I, the Executioner is the follow-up to Seung-wan’s Veteran. I hadn’t seen it, and I loved this one. So don’t let that hold you back from checking this one out. South Korean action films and police thrillers are always engaging, and they aren’t afraid to get dark.

Veteran cop, Do-cheol (Hwang Jung-min) works in the Violent Crimes Investigative Division. He and his team are working on hunting down a serial killer who sees themselves as a vigilante and has populist media platforms behind him.

As they investigate, they are joined by a rookie cop, Park Sun-woo (Jung Hae-in), who needs to be reassigned because of his violent behaviour.

As the killer hunts down those who escaped justice and visits the fate of those they wronged upon them, the team works hard to discover the killer; it’s fairly obvious from the outset to the viewer, but it’s interesting to see how the team works and discovers the truth.

There are lighter moments, some comedic gold, but when the violence hits, it’s visceral and brutal. As Do-Cheol gets closer, his family will be in danger, and the cost to discover the truth may be high.

The action sequences are intense, and the rooftop sequence and the climax are standouts in terms of fight choreography, and intensity. They are strongly shot, paced and edited combining into breathless white-knuckle sequences.

The film is fast-paced and fun, but those fights, when they hit, they hit hard and resonate through the audience in waves. Ryoo has crafted a tightly paced tale that allows the story to balance its themes of vigilantism, populism, with action beats and wonderful character bits.

After last year’s Smugglers, Ryoo won me over as a fan, so it looks like I will have to hunt down Veteran. And if you are looking for a fantastic police thriller layered with violence and laughs, check out I, the Executioner it screens both Saturdays of the festival and is guaranteed to entertain.