Harbin made its world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, and to say that I was beyond excited to witness a feature film starring Hyun Bin and my precious Lee Dong-wook would be the understatement of the century. This experience resulted in an intense interest in Woo Min-ho’s directorial work, immense satisfaction with Hyun Bin and Lee Dong-wook’s on-screen chemistry and a fierce internet deep dive cross-checking details from the film with a real-life I wasn’t aware of. Needless to say, Harbin is a successful endeavour bringing a critical piece of history to the big screen.
The latest from Woo Min-ho follows resistance fighter Ahn Jung-geun (Hyun Bin) and his fellow independence activists as they band together for the ambitious mission of assassinating Japan’s first Prime Minister, Itō Hirobumi, and smoke out a rat in their midsts. The feature is an intense, chilling thriller that follows the precarious yet meticulous planning, the sudden hurdles, and the enduring hope for success.
Ahn is led by his humanity, wearing his heart on his sleeve, which makes him a key figure in the resistance. No matter how much pushback he receives, primarily from Lee Chang-seop (Lee Dong-wook), his determination to fight, even at his own expense, makes him the resolute leader of this mission.
For a historical biographical film of this nature, it is incumbent on the production to cast an actor who can summarize years of hardship, struggle, faith and hope in the briefest of expressions and movements, as the film is only capturing a snapshot of this person’s life–we won’t get a laborious origin story showcasing how the subjugation of Korea personally impacted Ahn Jung-Geun. Cue Hyun Bin. The internationally recognized actor is well-known for his romantic comedy and action projects, showcasing a range of emotions that make him exceptional in this role. He has proven capable of sensitive portrayals and expressing a strong exterior.
As General Ahn, he is tasked with playing a man who feels the weight of Korea’s fate on his shoulders, but on a personal scale, he is burdened with the significant cost of independence: losing friends and allies left and right, and sometimes being solely responsible. Hyun Bin delicately plays this role as not overtly tough or indignant, opting for a more sensitive and tempered performance that is infinitely more emotive. Hyun Bin may have the resume to explain why he should have this role, but witnessing his talent as he plays Ahn is extremley validating. His expressive eyes are what really seal the deal, as so much pain, fury, passion and sadness resides in his gaze as he treads forward on what is effectively a suicide mission.
However, you cannot have a story about the honourable fight for independence without a more gruff, take-no-prisoner persona on the scene. Enter Lee Dong-wook. The actor has an extensive resume filled with diverse roles, all relying on his incomparable talent to emote with his eyes and face. I can’t lie, Lee Dong-wook was the reason I needed to watch this, and I am not disappointed with his performance. Lee Chang-seop is an ally but adversarial to Ahn Jung-Geun since they fundamentally disagree with how to approach the fight for independence. Ahn has a heart that opens him up to spare the enemy, whereas the hardened Lee is not quick to show mercy. The tension between them adds to the film’s intensity, but what shines the most is the palpable brotherhood.
Lee Dong-wook matches Hyun Bin’s energy effortlessly, easily navigating the points where their character’s personalities meet and when they diverge, creating a delicate dance between the pair despite them being on the same side. As the second lead, to an extent, Lee Dong-wook is a true scene-stealer, with his natural charisma shining bright every moment he is on screen. However, I was captivated by how he and Hyun Bin play two sides of the same coin.
The two anchor this cast which is filled with heavy hitters. Park Jeong-min and Jo Woo-jin flank Hyun Bin and Lee Dong-wook as their comrades, fleshing out the subplot of discovering the mole within the resistance. Park Hoon is effectively used as a key weapon against the activists and Jeon Yeo-been rounds out the cast as a critical ally to the mission. Each character could easily have their perspective be the focal point of the film simply for how good they are in their respective roles, but as supporting players to Ahn’s story, the narrative feels well-rounded and complete.
Woo Min-ho dives into the story, focusing on the people and the spirit of Korean independence rather than developing a sweeping epic about the larger conflict between Korea and Japan. Ahn, Lee and the comrades carry with them a terribly grim fate, but they do so with pride and determination because they would rather fight than lay down and accept defeat. Ahn will be a martyr after all is said and done. Still, Woo Min-ho doesn’t exploit the historical position by overblowing the character, heightening his actions or derailing the film’s momentum with tedious monologues or explosions about his past. Instead, his approach is more human, tapping into Ahn’s anxieties, his shaken confidence after losing his comrades and his near self-destructive drive to see his mission through to the end.
From our little yet effective time with him, Itō Hirobumi is established as the face of all that Ahn stands against. However, there isn’t some big showdown between the two, and there is no preamble of Ito personally wanting to destroy Ahn. These two stand on opposite ends of this situation yet will cross paths at critical times in their lives and countries. However, the enormity of the situation is quietly portrayed in Woo’s film as he zeroes in on the resistance fighters, their bonds, their dreams, their need for vengeance, their need for peace, and their acceptance of their fates.
Harbin is an outstanding feature that layers the power of effective cinematography, impactful music, and powerful performances. Woo’s direction is finely crafted, leveraging the tension between the brothers and the larger conflict born from Japan’s Subjugation of Korea to create palpable kinetic energy that is felt throughout. The movie moves briskly but not too fast to give the audience the time to build relationships with the characters. The ensemble as a whole is wonderful, adding to the impassioned cause led by Ahn.
The film begins and ends with Ahn crossing the frozen Tumen Lake, a stark yet beautiful image that encapsulates what Woo hopes audiences feel from the story: that despite a frigidly bleak reality, Ahn had within him the eternal flame of hope to keep him and the independence movement moving. What is ultimately a sad conclusion should be met with tearful pride and happiness because, eventually, Korea gained independence.
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