South Korea
2020 114 mins
OV Korean
Subtitles : English
Early one morning, two monks come across a young colleague who says he is guarding the Hwangyeong Temple pagoda because of a rumour that a grave robber is operating in the area. The problem is that the man of faith is actually said grave robber, Dong-goo (Lee Je-hoon, TIME TO HUNT). Bold and brazen, he plans to steal a priceless golden Buddha. He then finds himself hunted by the men of the Machiavellian Jin Sang-gil (Song Young-chan, DOOMSDAY BOOK), a cruel collector of cultural artefacts with unlimited resources. Following a transaction with the beautiful Sae-hee (Shin Hye-sun, A DAY), the wealthy businessman's adjutant, Dong-goo begins a risky association with Mr. Jin. Caught in a trap, he offers to steal the legendary sword of King Taejo, the founder of the Joseon Dynasty. In order to get his hands on this unobtainable relic, he will have to assemble a team whose talents are matched only by their, shall we say, peculiar personalities...
At once an adventure film, an immersion into the history of South Korea, a gripping crime drama and a comedy riffing on its mismatched characters, COLLECTORS is the perfect fusion between OCEAN'S ELEVEN and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. Written by the versatile Hwang Dong-hyuk, author of the blockbuster historical drama THE FORTRESS and the comedy MISS GRANNY (Audience Award winner, Fantasia 2014), it's hardly surprising that this astonishing directorial debut by Park Jung-bae was a resounding success at the Korean box office, despite the pandemic. Led by the talented Lee Je-hoon, who can carry a hard-hitting drama (BLEAK NIGHT) as well as a whimsical comedy (GHOST SWEEPER), COLLECTORS boasts a stellar cast including Jo-Woo-jin (RAMPANT), Lim Won-hee (THE BIG CHIEF) and Park Se-wan (NO MERCY). A funny, action-packed romp loaded with clever twists and turns! Translation: Rupert Bottenberg
