Commitment (2013/Well Go USA Blu-ray)

Picture: A- Sound: B Extras: C Film: B+

Myung-hoon (Seung Hyun Choi) and his sister, Hye-in (Ye-ri Han) are orphans in a North Korean concentration camp. In order to save their lives, Myung-hoon agrees to be a spy to infiltrate South Korean as a teenage defector. His mission is to hunt down other spies/government officials while protecting the cover of his own unit, but little does he know, the real dirty secret in behind being a North Korean spy is that no spy ever came home alive. As soon as their job is done the North Korean government leaks their cover to South Korean Intelligence and sends assassins to silence them in Park Hong-soo's Commitment (2013).

Going back to the beginning as the script does, Myung-hoon was just an ordinary boy until, he was forced to became a spy; told if he completes his mission, he and his sister would be set free and will be given a chance for a better life. Two years later, between going to school and espionage, he befriends another girl also named Hye-in in high school and protects her from the school bullies, but when there is a sudden change in North Korean government his unit is suddenly scapegoated and he finds himself on the run and is hunted by both North and South Korean Intelligence! As his team members died off one by one, he must use his all his skills and resources to save his sister and get his revenge at those who betrayed his team.

Written as something like a Korean teenage James Bond film, a young good looking teenager with with deadly assassins skills and weaponry, the film was interesting to see a spy's network, code words and support units can hide in everyday life. As the character leads a double life, he tries not to get involved with others outside his mission, but he can't stand aside when he sees ransom injustice. When he is discovered by the counter intelligence force, only one cop figures out and realizes his sister is being held hostage and he is forced against his will, but in the end, a spy can not afford to trust anyone and no one can trust him either. Ambitious too!

The 1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image transfer is very clean, clear and impressive throughout from its used of color to its use of darkness, while the DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix has a great soundfield if not always delivering huge sonics as we get quiet and dialogue-centered moments for suspenseful effect. Extras include making of the film and trailers.

- Ricky Chiang