Take your seat.|Aug. 03, 2022|South Korea|140 Min.|Not Rated
Genre: Drama;K-Drama;Thriller
Description: Emergency Declaration 2022 is a Korean disaster film that tells a gripping yet fictional story. The plot centers on a commercial airliner traveling from Incheon, South Korea, to Honolulu, Hawaii. Passengers aboard the flight are taken hostage by Jin-seok, a disgruntled biologist portrayed by Yim Si-wan. Jin-seok releases a deadly homemade virus simply because he finds it amusing.
The film, directed by Han Jae-Rim, is a dramatic and chaotic portrayal of a crisis, striving to evoke both fear and empathy from its audience. While not based on true events, the movie employs a realistic style reminiscent of Paul Greengrass’s “United 93,” featuring handheld camera work, a muted color palette, and extended periods of tension.
Starring prominent Korean actors Jeon Do-yeon, Lee Byung-hun, and Song Kang-ho, the film leans into emotional manipulation with a Hans Zimmer-inspired score and heart-wrenching plot twists. Although production began in 2019, its release during the pandemic made its celebratory tone feel premature and, at times, insensitive.
The narrative follows detective In-ho (Song Kang-ho) as he pursues Jin-seok in a race to stop the unfolding catastrophe. The stakes are personal—In-ho’s wife is among the passengers of Sky Korea flight K1501. Other key characters include co-pilot Hyun-soo (Kim Nam-gil) and flight attendant Hee-jin (Kim So-jin), though their development remains superficial.
Much of the film’s first half focuses on Jin-seok’s erratic behavior, from harassing a Sky Korea employee to interacting with unsuspecting passengers like Jae-hyuk (Lee Byung-hun) and his daughter Soo-min (Kim Bo-min). Despite its intense setup, the film’s over-the-top attempts at emotional engagement often feel forced and calculated.
Overall, Emergency Declaration aims to deliver a high-stakes, humanity-driven drama but falls short with its exaggerated storytelling and lack of subtlety.
Cast director: Han Jae-rim
Cast actor: Song Kang-ho, Lee Byung-hun, Jeon Do-yeon, Kim Nam-gil, Yim Si-wan, Kim So-jin, Park Hae-jun, Seol In-a, Kim Bo-min, Moon Sook
Original name: 비상선언