Synopsis:
Based on true events, HARBIN tells the gripping story of Korean independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun (Hyun Bin) as he embarks on a daring mission in 1909, with Japan’s annexation of Korea looming. Determined to alter history, Ahn and his comrades plot a high-stakes assassination—one they hope will spark a revolution. Driven by patriotism and the dream of a free Korea, HARBIN is a powerful tale of sacrifice, courage, and defiance against an unstoppable empire.
What We Thought:
Harbin is a solid political/war thriller with a story I was unfamiliar with. I’m going to be honest, I know very little about Japan’s occupation of Korea in the early 20th century so I can’t tell you how accurate the film is, but it’s an interesting watch with good acting.
The story is about some freedom fighters in Korea. Their leader lets a Japanese officer live and that comes back to haunt him. To prove his Patriotism he decides to make a move on Japan’s emperor who’s traveling by train through parts of countries run by Russia, Japan, China, etc. His group of freedom fighters are willing to risk their lives for Korean independence, but they might have a mole in the group relaying information to Japan.
Since I did not know the story, I didn’t know how it would end. I’m glad for that. It held my attention throughout and felt like a taut thriller. The actors do a great job with the action and drama and the whole movie feels believable. It’s just under two hours long so it’s not drawn out and gets into the plot pretty quickly.
For a movie I knew nothing about I quite liked Harbin. The lead actor is very good as is the supporting cast. The story is very interesting and the film does a good job adapting the real life events. No one feels out of place or miscast. The story feels authentic and doesn’t feel like anything was added or changed to appeal to an audience. I’d assume this was a hit in Korea because I enjoyed it not knowing a thing about this historical event so I’m sure those who grew up on its history really liked it.
Country of Origin: South Korea
HARBIN has a runtime of approximately 114 minutes and is not rated.
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