Man On High Heels (DVD) (2-Disc) (Limited Edition) (Korea Version) DVD Region 3

The homicide detective in question is Yoon Ji Wook, a hard as nails cop known for ruthlessly taking down criminals with violent methods, famous for his fighting skills and general manliness. However, Yoon hides a secret from his admiring colleagues, struggling with his gender identity and having long nursed a desire to become a woman. Though he finally decides to take the plunge and fly to the US to have a sex change operation, matters are complicated when a brutal gang boss (Oh Jeong Se, How to Use Guys with Secret Tips) launches an all-out revenge crusade against him, an unfortunate young woman called Jang Mi (Esom, The Gifted Hands) getting caught in the middle.

Like everything Jang Jin does, Man on High Heels is very hard to categorise or pigeonhole, in the best possible way, being at once a moody action noir, queer cinema, soul-searching character drama and an oddball comedy. Very few directors are as talented as Jang when it comes to playing around with different forms, and the film again sees him subverting cliches while at the same time revelling in them, deconstructing the genre before presenting it in a manner which is both fresh and familiar. What stands out the most however is the way in which the film treats Yoon, being one of the only recent actioners to really try and explore the psychology of its protagonist, providing the tried and tested story not but with a twist, but more importantly with a strong emotional anchor. Pleasingly, Yoon's sexuality and transgender yearnings are never played as a cheap gimmick, and Cha Seung Won is excellent in the lead, bringing pathos and believability to a challenging role. Through this, the film offers one of the most interesting takes on perceptions of modern masculinity in memory, and without ever letting things get too ponderous explores its subject matter with surprising sensitivity.

At the same time, Man on High Heels is a very funny film indeed, Jang getting a great deal of comic mileage out of misunderstandings and the over the top ways in which Yoon is praised and respected by the rest of the cast for what amounts to being the very archetype of violent manliness - Oh Jeong Se's crime boss in particular is hilarious in this respect. Thankfully, Jang manages to work in humour without trivialising the film's basic premise or undermining Yoon's ever-present anguish, and most of the jokes are all the more amusing for being played with a straight face. This having been said, the film does have an odd tone at times, frequently shifting suddenly between delicately emotional moments or farce and extreme violence. As a noir or action film, it's one of the bloodier and most savage of late, packed with knife fights, bludgeoning and sadism, not to mention some really quite horrendous behaviour from its villains. Though it may prove a little too much for some viewers, this hard edge combines well with Jang's immaculate direction and use of colour, giving the film the feel of a true modern noir.

Man on High Heels is another fine effort from Jang Jin, which again underlines his talent and willingness to take risks and to attempt to offer viewers something new. Hopefully a film which will be embraced by open-minded audiences, it's a heady mix of violence, laughs and gender issues, though one which Jang keeps a steady hand on things throughout, ensuring that it's not only coherent, but engaging, thrilling and moving.

by James Mudge - EasternKicks.com