Latest news with #gangsterDrama
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Netflix gangster drama hailed 'the new John Wick' rockets up the charts as fans rave over 'crazy fight scenes and bloody action'
A Netflix gangster drama hailed 'the new John Wick ' has rocketed up the charts, with fans raving over its 'crazy fight scenes and bloody action'. Mercy For None, which hit the streamer on June 6, follows a former gangster (So Ji-sub) who returns to the criminal underworld seeking revenge after his brother is murdered. The South Korean seven-part series is based on a webtoon - a digital comic, written for reading on a smartphone - called Plaza Wars: Mercy For None, by O Se-hyung and Kim Gyun-tae. It has clearly already made an impact on Netflix fans, as the programme has surged through the charts to make it into the platform's top ten TV shows. The show was released on the same day as Ballerina, the spin-off from Keanu Reeves ' John Wick action film franchise, starring Ana de Armas - and fans took to X to say it rivals the major action movie series. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. It has clearly already made an impact on Netflix fans, as the programme has surged through the charts to make it into the platform's top ten TV shows One user said of the noir series: 'Mercy For None was an insane ride. 'A very fast-paced, bloody, action-packed thriller drama with great performances from the ensemble cast and intense crazy fight scenes. It was so good!' Another added: 'It feels like I'm watching a Korean version of John Wick but I love the crazy fights, blood everywhere and revenge! 'And honestly, I'm loving every second of it.' Someone else commented: 'Mercy For None is a compelling addition to the Korean noir genre, featuring a standout performance by So Ji-sub and a storyline rich in suspense and emotional intensity.' Netflix news site Tudum explained further about the magnetic protagonist: 'Eleven years after going into hiding, an ex-gangster returns to Seoul's criminal [underbelly] to find out the truth about his brother's death - and get revenge. 'His weapon of choice? A baseball bat.' The critics were just as impressed with the pulpy action series as the fans. The show was released on the same day as Ballerina, the spin-off from Keanu Reeves ' John Wick action film franchise, starring Ana de Armas - and fans took to X to say it rivals the major action movie series The critics were just as impressed with the pulpy action series as the fans Film news site Collider said: 'Mercy For None lands its blood-soaked action sequences and sufficiently surprising plot to stay engaging, alongside a solid set of central performances... 'Bones crack, bodies fly and blood stains the walls of many villains' hideaways.' K-pop news site Soompi added: 'From brutal hand-to-hand combat to wielding his signature baseball bat and mastering blade fights, So Ji-sub delivers an electrifying performance that sets a new standard for action storytelling.' Streaming review site Decider said it was well worth viewers' time: 'Stream it. The action and revenge story in Mercy For None is enough to keep up watching and the episode are well-paced.' But it did also note: 'We really need to see more context about the rivalry between the gangs in order to really get invested in this story.' Mercy For None joins Netflix's extensive catalogue of South Korean dramas, many of which have proved highly popular with fans. Another of them, Our Unwritten Seoul, which hit the streamer last month, got viewers 'really hooked', gushing 'it's my favourite show of 2025'. Netflix's synopsis of the ten-part series reads: 'Twin sisters, whose similarities end with their looks, swap identities amid personal struggles - embarking on a journey to rediscover love and life.' Netflix's synopsis of the ten-part series reads: 'Twin sisters, whose similarities end with their looks, swap identities amid personal struggles - embarking on a journey to rediscover love and life' From as early as the release of episode two, fans rushed to discussion website Reddit to praise the show, saying how much they enjoyed it. One said: 'I can already tell this drama will be my new 2025 favorite. I was a tad worried it would be too depressing, but it has a good sense of hopefulness and humor that I'm looking forward to.' 'Just finished episode two and this is my favourite drama now. Sometimes it just clicks. My favourite part is the different perspectives of the twins. 'You can really tell them apart and I love Park Bo Young as an actress, she really has a depth that conveys this.'
Khaleej Times
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
'Thug Life' is a gangster drama that's not so tough
Language: Tamil Rating: 2 out of 5 Nearly 38 years ago, Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan gave us Nayakan, the gangster drama made it to Time Magazine's all-time 100 best films and is often hailed as India's answer to Francis Coppola's The Godfather. As I stepped out of the theatre watching Thug Life, their latest collaboration, I just wished they had simply rehashed their cult classic and spared viewers disappointment. Thug Life tries too hard to be a lot of things — and ends up being tedious and predictable. A gangster drama, the movie captures the succession battle in a crime syndicate headed by Rangaraya Sakthivel (Haasan), with old Delhi serving as the backdrop. Hat-tip to cinematographer Ravi K Chandran for capturing the historical city in its full glory on screen. The movie starts with Sakthivel reflecting that death is his biggest enemy and that he has outwitted it on multiple occasions. In a beautiful twist of irony, we're immediately introduced to multiple characters who either want him dead or benefit from his passing. Early on, Sakthivel escapes a police shootout, thanks to Amaran (Silambarasan TR). In gratitude, he anoints him as his successor, leaving many long-standing members miffed. Eventually, Sakthivel becomes a victim of his success, often second-guessing and suspecting his aides, leading to friction. Watch out for the scene where Sakthivel, in a moment of contrition, apologises to Amaran, seated in a car backseat. 'Do you expect me to fall at your feet?' he asks. Ratnam reserves the best for Thug Life in its first half, for it runs out of steam in the latter. (For those unaware, Indian films are often divided into two halves sandwiched with an interval to boost sales at the theatre popcorn counter.) Generic, run-of-the-mill. Words you wouldn't normally reserve for his productions. What we get is a boilerplate betrayal and revenge drama. A character develops into an Oedipus Rex with not much payoff. The characters come in and go (Joju George, Ali Fazal, Ashok Selvan, Mahesh Manjrekar), as do the immaculately choreographed fight sequences, but they don't register on your mind as they ought to. However, where Thug Life falters the most is the portrayal of its women, bereft of any agency. Were there no women assistant directors to review the script and offer their inputs? Think Indrani (Trisha Krishnan), a woman who gets rescued from a place of abuse only to enter a gilded cage, or Jeeva (Abhirami), a woman who we're told had agency but gets a raw deal in life, and one can't miss that sentiment. This feels shocking for someone who gave us some memorable women characters on-screen — be it in 1986's Mouna Raagam, Dil Se (1998), the 2002 war drama inspired by a Time Magazine article, Kannathil Muthamittal. Or even Alaipayuthey (Saathiya). Even worse, excise most such roles from Thug Life and they may not make a dent on the plot. The sequence where Sakthivel gets the pass for adultery from his wife (Abhirami) with a mere apology didn't pass muster with me. The one female role that made a difference was that of Dr Anna (Aishwarya Lekshmi), but it deserved way more screen time. Forget Nayakan, Ratnam's 2018 gangster drama Chekka Chivantha Vaanam, which explored succession within a gangster family with the sons as claimants, felt more compelling. Thug Life' s writing feels underwhelming and takes the easy way out at crucial junctures. Oscar-winner AR Rahman's score and songs for the movie is one of its high points. The viral sensation Jinguchaa gets its pride of place in the movie, with the other, Muththa mazhai, edited out. We're told that this is one of Delhi's biggest crime gangs, but what do they do apart from moving in large numbers in SUVs around? Whatever happened to 'show, don't tell?'
