While this series of Korean cop thrillers is known for its “monster cop,” a massive former boxer, The Roundup: Punishment turns out to be less fun than anticipated. In the episodic action franchise that started with the hit “The Outlaws” in 2017, Ma Dong-seok, aka Don Lee has continuously played Seok-do who became the only character worth remembering. Thus far in the last three movies, Seok-do’s been punching bad guys across rooms and breaking through anything else that stood between them as well. Anything else you would do with someone looking like Benjamin Grimm’s second cousin?
But in 2017 Lee was not a big deal yet outside Asia especially, so it is hardly surprising that the first two sequels swing violently between broad but unfunny police comedy and bloody but dull crime drama. This film franchise still depends on Lee more and more since each new one of “The Roundups” comes out while bringing him up less. It is still about Seok-do pounding bad guys here, into which he incurs an online casino and some really terrible cases of death. But Lee isn’t even enough in here nor can he exercise his comic acrobatics.
He remains part of a team of otherwise forgettable police officers. They follow rules like getting pissed off at violent criminals and always getting their men. Although they aren’t quite M Squad or The Sweeney, these guys have also got a monster cop working among them sometimes. When he isn’t around, most villains drive these movies starting from desperate crooks who are typically Koreans but never quite fit any place else.
Baek Chang-ki (Kim Mu-yeol) is this movie’s broody villain; an icy ex-mercenary whose cyber gambling den operates in the Philippines. Eventually Baek will find himself clashing with his business partners led by Chang Dong-cheol (Lee Dong-hwi), a weaselly IT prodigy. In addition, Baek will brutally stab one of his casino’s (literally) trapped employees to death. Therefore Baek goes against Seok-do who promises the victim’s mother (who dies practically instantly) to find whoever did it and punish them accordingly.
There are ways of dressing up this kind of plot without moving viewers too far away from, say, action or chase sequences that in most parts may be polished but nothing remarkable, however, there seems to be no concern at all on the part of the producers of ‘The Roundup: Punishment’ for making their latest procedural appear more personal. Without giving anything away. none of what happens within this film really hints towards a strong emotional bond between Seok-do and those whom he claims to fight for. Moreover, Chang is not worth rallying against much when he acts like a big shot spoiled brat because his lines are not so catchy as they would make one root against him. At least Baek never over-promises in his scenes, he glares, he stabs, he kills.
The Roundup: Punishment” goes off the rails hardest when it takes a break from focusing on Don Lee. He is even used as Jang Yi-soo’s (Park Ji-hwan) comic foil after being conned into working with the police by means of a toy FDA badge (he believes he has been deputized). Park plays his part adequately, but his jokes are never as funny as him. If you have to choose between watching this idiot clowning for the camera or enjoying Don instead, who would you choose?
On “The Roundup: Punishment” front, Lee’s appeal is not lost at all. During a chase scene that is somewhat involved, there is a hilarious comedy punchline that he nails. One of Baek’s associates, Choi Yu-Seong (Bae Jae-won), is chased by the police until Seok-do outwits Choi in entering a mini-van from where he could not escape any longer. In Seok-do’s dialogue “Has to be for a reason, right?” we cannot see anything special, however, presence of Lee changes this weak joke into something like Bugs Bunny might have said.
Also action scenes in “The Roundup: Punishment” lack the sort of frenetic energy that has always defined Lee as an actor. There are more boxing moves used in staging these scenes but fewer demonstrations by Seok- breaking down thick walls and knocking people out cold with one hit punch while laughing aloud. The last confrontation with Baek does have some good moments but its overall impression is slight and pretentious.
Given the technical polish and formulaic conventions which keep this series going strong though it looks increasingly stale each season, it wouldn’t be difficult to understand why someone would find “The Roundup: Punishment” appealing. However, better dialogue should go to Lee still even if he says things such as “I made someone a promise. To punish you.”. Even throwaway laugh lines are gobbled up by him as in the scene when Seok-do struggles to follow a motivational speech he had just been subjected to by his Commissioner. The best thing to be excited yet somewhat disappointed for the next “The Roundup” is watching this big fellow carry on despite his bad memory. Lee will someday get the starring role he earns, his comedic timing is exceptional as an action star.
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