'Classified File' lacks kick of crime thrillers

A scene from “The Classified File” / Courtesy of Showbox

By Baek Byung-yeul

When director Kawk Kyung-taek announced his new film would be based on the true story of a kidnapping, moviegoers had some doubts over how he would present the 1978 incident that took place in Busan.

The director, who burst on to the local film scene with the record breaking gangster film “Friend” in 2001, frustrated his fans with a string of poorly received follow-ups. He has been criticized that his films are unoriginal and mostly set in his hometown, the southern port city of Busan.

It turns out The Classified File has another predictable outcome. Despite casting A-list actors ― Kim Yoon-seok and Yoo Hae-jin ― Kwak fails to satisfy movie fans hoping to see his version of Bong Joon-ho’s “Memories of Murder” or David Fincher’s “Zodiac” on the big screen.

The Classified File never expands on the original story ― the 33-day-long kidnapping of an elementary school girl.

Unlike a typical crime thriller, The Classified File focuses on the relationship of two men ― detective Gong Gil-yong (played by Kim) and fortune teller Kim Joong-san (played by Yoo).

Gong is on a quest to find the missing child, Eun-ju, but the longer the investigation continues, the more it reveals there are no clues. In hopes to find his daughter, Eun-ju’s father (played by Song Yeong-chang) asks Gong to cooperate with the fortune teller Kim.

At first, Gong is displeased that he has to pair with Kim, but after Kim tells him that the kidnapper will attempt to contract Eun-ju’s parents on the 15th day of the kidnapping and it really happens, Gong listens to Kim’s predictions and the two establish trust. The two actual figures are still alive and maintain friendly relations.

The director focuses on the relationship between the two protagonists, showing how sincerely they care for the missing child. This human side allows the audience to accept the police officer’s desperate move to rely on a fortune teller to save the girl.

Though The Classified File is currently being received well in local cinemas, attracting more than 2.19 million people since its release on June 18, it pales in comparison to spine-chilling criminal mysteries such as “Memories of Murder” or “Zodiac.”