THE WITNESS **** South Korea 2018 Dir: Kyu-Jang Cho 111 mins
When Han Sang-hoon, an ordinary man witnesses a cruel murder in the grounds of his apartment complex he becomes entangled in circumstances out of his control. The killer spotted Han witnessing the murder and now Han fears for his own life as the killer may be out to get him next. As the police start to investigate the murder, Han juggles with his own moral duties to report what he witnessed.
Knowing the killer could come after him, and Han also realising he has alot to lose including the new flat him, his wife and daughter just moved into, he decides not to report the crime. As the police investigation intensifies, and the killer stalks Han, it becomes a huge game of cat and mouse. This is an intense thriller directed by Kyu-Jang Cho that is partly reminiscent of REAR WINDOW. It is nearly two hours long but the storytelling is on point with no room to slow down. All that are involved act well with Sung-min Lee as Han Sang-hoon and Sang-ho Kim as Jae-yeop being the standout stars of this film. It is unfortunate that THE WITNESS will get lost amongst the countless other thrillers out there that Hollywood have produced. Those wanting something different from the A – Z of Hollywood thriller making should definitely check out this South Korean thriller. Who knows it may turn you on to discover other films from the far east.
Review by Peter ‘Witchfinder‘ Hopkins