Korean helmer Kang Woo-Suk’s Public Enemy follow-up isn’t so much a sequel, but rather a peculiar redux. Sol Kyung- Gu reprises his role as corrupt cop Kang Chul-Joong, but, rather than reprising the character he originally brought to life, Chul-Joong has gone through some kind of metamorphosis; emerging as a respectable prosecutor.
Thematically, things remain the same. In Public Enemy, Kang was on the case of a homicidal businessman. Here, he attempts to topple a highly influential business mogul and old childhood enemy, Han Sang-Woo (Jun-ho Joeng). Eschewing subtlety, the political subtext is hammered home with a brazen openness about the dishonesty marring the country’s society. Lengthy, but the piercing performances and taut direction hold your interest as the arse numbs.
