Haan (DVD) (Hong Kong Version) DVD Region All

The titular Han Gil Su immigrated to Hawaii from Korea when he was just five years old, and eventually grows up to take a position working for the Japanese consulate in Honolulu. But that isn't his only job Han is really a double agent, spying for the United States with whom his true loyalties lie. While working in the consulate, Han discovers Japan's intent to attack Pearl Harbor and destroy America's Pacific Fleet in a surprise attack meant to cripple the U.S. Navy. Han attempts to warn the Americans, but is put off and his dire warnings are apparently ignored. As the date of the attack looms, can he stop the surprise attack?

Haan is buoyed by Ahn Jae Mo, a famous television actor in Korea who makes the seamless transition to the big screen. Ahn convincingly conveys the difficulties of living a double life, pretending to serve one master while working for another, and the constant danger of being discovered. He also displays the frustration of helplessness as a catastrophe to his adopted country creeps ever closer and he is powerless to stop it. Ahn doesn't just use his voice to convey his character's raw, conflicted emotions, but employs subtle slight facial expressions and body language. Also effective in her role is Yim Yoo Jin, playing a Japanese woman who risks her life to help Han, even though it goes against her own loyalties.

Director Lee In Soo wisely approaches Haan as a spy thriller, a decision that makes the film far more interesting to watch than if it had been a dry docudrama based on actual facts. Although the audience is well aware of the eventual outcome (Pearl Harbor was bombed, thousands of Americans died, and the Pacific Fleet was indeed crippled, but not destroyed), Lee still manages to create a good amount of suspense. He also keeps the action moving at a brisk pace, and keeps the running time at roughly 90 minutes to prevent things from being too drawn out. The cinematography is also excellent, adding visual flair with crisp colors. The musical score is never overpowering, and serves to accentuate the action instead of threatening to overtake it.

Haan's only flaw is the lack of historical information available to the filmmakers, for the simple reason that there is little written about Han Gil Su in the history books. This results in a cautionary approach to the film, as one can't really know for sure how much of what we see onscreen is fact-based and how much is artistic license. That is true with any film based on a real person, but with so little information available about the actual Han Gil Su, it would have been a plus to know more about the man himself. One would think that the true story of the man's life, and what he was attempting, could certainly have held an entire movie together without the need for conjecture.

In the final analysis, Haan succeeds by entertaining as well as educating. The film, whether most of it is based on fact or made up for the purposes of a good movie, nevertheless sheds light on an unknown hero of the Pearl Harbor attack. Because of this, Haan will not only appeal to history buffs, but any moviegoer who appreciates a finely crafted thriller that takes a new angle on a story that has been told many times in many different ways. The perspective in Haan is one you definitely haven't seen before.

Movie Grade: 4/5

Review by Erick - BeyondHollywood.com