Kill Boksoon

From the two characters’ search for acceptance emerges a tender mother-daughter bond worth its weight in blood.

Fans of over-the-top “John Wick”-style action movies and devotees of art-house cinema should each find something to like in “Kill Boksoon"...

In this magnetic film, Bok-soon's dilemmas as a mother and the moments where they inevitably intersect with her work make for the most thrilling portrayal of work-life balance put to the screen.

“Kill Boksoon” remains impressive, if only for its unexpected sensitivity and considerable emotional range.

Writer-director Byun Sung-hyun, an up-and-coming director, handles the action sequences with real flair, but does an even better job limning the complex, sometimes fraught relationships...

Silly, splashy, CG-assisted nonsense — and at 2 hours 17 minutes, way too long.

The film gets somewhat sloppy with its ending, which undermines the development between mom and daughter.

Kill Boksoon shows a fair amount of emotional vulnerability within its characters, even though Byun could have explored their relationship’s complexities further.

The action sequences are well-done if not exactly thrilling, but the whole shebang is awfully predictable, and while Byun Sung-hyun toys with interesting notions of ethics and “doing the right thing,” that’s all just perfunctory window dressing.

A tremendously fun action-thriller that more than makes up for its formulaic blemishes with an abundance of superb set-pieces, engaging domestic drama and offbeat wit.