A visually striking period drama from Woo Min-ho, “Harbin” follows Korean independence activist Ahn Jung-geun (Hyun Bin) as he plans the assassination of Japan’s Prime Minister in 1909, shortly after Korea’s annexation. The ploy involves numerous trains and several moving parts, resulting in a gripping last act that makes for a wonderful historical imagining. En route to this engaging climax, Woo also introduces a mystery element that keeps the wheels of the story turning, even when it may not have enough steam.
Woo’s eye-popping vistas stand out right from the start, during lonely shots of Ahn traversing an icy hellscape. Context is eventually added to this scene of wandering,
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