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The Merciless

The Merciless

Action · Crime · Mystery · 2017

Jae-ho, who aims to become the number one in a crime organization, gets to build up trust with Hyun-su, an ambitious newbie in prison. When they try to take over the organization after their release, their ulterior motives start to emerge.

Movie details

The Merciless

“Careful who you trust.”

2017 Action · Crime · Mystery 2h 0m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.2 / 10

Community rating

Jae-ho, who aims to become the number one in a crime organization, gets to build up trust with Hyun-su, an ambitious newbie in prison. When they try to take over the organization after their release, their ulterior motives start to emerge.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Merciless?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Going by the Book

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The chief of Sampo City Police Office, Seung-u, organizes a simulation of a bank robbery, but a by-the-book cop gets too caught up in the role playing in which the simulation doesn't go the way he had anticipated.

The Con Artists

The Con Artists

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A wily safecracker is forced to help a mob boss pull off a $150 million heist, but smells a double-cross in the works.

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Miss & Mrs. Cops

Action · 2019

Once a legendary detective and a new mom, Mi-young, now works a desk job. But when overenthusiastic newbie Ji-hye is assigned to Mi-young's civil complaints team, the two female cops get caught up in a serious criminal case that triggers an action-filled comedic investigation.

The Seven-Ups

The Seven-Ups

Thriller · 1973

A tough detective who is part of an elite New York City unit is trying to find out who killed his partner, but uncovers a plot to kidnap mobsters for money.

The Limits of Control

The Limits of Control

Crime · 2009

A mysterious stranger works outside the law and keeps his objectives hidden, trusting no one. While his demeanor is paradoxically focused and dreamlike all at once, he embarks on a journey that not only takes him across Spain, but also through his own consciousness.

Quick

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The Mask of Dimitrios

The Mask of Dimitrios

Crime · 1944

A mystery writer is intrigued by the tale of notorious criminal Dimitrios Makropolous, whose dead body was found washed up on the shore in Istanbul. He decides to follow the career of Dimitrios around Europe, in order to learn more about the man. Along the way he is joined by the mysterious Mr. Peters, who has his own motivation.

F.I.S.T.

F.I.S.T.

Drama · 1978

Johnny Kovak joins the Teamsters trade-union in a local chapter in the 1930s and works his way up in the organization. As he climbs higher and higher his methods become more ruthless and finally senator Madison starts a campaign to find the truth about the alleged connections with the Mob.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Byun Sung-hyun

Written by

Byun Sung-hyun · Kim Min-su

Sul Kyung-gu

Sul Kyung-gu

Han Jae-ho

Yim Si-wan

Yim Si-wan

Jo Hyun-su

Kim Hie-won

Kim Hie-won

Byung-gab

Jeon Hye-jin

Jeon Hye-jin

In-sook

Lee Kyung-young

Lee Kyung-young

Byung-chul

Moon Ji-yoon

Moon Ji-yoon

Young-geun

Jang In-sub

Jang In-sub

Min-chul

Court is in session

Put The Merciless on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Big-Idea Head

“Its refusal to behave is the point.”

The strange choices create the kind of friction that follows you out of the theatre and into the argument.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Oddness is not depth.”

A film can break every rule and still leave nothing behind but the memory of how hard it tried to be singular.