Phantom Detective

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Phantom Detective

2016

2h 5m

Action

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

6 Reviews

60%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

A detective gets entangled in a conspiracy during an investigation.

Jeannette Catsoulis

New York Times

Our hero's quest ... never ignites, mostly because of Mr. Lee's acting deficits.

May 19, 2016

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Tom Keogh

Seattle Times

The South Korean suspense drama is both ideal popcorn movie and morally complex revenge tale.

Rated: 3/4

May 19, 2016

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James Mudge

easternKicks.com

It's interesting to see an indie director like Jo Sung-hee making his way in the mainstream, and while not quite firing on all cylinders yet, he's a filmmaker worth watching

Rated: 3.5/5

Oct 27, 2020

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Harris Dang

easternKicks.com

The Phantom Detective is greater than the sum of its parts, and although it doesn't reach levels of greatness, it is an entertaining diversion that packs committed performances, surprising direction from Jo Sung-hee and an appealing visual style.

Rated: 3.5/5

Oct 31, 2018

Full Review

Joe Lipsett

Queer.Horror.Movies.

All in all, this modern take on Korea's famed Hong Gil-dong character is both hilarious and heartfelt, with great performance by lead Lee Je-hoon and youngsters Roh Jeong-eui and Kim Ha-na.

Sep 21, 2018

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David Noh

Film Journal International

Entertainment value positively surges through this highly capable Korean thriller.

May 20, 2016

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Audience Member

Amazing movie. Editing is a bit awkward at the first part. Character was portrayed well and you'll realize in the end why it named that movie. Worth watching!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The movie is great. The actors are good, and I like the unexpected twist on it. Such a good story and has a lot of things to learn. Kudos!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

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Audience Member

Without a doubt, this is the best film I watched in 2016. Bringing together incredible performances, exquisite attention to detail within lighting and cinematography, and a riveting narrative throughout, this is not a film to be missed.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Phantom Detective is a superb South Korean film, that hooks you constantly. Lee Jehoon's return to the big screen is something that should not be missed, and Kim Hana's future endeavours are a must watch. Comedy in the right places, and well shot action scenes. Unmissable.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Flashy and stylish, the movie is all pan and no sizzle. In this noirish action revenge tale a private detective is after the man who killed his mother. Until he is roped into babysitting the man's kids when someone else kidnaps his intended target. The film is overlong, has one decent fight scene, but little else. There's also a smoking hot female character who gets to do nothing but smoke and talk on the phone. Not one of the better korean films out there.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

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Sung-Hee Jo

Director

Lee Je-hoon

Hong Gil-dong

Kim Sung-kyun

Kang Seong-il

Go A-ra

President Hwang

Hwang Bo-ra

Actor

Park Geun-hyung

Kim Byeong-deok

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Synopsis

A detective gets entangled in a conspiracy during an investigation.

Director: Sung-Hee Jo
Production Co: Bidangil Pictures, CJ Entertainment
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
Original Language: Korean
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 3, 2019
Runtime: 2h 5m

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