Train to Busan presents PENINSULA (Well Go Entertainment Blu Ray/DVD combo)
Release Date: November 24,2020. 1 hr 56 min.Color. English (Dolby Digital 5.1), Korean (Dolby Digital 5.1) English Subtitles. $29.98 S.R.P. https://www.amazon.com/Train-Busan-Presents-Peninsula-Blu-ray/dp/B08FXMKNRY/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=train+to+busan+presents+peninsula&qid=1605892861&sr=8-3
If TRAIN TO BUSAN (2016) was comparative to ALIEN (Fox,1979) with it’s characters trapped aboard a speeding bullet train, then PENINSULA would be their ALIENS (Fox ,1986). As we are experiencing the second wave of COVID-19 at the time of writing this review, these films about a fast spreading deadly infection seem to have more reverberance within the viewer. Sadly, said current pandemic limited many people’s ability to experience this horror action thriller on the large cinema screen.
That said, WELL GO USA has once again done a beautiful job with their home video release of these films.
Four years after the original film, things have gotten exponentially worse. Marine Captain Jung-Seok ( Gang Dong-won ,HAUNTERS, 2010 ) is still guilt-ridden by actions he had to take during the original outbreak . Now ,having escaped South Korea and living in Hong Kong , he and his brother in law Chul-min (Kim Do-yoon, THE WAILING, 2016) who also survived are approached by Chinese Mobsters to go back into the restricted infected areas to bring over a truck full of money. If they succeed they would get half of the $20 million inside .
Jung-Seok and Chul-Min are joined by two other Koreans and brought over at night via boat to the restricted area. After that , they are on their own to survive and bring back the truck full of bounty .
They find the truck , but of course , things are not going to go easy for them, as the zombie hordes are hot in pursuit .As if things are not difficult enough , they are ambushed by a group of rogue survivors. Two of the party are killed, with Jung-Seok rescued by two sisters. Chul-min, unfortunately is trapped inside the truck ,which is brought to the militia’s headquarters.
Jung-Seok once again is confronted by his decisions from four years back, while Chul-min has to take part in some freaky Fight Club meets Thunderdome survival games of humans versus zombies. Some of the militia discover the money and plan on sneaking off with it. So, who will survive and who will end up with the millions ?
Director Yeon Sang-ho returns to direct this sequel in this more expansive story ,yet never forgets the human story lines. Kudos to original screenwriter Park Joo-Suk who teams up with Yeon Sang-ho for this expansion on the story .
You can tell that the team really love the genre , with influences and imagery that make one think of 28 DAYS LATER (Fox,2002) as well as films like THE CHURCH (La chiesa ,ADC ,1989,) , yet make it their own . The action scenes are spectacularly filmed, with a sense of urgency and pulse pounding movement that makes you really fear if any of the characters will survive.
Well-Go USA Entertainment delivers a beautiful Blu-Ray DVD combo pack . The two disc set has been beautifully mastered ,with the muted colors marvelously reproduced as well as deep blacks where by anything can (and often does) leap out at you from all angles.
The sound design is superb in Dolby Digital 5.1 in both English dubbed and Korean. The English dubbing is good , though I preferred the original voices . Luckily, the optional subtitles are clear and easy to read , and do not interfere with the non-stop action .
Also on the discs are a making of featurette ,interviews with the creatives and actors(in Korean) as well as trailers.
Even if you have not seen the original , you will enjoy PENINSULA. If you have seen TRAIN TO BASAN, you will really enjoy it.
RECOMMENDED.
–Kevin G Shinnick
Note: Train To Busan Presents PENINSULA is also available on DVD as well as a 4K UHD Blu Ray .
The original TRAIN TO BUSAN is also available on Blu Ray . https://www.amazon.com/Train-Busan-Blu-ray-Gong-Yoo/dp/B01M32LRPX/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2IYEH76GNZ9UJ&dchild=1&keywords=train+to+busan&qid=1605904932&s=books&sprefix=TRAIN+TO+BUSAN%2Cstripbooks%2C160&sr=1-6
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