Enemies In-Law watches two “star-crossed lovers” Chul-soo (Hong Jong-Hyun) and Young-hee (Jin Se-Yun) try to settle the feud between their families so they can ultimately be together. Chul-soo is the son of two “super villains” on the run from a detective who won’t retire until they are caught. That ruthless detective happens to be Young-hee’s father and he is not going to let the son of criminals marry his daughter.
The culprits have astonishing abilities that make them almost untraceable from the eyes of the law and they are also unhappy with the idea of their son marrying into a police family. They learn that Chul-soo has been studying to join the police which seems to be his only way of proving to Young-hee’s family that he is indeed worthy of her. The plot boils down to an ultimatum that Chul-soo must agree to, or he could lose Young-hee.
If you’re new to Korean cinema, especially their comedies, this sort of thing might need a bit of getting used to. The ridiculous nature of this film from the over-staged fights, flashy car chases and Bond-esque rooftop squabbles is really hard to bear sometimes. When you’re not gritting your teeth through the implausible narrative or struggling to work out which is the main and the sub plot, you will find yourself rooting for the underdog and coming to terms with the reality that you’re actually enjoying it. Let’s not forget the genre here, this is a comedy and while it tries to dip into crime and touch upon some mature topics, it isn’t a serious film and it definitely isn’t a crime drama. The styling of Enemies In-Law almost plays homage to any Bond film with the fast-paced soundtrack and the long shots of chases through the streets and on the roads. There’s even a plane hijack to really top it off!
You can watch Enemies In-Law on Netflix UK!
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