A kidnapping flick that pairs an intuitive cop with a psychic sidekick? Sign me up! Writer-director Kwak Kyung-taek's The Classified File has just the right mix of supernatural deduction and police procedural to keep fans of either form of storytelling hooked. This thriller also benefits from a pair of consistently reliable stars in its two primary roles. As the beleaguered police detective on the case, Kim Yun-seok is back to doing what he does best: playing an eternally-tired-looking policeman whose world-weary wisdom makes him an existential hero in a not-quite-ethical law enforcement department. As his temporary partner — a hard-luck fortune-teller with useful visions and elemental associations that may help solve the crime — Yoo Hae-jin looks equally overwhelmed by the world ... and the other world as well.
Based on a true story, The Classified File isn't a whodunit so much as it's a "will they rescue that little girl in time" type of tale. Kwak isn't overly preoccupied with throwing red herrings at you so you'll think the victim's father (Song Young-chang) or the criminal investigation chief (Lee Yoon-hee) may be in on the crime so much as he's giving you a sense of urgency based on the idea that as more time passes, the likelihood of the young girl surviving decreases. He's also showing how often political machinations behind the scenes get in the way of catching the criminal. Everyone wants to win a medal! That he keeps the kidnapped child unheard and unseen through much of the movie leaves us wondering if she's long dead and the whole investigation is for naught. After all, that's what the psychic's teacher said!
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