It takes a lot of moving parts to make a movie’s action work. The choreography, camera placement and editing all have to be in sync and you need people who know what they’re doing in front of and behind the camera. But perhaps the most important element is matching a movie’s action style with the stars’ superhuman abilities. And there’s no better synergy between the fight scenes of a modern action franchise and its star than the combination of Korea’s Crime City franchise and burly star Ma Dong-seok.
Also known as Don Lee, Ma has made a career out of his charm, comedic presentation, and tree trunk-like biceps. After years of success in the Korean film industry, he gained international attention with his outstanding supporting role in Train to Busanwhich led to Hollywood calling, which led to his role as Gilgamesh in Marvel’s Eternals.
His career has recently reached new heights with the Crime City movies, an action thriller franchise in which Ma plays hard-hitting detective Ma Seok-do. The second entrance, The endingwas Korea’s highest-grossing domestic film in 2022, and the recently released third film, No way out, arguably the best in the franchise to date. A fourth movie will be released in 2024, with many more installments planned.
Returning director Lee Sang-yong knows exactly how to highlight everything that makes Ma special. All three Crime City films make full use of his stunning physique, especially in the way they first introduce him to the screen. Each introduction begins with a scene of chaos in a public place, such as a traffic incident that has turned into a fistfight in the street. Then the camera cuts from behind to Ma’s imposing figure, his shoulders taking up the entire width of the screen as he steps forward to deliver justice with his palms or fists, clear the situation so traffic can stop and he can get to work.
Image: BA Entertainment
Mother, who became the president of the Korean Arm Wrestling Federation in 2018, is incredibly charming – even as a tough-as-nails cop, he’s affable, funny, personable, and compact in an extremely endearing way at times. He walks confidently and constantly warns people not to mess with him. His body can fill a frame, but his smile can fill a room.
Ma’s comedic presentation, both in his words and actions, helps elevate these films from brutally fun action to all-encompassing boisterous good times. In No way out, he walks into a group of criminals trying a dangerous new drug, and casually asks them to put the drugs in a Ziploc bag while he takes pictures. They robotically obey before realizing they’re incriminating themselves; that is the power of Ma’s physical presence and charisma. When confronted by people who want to put him down, he reacts with irritation more than anything. It’s like he’s disciplining unruly kids – who just happen to charge at him with guns and have to be disciplined with mind-bending punches.
Image: BA Entertainment
Image: BA Entertainment
Now in her fifties, Ma has not slowed down as an action star. His character has aches and pains, stretching out his arms after a long fight or exclaiming “Gee, I’m tired” in the middle of a fight. But he moves surprisingly fast for a man his age and size, and he hits harder than ever.
And the Crime City movies recognize that those punches are the real star attraction. Mom was once one aspiring boxer himself, and it shows in its smooth movements and impeccable form. He has astonishingly massive fists and arms, and he hits harder than any other action star working today. While his massive physique only suggests his strength, No way out director Lee also knows how to highlight Ma’s unique qualities. Lee’s camera moves with the action and follows the punches, accentuating the blows for maximum impact. When Ma takes down a particularly large opponent, the camera shakes as if there’s an earthquake.
Image: BA Entertainment
Adding to the kinetic camera work is No way out‘s sensational foley work, amplifying each blow – the combined effect makes it feel like Ma is attacking bad guys with a truck, not his fists. The punches hit loudly, but crucially, so do the misses – when fists or knives smell, the air whizzes with the force and danger of the strikes. However, when Ma makes contact, the receiver flies.
The series has the tired trope of “good cop curbed by pesky human rights issues,” including a joke No way out where Ma and fellow cops come up with creative ways to cover the camera while punching someone they are interrogating. These movies live in the shared fantasy world of many cop movies where cops only interrogate bad people who deserve whatever fringe punishment they get. If you have the patience for that archaic idea, you’ll be rewarded with one of the best action series made today.
You don’t need to see the previous Crime City movies to follow No way out, but you should, because they rule, and any excuse to see Ma Dong-seok beating fools is a good excuse. His years of training as a movie star and as a boxer pay off in this series, and the people behind the camera know how to get the most out of it. As these movies continue to show, that’s a recipe for success.
The collection: no way out now playing in cinemas. The first movie in the franchise, The outlawsflows through Viki, free with ads on Tubi, and rentable Amazon. You can stream the second movie, The endingon Viki; watch it for free with ads on Tubi, PlexAnd FreeVee; or rent it out Amazon.