AnhartLinkin
This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.
ActuallyGlimmer
The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.
Lela
The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.
Caryl
It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.
phoenix 2
This movie was seriously good. Funny and sad at the same time, is a roller coaster of emotions with the enough dose of action in it. So, the story is about an undercover agent who lives as the fool of his neighbourhood in order not to get discovered. The performances were really good from every actor, and especially touching, as they portrayed brotherhood, friendship, loyalty but family dynamics as well. The first part of the movie is more comical, with the funny scenes replacing the action ones with ease. The second part is packed with action and drama, with the final tragic ending that concludes the movie, leaving the audience with a human, bittersweet message. I loved the fact that the ending wasn't predictable, or smoothed down so the final scene will have a happy ending. So, 8 out of 10.
Iva Keremedchieva
I played it with no huge expectations or excitement, since I, my self, were also here because of the cast + I am not a huge fan of action movies. Well, let me tell you, ladies and gentlemen, that this was one of the most stunning and unique movies I've ever seen. I am not even exaggerating. I was literally blown away by it. The plot was well- done - beautiful ordinary story, starting almost imperceptibly, which later turns into something really deep and personal filled with all kinds of emotions.At first, it seems too long indeed, but it absorbs you so much you don't feel the hours passing by. You can't help but laugh at the beginning and you can't help but cry a river in the end. It really pictures well how the real world is and how tragic the political conflicts are. You get the two points of view and learn that soldiers are something much more than killing machines. This movie had everything - exciting plot, laughter, tears, good acting, good scenes, everything. I strongly recommend it to anyone, regardless of your genre preferences. I really believe that it is a movie worth seeing and it will not let you down.
Mike-DD
I read a short review of the film before watching it and so expected it to be a typical Korean comedy. But it surprised me with credible drama and lots of parkour-style action as well.In short, this is a film about 3 North Korean sleeper spies in the South. The first half of the film shows them in their sleeper lives and how they, especially Won (played by Soo Hyun Kim), live their dual lives. Won as the village idiot has the best role - an intelligent, highly capable spy acting as a dumb grocer's assistant. It's always a treat to see him alternate between his dual identities, though his dumb act consists mostly of falling down or off something.The other characters warm your heart too. There is the musician-wannabe spy who mocks Won and his loyalty to the North, the young spy who looks up to his idol-mentor Won, the party girl whose deepest secret is her longing for her unplanned child given away for adoption, the son of the grocer who cares for and loves his mother and Won more than he appears to, and the grocer-mother who treats Won as a son despite her crusty exterior, and others.The humor in the dialogue is sometimes unexpected, which is another plus. The parkour-style action scenes are short but thrilling, and the fight choreography are exciting to watch. Stories involving the different characters are told within the main story, creating subplots which are heartwarming and interesting for the most part. When the final order comes, the internal and external conflicts over it drive the 2nd half of the movie. And I loved and hated the ending for being so good and being so good it hurt that it didn't end any other way.If you're looking for a comedy with heart and action, I'd definitely recommend this over the common rehashed Hollywood ones. At the very least, it manages to get the story told (and it's a long story) without too many distractions or wishy-washy segues.
Gordon-11
"Secretly, Greatly" tells a captivating story of three young man, trained to be killing machines, sent to South Korea as spies and assimilate into the local society. While they await further instruction from the party, they forge a friendship with the local community.The first half of the film is comedic, with the lead character acting foolish and funny. However, right from the start, the viewers know he is just pretending to be stupid, as he makes many mental calculations on all possible permutations of events in his head. Such a double life requires a lot of dedication and perseverance.The second half of the film turns into a adrenaline fuelled action film, with much brutal fist fights and valiant defiance of orders. It is presented so well, that it keeps people captivated with the three men's psychological struggle and physical struggle. They manage to take down tens of tough guys in fist fights normally is unrealistic and even annoyingly silly, but in "Secretly, Greatly" their seemingly omnipotent fists provide something for viewers to marvel at. Maybe it is because they are not just fighting for the sake of fighting, but fighting for survival, both physically and ideologically against a tyrannical regime.The interspersed subplot about the idiot's longing for his mother is very touching. In the three men's native country, people are brainwashed to believe that the party is way more important than their blood family. Hence there is a constant deep seated struggle; and their longings could never be fulfilled. The plot is profoundly powerful towards the end of the film, when everything culminates to an emotional and action climax."Secretly, Greatly" is a great gem that deserves to be seen. I enjoyed watching it tremendously.