carbuff Very well done but very predictable Korean organized crime flick. Koreans do these kinds of movies better than anyone else currently. I thought the ending was obvious less than 30 minutes into the movie--the only question was how it was going to get there. It was quite slow to build and light on action, which may disappoint those looking for more typical high-voltage Asian crime stories. The two people I watched with would have preferred quite a bit more verbal and physical punch in the script. So, overall, a solid effort with a few scenes of harsh violence, but probably not the thrill ride that most viewers will be expecting from this genre.

kosmasp I don't use the word classic lightly here, but this movie deserves it. It has all the right ingredients and even though it may be predictable from time to time (therefor not full 10 out of 10 from me), it never seizes to amaze. Be it the way it was shot, the acting, editing, scoring and the general storytelling.But if you can't watch movies from Asia (like the great Chinese Infernal Affairs before this), then you might not welcome this movie with the embrace I have. Korean action cinema has gotten a lot of attention in the last two decades and this movie just proves, that there is more to come. I'm not sure I'm looking forward to an American Remake, seeing they are mixed bags (a good "Departed" being followed by a very weak "Old Boy" to name but two).

simonize850 I was initially confused by the relationship between the two principal leads, introduced early in the film. Their personalities were so different as to be conflicting. Then with the introduction of a third male lead, one considerably older, just as abrasive but considerably less well groomed things started to fall into place. The two young men- JANG, stiff and seemingly humourless - appears pitted against JEONG -loud, obnoxious and yet with some charm. They are both members of Korean crime syndicate, that has managed to go legitimate. The third man - Section Chief KANG - is pulling any number of strings to bring down the syndicate before it becomes too powerful to stop. As such fans and devotees of both INFERNAL AFFAIRS and Martin SCORCESE's remake THE DEPARTED may find parallels in the actors TONY LEUNG; ANDY LAU, and ANTHONY WONG. I don't think the comparison between NEW WORLD; INTERNAL AFFAIRS, and THE DEPARTED far fetched - there is even a young woman comparable to the psychiatrist in INFERNAL AFFAIRS. This woman plays chess with JANG, though their meetings serve another purpose. NEW WORLD is a reminder of how we were introduced to contemporary Korean cinema. Heroes and villains separated by the finest of lines; violence ever present and visceral, with hands, knives and assorted other weapons other than guns meting out terrible damage (it's stunning how much one key player survives). I am giving the film only 7/10 because once I reflected on the key characters and their possible relationships, the story held few surprises for me. Furthermore the length of the film -135 minutes - works against its overall momentum. That said, NEW WORLD is professionally executed and a nice addition to Korean filmmaking. PS: I was taken aback at how much swearing and coarse language the film contains. Is this a sign of the times in Korean film, or a concession to international markets?

cadillac20 It's been a very long time since a solid gangster film has graced the screens, but New World is by far one of the best in years, maybe since The Departed (which is ironically based on another Korean film). And it's no wonder, as New World seems to take it's cue from several different gangster and undercover cop films, giving us something a bit different as the two sub-genres collide. What makes New World unique is it's view on the plot. It is essentially two stories mashed together. On the one hand, we have the story of an undercover cop who wants to get out but is being forced to stay in by his superiors. On the other end, we have a story about two competing for the top chair of an organized crime institute when the top boss is unexpectedly killed in a car accident. These two stories collide when the police determine that they can control the gang by manipulating the person who takes the top chair. In order to do this, they will utilize Ja-sung, their undercover cop who also has his own conflicts in regards to loyalty.Because of the unique take on the gangster film genre this was clearly inspired by, it feels fresh and familiar at the same time. There are very clear nod, even so far as having music that bears a striking familiarity to The Godfather. The film is also relentless in it's pacing, but almost none of it comes from action. This is a very story driven film with plenty of fantastic drama and suspense. Double crosses, surprises, and cat and mouse games keeps things moving at a brisk pace, even despite the films over two hour run time. The acting is excellent all around, with Hwang Jung-min and Park Sung-woong playing the competing gangsters for the chair. Both characters played by the actors or diverse and entertaining, with Hwang playing the obnoxious wild man Jung Chung and Park playing the straight laced business man Lee Joong- gu. But what really shines here is the plot and it's pacing. By interweaving these plots together and keeping the level of crosses and intensity high, questions never cease: who will take the top spot? Will Ja-sung turn sides? Will his cover be blown? The questions are always there and the tension never really cools, so you most certainly wait as things rise to an exploding point. Best of all is the immensely satisfying payoff, which does not fail to deliver in surprises and suspense. This just goes to show how top notch the writing here is.I had no idea what to expect from this film, but it turned out to be one of my favorite films this year. It's intense, well acted, directed, and written, and it takes it's inspirations for a spin.