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Asura: The City of Madness
아수라
2016 136 min South Korea 18+
★6.9
Action, Crime, Thriller
Director: Sung Soo Kim
Trailers
Description
A shady cop finds himself in over his head when he gets caught between Internal Affairs and the city’s corrupt mayor.
US Gross:
$175,702
Worldwide:
$18.2M
Starring
Jung Woo-sung
Actor
Hwang Jung-min
Actor
Ju Ji-hoon
Actor
Awards
6 wins & 20 nominations total
Key opinion
Asura: City of Madness is a grim, hyper-violent crime thriller that explores themes of systemic corruption and human decay. While audiences praise the visceral performances and technical craft, critics remain polarized by the film's relentless nihilism and the lack of a traditional moral anchor.
| Acting | The cast delivers raw, transformative performances that bring vivid intensity to morally repugnant characters. | |
| Cinematography | The cinematography effectively utilizes dark tones, rain, and moody lighting to reinforce the film's oppressive atmosphere. | |
| Theme | The film's extreme, graphic violence acts as a polarizing stylistic choice, with some seeing it as an honest reflection of corruption and others finding it excessive and nihilistic. | |
| Pacing | The viewing experience is split between those who find the dark, slow-burn narrative gripping and those who find the protagonist’s lack of clear motivations exhausting. |