Typhoon

Ambitious and impressive, both in its provocative themes and superb production design using striking sets and locations in Korea, Russia and Thailand, this handsome epic amply rewards audiences willing to go the distance.

Eventually, Typhoon succumbs to the usual special-effects bombast and plot overkill.

The action come fast and thick, and the sentimentality reaches near-operatic proportions.

As silly movies go, this one is at least pretty exciting. But in the end, Typhoon leaves you feeling as exiled from the two Koreas as Sin is.

This may be the biggest production in Korean-film history, but viewers should search elsewhere for a better sampling of what the country has to offer.

Mainstream moviegoers will be put off by the subtitles, and art-house fans will be insulted by the story's shallowness.

A cheap-looking action movie that sabotages itself at almost every turn.