Priyanka Padala, Hyderabad, Telangana

If action and adventure are your go-to genre, then ‘Decibel’ would be a good suggestion for you. It is a South Korean action thriller movie by ‘Monster’ and ‘Spellbound’ director Hwang In-ho. The cast comprises top actors like Kim Rae-won as Commander Kang Do-young, Lee Jong-suk as Captain Jeong Tae-seong, Jung Sang-hoon as reporter Oh Dae-oh, Park Byung-eun as agent Cha Young-han, Cha Eun-woo as Staff Sergeant Jeong Tae-ryoung and others. It was released on 16^th November 2022 in South Korea and in India, the release date was 10^th March 2023. The movie was easily accessible to the residents of cities with PVR in India.

Plot

The movie opens with the South Korean Navy in a submarine returning from the waters of Guam. The submarine is then seen being attacked by torpedoes and after which it sinks to the waterbed. The story moves forward by a year when Commander Kang Do-young is seen addressing the press regarding the submarine accident. Soon the city starts getting bombed. It isn’t the usual bomb but one that is sound sensitive which gets activated when the surrounding sound crosses 100 dB and explodes. Kang Do-young receives a mysterious call that threatens him and his family. He is then on a mission to stop the further bombing in the city and find the person behind it. Aided by reporter Oh Dae-oh, he discovers the brain behind it which links to the past and reveals a grave secret hidden from the world.

Why You Should Watch?

Being an urban terror action movie, it did justice to the genre as the viewers are glued to the plot till the climax to discover the criminal behind the attacks across the city. The twist behind the motive of these bombings is also praise-worthy. It adds a sentimental touch to the story. Another reason to watch the film is the commendable performance of the actors. Despite the limited screen time Cha Eun-woo, managed to capture the audience’s hearts and add emotion to the storyline. The viewers can also experience a different side of Lee Jong-suk as he takes up a negative role. Though it is a suspense thriller, the essence of comedy in the right scenes lightens the atmosphere and helps the viewers relieve continuous stress.

My Thoughts about the Movie

Personally, for me, it was a good watch. But frankly, after watching the trailer, my expectations were high. However, on watching the movie, I felt the script being dragged at times despite the constant pace of the narrative. Though the film is not highly unpredictable, the climax and the emotional element have saved it. One of the reasons I watched the movie is for Lee Jong-suk but the fate his character meets at the end made me a bit gloomy. It justifies the plot, nonetheless. A crispier screenplay would have made a huge difference, but I would still recommend this movie to others as it is quite a decent watch.