Tyrant

The long-expected "The Tyrant" doesn't disappoint! Still, there is a small fly in the ointment!

Director Park is juggling too many balls for the first three episodes. He makes it slightly difficult for the viewer to trace them, especially in the dimly lit scenes. So when he catches them all successfully in episode 4, the viewer is already a bit tired. Just as the capsule is missing, something is missing in the storyline to rivet you wholeheartedly to the screen. I have high respect for Director Park. Yet I think he starts telling the story as if he has all the time in this world, while towards the end, he rushes to bring all the loose ends together. Perhaps because of his vast vision? He takes joy in crafting films that reflect his personal vision, paying little heed to traditional storytelling or pursuing commercial success. He offers his perspective and style, leaving it to you to accept or reject. Much like a true modern artist, he indulges in his individual style and preferences. So it takes time to like it or lump it.

However, he has the knack of selecting a brilliant cast, which makes up for the high mortality rate in this movie/drama.

Of course, Kim Seon Ho as the calm reserved and charismatic Director Choe makes the most of it as usual!

For some who may not be aware, this series was created by the same director who brought you the Witch: Part 1 - The Subversion (an excellent movie) and the Witch Part II (a terrible movie). All three share the same premise and can be viewed as different parts of a same franchise. This third offering in this franchise lands somewhere between the first and second movies, closer to the first movie I suppose. If you are a fan of this franchise or just the first movie, the chances are pretty good you will like this 4-episode series. However, I do want to warn you that you have to pay real close attention to understand who's working with who and what factions are fighting against each other. As mentioned in another review, the lighting is inexplicably poor. I can go on and pick out couple of other annoying points.

However, the fact of the matter is the series is very compact (total running time of maybe less than 2 hrs) and is quite entertaining.

"The Tyrant" is a mini-series that serves as a side story to the movie ' The Witch ' and it unfolds into its universe.

The action is, of course, a highlight. If you like pure action and violence, this show is the answer for you. Brutality, gore, blood, guns, whatever you need, it's all here, and in the most violent form.

The cinematography is stunning, with wide shots showcasing the intensity of each battle, and the fight choreography is still on brand with the franchise. While the gore has been toned down, it doesn't take away from the high-stakes brutality that defines this universe.

Now, while the drama delivers on action and performances, the plot itself is fairly simplistic. It doesn't try to reinvent the wheel; instead, it just gives us a fast-paced chase where everyone's after the same thing. And while that's fine for a side story, it doesn't necessarily add much depth to the Witch universe. If you're hoping for deeper world-building about the origins of the Tyrant program or how it connects to the broader narrative, you might leave with more questions than answers.

One of the biggest surprises of The Tyrant is its new female lead Chae Ja-gyeong (Jo Yoon-Soo) is an absolute legend in the role. She really carries most of the show on her shoulders.

If you're deeply invested in The Witch universe, it's worth the watch. If you're just here for great action and don't mind an open-ended narrative, you'll have fun. But if you're looking for major story revelations? You won't miss much by skipping it.

This is one giant plothole without bottom.

I haven't found one single scene that made any sense or was not laughable. Within the same korean spy agency they murder each other in the dozens for some reason you only get to know at the end of the show.

The Americans also get involved and a lot of allies and colleagues spend the whole season murdering each other.

The Koreans also hire some outside assassins to do the job for them.

Why?

No idea.

Anyway, these hired assassins single-handedly maim and murder hordes of their opponents who never manage to hit them with a bullet once or to stab them.

Perhaps in korean 007 spy classes they don't teach you how to shoot or some basic martial arts.

And that is basically the whole show. Two assassins hired by korean agents are killing korean agents who hired them who also kill each other while American agents kill everyone.

The action scenes are laughable at best because the two assassins always survive every fight unscathed and kill hundreds of people without anyone in Korea caring about some mass murderers on the loose.

Nothing makes sense in that show.

They tried to fill a giant plothole with one laughable action scene after the other.

There is also no irony or fun in that show like in other over the top action movies or tv-shows. All the characters are stale and unlikelable there is no hero and you'd wish for all of them to drop dead right away.

It is an insult to the intelligence ot the viewer - even to those who normally consume these kinds of shows.

Only the last episode reveals why there is some mass killing going on in Korea among Koreans working for the same spy agency.

They all seem to fight over some kind of serum that turns people into supersoldiers. The only drawback of that genius serum is that it kills you when you are hit by sunlight.

Right. No supesoldiering during the day. Really a supersmart serum worth killing your colleagues for. Duh.

But it turns out one of the killing parties already has that serum and they already have supersoldiers!

And what is more, their serum does not kill whoever takes it because their supersoldiers always walk around happily during bright and sunny days.

Sooo, why fight for an inferior serum and kill everyone when you already have a way better one?????

And why are shows like these even made?

And why did I watch it at all?

Someone please give me some serum that makes me forget I watched it!

And please don't kill half of Korea to get it for me.

Thanks!

Wow, what can you say about Park's new show! The pacing, acting, script and plot were all TOP NOTCH in the first 3 episodes.

The main heroine plays it cool: fits the role well. The govt baddies all seem 3 dimensional, and also including the Black ops team. The only criticism is Paul, whose English is kinda bad and unbelievable. His Korean acting is a lot better. All other supporting characters have a great script to work with!

Usually for many K dramas, lines are repeated, actors OVER act, and the action is slower paced. Not with Tyrant... layers & layers of tough-as-nail characters that play their roles superbly. Nothing is predictable until we hit the last episode. Some lazy script writing complemented by a vial/virus as black as... Venom from Spiderman comics/movies! A bit disappointed but still a thumbs up.