Extreme Job: Why Did the Chicken Cross the Police Lineup

"Are we cops or a chicken joint," one of the characters asks in Lee Byeong-heon's ultra-silly Extreme Job. That's a false polarity though because clearly as the movie goes on, this deep-fried squad is actually both. Sure, they're collectively running a thriving business inspired by the ribs recipe of Detective Ma (Jin Seon-kyu). But they only ended up "pretending" as a cover for their real career as narcs, hoping to bust an operation that's set up shop across the street. None of them were expecting this sideline scheme to end-up being such a success. Least of all, Captain "Zombie" Ko (Ryu Seung-ryong). So what's to do when the cash starts flowing?

Sabotage their business model? They try, time and again yet no matter how limited the menu and how overpriced, this spicy sauce-up can't stop from being an internet sensation. And while Ko's new financial security has its charms, Extreme Job might wait a little too long before the martial arts kick in during this action comedy. Considering Detective Jang (Lee Hanee) and lead surveilance Young-ho (Lee Dong-hwi) have martial arts in their backgrounds, it seems a shame to wait until the very end to let the physical hijinks emerge. An earlier scene involving two shirtless male crews going head to head in a loft while sexily entertaining doesn't feel especially connected to the tale at hand. Not that you can ever have too much hot sauce.

Alienoid: The Return to the Future: ET2

If you missed my earlier review, I thoroughly enjoyed the first Alienoid movie last year. Why that flick didn't land on my top ten list for 2023 may be simply because I sometimes make faulty judgments in my annual "best of" roundups. And so, I was excited about the return of this sci-fi franchise: A world where human bodies double as ET prisons and robots work for good. Did I want to see more of the star-crossed lovers (Kim Tae-ri and Ryu Jun-yeol), the humanoid cats (Lee Si-hoon and Shin Jeong-geun), and the two comically cocky sorcerers (Yum Jung-ah and Jo Woo-jin)? You bet I did. I even welcomed the addition of a blind swordsman (Jin Seon-kyu) and the expanded role of his equally skilled descendant, a customs-officer/auntie (Lee Hanee) who's been waiting her whole life to fight alien invaders on behalf of our planet Earth.

Now, time travel movies are tricky. But time travel sequels that recount the exact same story while incorporating different elements are even trickier. Meaning Alienoid 2 does get confusing and redundant depending on who you are as writer-director Choi Dong-hoon flips between the 14th and 21st centuries. New viewers will never truly understand all this business about the red gas bubbles. Old viewers are left to utter joyously "Oh, that's right..." as memories of A1 plot-points get triggered. Like Park Hoon-jung's The Witch: Part 2, A2 doesn't quite blow the door of its predecessor via a reorienting return. But a fresh coat of paint on something you like can sometimes suffice for an evening's pleasure.

The Bros: Siblings in Death

How many times have I started The Bros? Four times? Six times? More? A comedy you don't find funny is always a tough film to finish, even if it's the only Korean feature in the Netflix lineup that you haven't seen. Yet today, I am committed. And so, once again, I cue up the movie, hit play, and watch the story of two antagonistic brothers seeking resolution and riches at their grandfather's fortune-making funeral. Brother number one is Suk-bong (Ma Dong-seok), an impoverished history professor in search of two gold Buddha statuettes; brother number two is Joo-bong (Lee Dong-hwi), a low-level exec who works for a development company that wants to plow through the hometown.

Once the family secrets come out, as they often do at such occasions, nothing will be as it was: bloodlines will be questioned as well as who is alive and who is dead. Despite the dire predicaments, a happy ending seems inevitably ahead. But this comedy of manners requires a greater understanding of Korean cultural rituals and mores than I have, even with my many years of reviewing Korean movies, in order to generate laughs. Would the slapstick, fashion choices, family dynamics in Jang You-jeong's silly satire be riotous if I understood the references, taboos, and transgressions throughout? Until I get there, I'll have to settle for a kooky mom (Lee Hanee) and fraternal love.