Hunting,” because nobody is safe on this nighttime marine voyage.
Despite everything revealed up until this point in this review, “Project Wolf Hunting” begins as an ominous slow burn; Hong-Sun sets this up nicely, introducing the guards and the inmates and consistently teasing the idea that ominous plans are lurking in the background. Yet once things pick up, they don't stop until the final seconds of the film's two-hour runtime. Regardless of whether you're a seasoned horror and thriller viewer or you're new to the game, it can be guaranteed that “Project Wolf Hunting” will keep you guessing and in a consistent state of captivation with its slow-pan shots and dark, eerie sequences. This is all complimented by a stellar cast, including notable roles by Seo In-Guk as the merciless mob boss and escape coordinator among the cargo convicts, and Dong-Yoon Jang as a morally-sound prisoner coming to grips with his bizarre reality.
“Project Wolf Hunting” starts as an eerie slow burn movie, transitions into a sleek action thriller and finally becomes a dreadful horror romp. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it certainly highlights South Korean cinema's willingness to blend genres and subvert expectations. It is two hours of bloody fun… and these two hours are bound to stay in your head long after the credits.
