Righteous Ties (2006) Movie Review

“Righteous Ties” is yet another in the long and seemingly endless line of Korean gangster films, this time with director Jang Jin attempting to put a fresh spin on the usual themes. Certainly he is one of the few directors likely to be able to do just that, having turned out a number of eccentric, genre-bending pieces in the past with “Murder, Take One” and “Guns and Talks”, both of which, though not entirely successful, did offer unconventional and challenging entertainment. Here, he shies away from the usual depiction of gangsters as a fiercely loyal lot, and instead focuses on cynical betrayals and immoral scheming, with the end result being a quirky and frequently quite funny film which manages to stand out from the pack and carve out its own niche.

The plot begins with top ranking gangster Chi Sung (Jung Jae Young, recently in “Welcome To Dongmakgol”, which was written and produced by Jang Jin) being sent to jail after carrying out a slashing attack and refusing to name his boss as being the man who gave the order. In prison, he comes across Soon Tal (Ryu Seung Yong, also in the director’s “Murder, Take One”), an old comrade he had long thought executed for a gang murder. The two rekindle their friendship, and as Chi Sung slowly adjusts to life inside he begins to form bonds with several of the rather odd inmates.

Meanwhile on the outside, in a shocking act of disloyalty, Chi Sung’s boss decides to send out an order for his death as a means of sweetening a business deal with the same man Chi Sung was jailed for stabbing. Appalled and hungry for revenge, Chi Sung and Soon Tal plan a daring escape, aiming to bring the boss to task for his reprehensible behaviour. Unfortunately, to get to their target, they first have to contend with Ju Joong (Jung Jun Ho, “My Boss, My Hero”), another old friend who has since taken Chi Sung’s place as top henchman.

“Righteous Ties” is a film about family in its various forms rather than criminal activity, with Jang being far more interested in exploring the various character relationships than gang activities as such, with most of the running time following the protagonists behind bars. In general, aside from the friendship between the three main characters, gangsters are portrayed as being without any code of morality, and the usual cinematic myth of them as grim faced knights is effectively deconstructed in a way which lays bare the cynical workings of the criminal hierarchy.

Indeed, Jang repeatedly refers to gangs as companies, clearly showing that they have their own bureaucracy and exist solely as a means of generating money for the men at the top. Although this approach is by no means wholly new or fresh, with other films having also taken a decidedly cynical look at gang life, Jang arguably goes further in terms of deglamourising the key values supposedly at its heart, and manages to do so without wallowing in angst or sorrow at the acts of betrayal, which come as far less of a surprise to the viewer than to the characters.

What really sets the film apart is its sense of humour, with Jang populating the prison with a very strange set of inmates, such as a serial killer and communist politician who are inseparable best friends. As with the director’s previous efforts, the plot gets stranger as time progresses, with a series of quite bizarre events leading the film into genuinely unexpected territory in a manner which works nicely to distance it even further from the usual form. This idiosyncratic shift brings with it even more comedy, with the prison escape playing out as a wacky caper which leads the characters into some pretty absurd situations.

Despite all of this, Jang never loses sight of the central themes, and it is to his credit that although certainly unconventional, the film never degenerates into incoherence or implausibility. Things are kept grounded to a degree through the expected violent scenes of baseball bat beatings and stabbings, which ensure that the viewer never forgets the harsh realities of gang life, and that the humour of the film never undermines its dramatic core.

It is this type of cinematic juggling act which Jang is so good at, and which allows “Righteous Ties” to work as something more complicated and ultimately more rewarding than the average gangster film. Whilst its premise and moody DVD box art may well put off viewers who are understandably tired of the same old tales of bloody loyalty, for those willing to take a chance “Righteous Ties” offers solid entertainment and proves that there is still some spark of life in the genre.

Jin Jang (director) / Jin Jang (screenplay)
CAST: Gyu-su Jeong
Jae-yeong Jeong
Jun-ho Jeong
Jin-mo Ju
Gyu-cheol Kim
Il-wung Kim