"Collectors" Is One Fun, Not-So-Special Adventure Film

Granted, these days, I'm practically outdated with most American entertainment such as how I don't get surprised with how bad Disney is with its live-action remakes and the Star Wars Disney continuity. I still feel that Marvel under Disney ends up with mostly bad results. However, this film, Collectors, obviously borrows from popular culture material from American entertainment like Indiana Jones (which is blatantly mentioned in the film) such as a character is called Dr. Jones (Joo Woo Jin). 

Meanwhile, Kang Doo Hoo (Lee Je Hoon) seems to borrow inspiration from the Arsene Lupin series - a series that came from France, got a Japanese pseudo-sequel called Lupin III, inspired Lupinranger vs. Patranger, and probably this guy is partly inspired by the gentleman thief himself. The gentleman thief himself gets entangled with a romance (?) with the curator Yoon Se Hee (Shin Hye Sun) who is one smart lady. I'd admit I once found a girl who looks like Hye Sun pretty but later... nah. Hye Sun's appearance in this film nearly reminded me of the Chojin Sentai Jetman episode with a bloody diamond because of her resemblance to veteran Japanese actress Sayuri Uchida.

Here, the anti-hero Doo Hoo, has a grudge with the main antagonist, Sang Gil (Song Young Chang) who tried to bury him alive as a child. Shovel Leg (Im Won Hee) is the ever-faithful comedic sidekick that accompanies the hero. There are other characters that get tangled too. I think the whole Se Hee and Do Hoo "romance" can be rather awkward. I mean, if they're trying to make Se Hee the film's version of Fujiko from Lupin III then forget it. Hye Sun isn't a woman known for her good looks but for her acting performance. Then again, Se Hee is a smart curator and NOT a femme fatale. Se Hee even gives Do Hoo a daring heist in regards to a royal tomb. So, I guess Se Hee as a possible love interest still works in some way. Scenes of Se Hee smoking a cigarette tends to get rid of Hye Sun's rather wholesome image - she looks like a woman who's recruiting the youth to join some kind of armed struggle in certain scenes. Fortunately, no scene of Se Hee in a bikini was ever in the film. I'm not eager to see Shin Hye Sun in a two-piece TBH except if it's played for laughs. 

Is it me or are there rather intentional throwbacks to some series? Hye Sun was in a scenario in Still 17 where she saves up a choco pie and loses it.  Was Hye Sun chosen simply for that chocolate pie reference or is it because of her good acting? It's pretty much like a question to ask if I'm in love with an ugly girl thinking she's pretty or is it because that ugly girl has a beautiful mind and I like her in spite of her face? In my case, Hye Sun is pretty much that unattractive woman I'd be interested in (and share choco pies with) due to her intelligence. Hye Sun displays her role as the curator, Se Hee, rather confidently. Though, there's also that awkward moment Hye Sun's rather flat appeal gets emphasized in a massage scene. Fortunately, no singing from Hye Sun this time due to how BAD her voice really gets. Though, Hye Sun was a good choice for the film due to how she carries her speeches rather confidently. I wish Hye Sun had more parts though because of how fascinating she gets. 

Right now, I think I want to study some Korean history all over again. There are various sites to be found. There are also some interesting comedic scenes. However, I think the movie, though fun, still can't live up to the hype that partly inspired it. Although it did have hype in South Korea - I think the film was probably a blatant attempt to get more South Koreans to watch some classic Western adventure films to a young generation. I'd still recommend watching the film then letting people form their own opinion about it.