“In the worst neighborhoods, the back of a taxi is called the cage. 5326 is the code, Re-Call Red, a revenge call to end all suffering. Need a bully curb-stomped? Call. Your husband cheat on you? Call. Has your business partner stolen all your money? Call and Deke will be there, waiting for you, for them. The Rainbow Taxi offers the full spectrum of special services. Call now.” (TAPAS)
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On the more extreme side of Manhwa, “Red Cage” is an episodic series that sees a taxi driver become a force of revenge against all manner of deplorable individuals. The subject matter across the series touches on almost every imaginable degree of moral corruption and depravity and, understandably, it is not to be approached lightly. However, this did not stop the series from seeing a live-action TV adaptation in 2021, called “Taxi Driver“. Consequently, ”Red Cage” gained a modicum of notoriety due to both its adaptation and the extreme subject matter unapologetically explored in the WebToon.
Yet, approaching the series, published online through TAPAS, poses challenges beyond just the subject matter. Notably, “Red Cage” lives in that precarious moral gray area of justification of revenge while still admitting to the continued cycle of violence that is propagated by the act itself. Furthermore, the story is overly reliant on a structure of constructing a villain so heinous that the reader will welcome the incoming cruelty forced upon them by the quick-to-violence cabbie.
While the series succeeds in evoking a visceral reaction in each segment, the sensational approach and moral ambiguity around revenge will make it a challenge for readers who put extra attention into exploring the motives and consequences of characters in books. Thankfully, the repetitious nature of the book is not entirely pervasive as KeuKeuJ.J does reveal certain elements that add depth to the, otherwise, simplistic set-up/execution found in the opening chapters. Still, the story is going to be heavily reliant on the reader's willingness to partake in the shaky morals it poses and its focus on trying to illicit repulsion towards its varied cast of deplorable villains.
Where the series, unquestionably, succeeds is in the visual work of ‘Carlos', who uses a rather rough visual style that feels frantically drawn. It is a gritty approach that perfectly compliments the exploitative tone of the book and its willingness to evoke scenes of extreme violence or explicit sex. Additionally, moments of action or abstract horror become shocking under Carlos's aesthetic, pushing the intended shock value of the work to its full potential.
“Red Cage” is a difficult title to recommend, since the work is sensational to a fault and the shocking nature of the episodes/chapters will either entice or disgust readers. Furthermore, there is a simplicity to the work that, while making it easy to access in short bites, somewhat betrays the serious subject matter the series tries to explore. Still, the visual direction in “Red Cage” is utterly impressive, and readers who enjoy the challenge and the instant visceral reactions brought on by the cycle of revenge will find the gruesomeness of “Red Cage” deeply engaging. Thankfully, you can try out the first few episodes on the site for free and decide if you want to dive in any deeper.
