Singapore – Based on real events, the highly anticipated South Korean action drama film “Escape From Mogadishu“, featuring a star-studded cast including Jo In Sung, Kim Yoon Seok and Heo Jun Ho, opened in Singapore cinemas on 2 September 2021. Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan (“Battleship Island“, “Veteran“, “The Berlin File”), “Escape From Mogadishu” is a gripping reinterpretation of the South Koreans who were stranded during the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991.

We were excited to be invited to an exclusive screening unsuspecting of what to expect from a war film. The last war film I can remember was a classic in Saving Private Ryan, with body parts lying around and gore. That was exactly what I got for about a third of this Korean film. Set in the capital of Somalia, you can expect loads of heart-wrenching scenes of innocent civilians and unsuspecting children caught up and even directly involved in the civil war.

The action was relentless towards the latter part of the show, and sometimes the constant flashes and panning of the camera may make you a little uncomfortable. If you have attempted to google the real story where this film was adapted from, there was some elements of “trying too hard” to exaggerate the truth into a complete action flick. Sounds like a narrative for ranking on rotten tomatoes?

On the contrary, I actually enjoyed the show pretty much and would recommend anyone who can stand some gore to catch this in the cinema. The action was worth the cinema visit, and the occasional injection of humour makes the show very much more light-hearted. Of course for Jo In Sung fans, you get your chance to see your oppa in a role that is very much threading the lines between good and bad. As much as I am not very familiar with most of the other casts, they definitely reprised their roles perfectly for me to be able to fully appreciate the emotions throughout.

“Escape From Mogadishu” (모가디슈) is screening in Singapore cinemas from 2 September 2021.