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THE BERLIN FILEMovie Reviews
Korean and English language action thriller about a North Korean spy whose involvement in an illegal arms deal forces him to choose between his country and his wife. Cast:Jung-woo Ha, Seung-beom Ryu, Gianna Jun, Numan Açar, Tayfun Bademsoy, Werner Daehn, John Keogh, Han Suk KyuDirector:Ryoo Seung-WanRelease Date:February 15, 2013DVD Release: TBD From:CJ EntertainmentLength:2 hr 0 min
The Berlin File played in limited release to good not great reviews. • Norman Wilner wrote in Toronto Now, "...a labyrinth of switchbacks and double-crosses, with a tangled plot that makes 'Infernal Affairs' look like a simple tale of good guys and bad guys." More Reviews Below...
The Berlin File Positive Reviews (11 Reviews, reviews below)
The Berlin File has not been reviewed by Broad National Press
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (7 Reviews)
Nicolas Rapold, New York Times: GOOD "...as soon as the movie takes flight with its exhilarating action set pieces, memories of any muddles evaporate amid the tension and vivid engagement with settings..."(See all of Nicolas Rapold's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 264 words, 02/15/13
Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times: MODERATE "There is something sharp, exciting and more original tucked within this movie -- and it is in moments a sleek, crackling film -- but it all feels somehow misshapen."(See all of Mark Olsen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 266 words, 02/15/13
Linda Barnard, Toronto Star: MODERATE(cg) "Over-the-top... benefits from gritty surroundings... the tedium of the more-is-more Korean approach to filmmaking starts wearing..."(See all of Linda Barnard's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 348 words, 02/15/13
Scott Foundas, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...a formulaic but solid Cold War-style spy thriller.... Decked out with enough red herrings to feed the People's Army for a year..."(See all of Scott Foundas's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 227 words, 02/13/13
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a labyrinth of switchbacks and double-crosses, with a tangled plot that makes 'Infernal Affairs' look like a simple tale of good guys and bad guys."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 198 words, 02/14/13
KEY CITIES (0 Reviews)
The Berlin File has not been reviewed in Key Cities
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (5 Reviews)
Scott Foundas, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...a formulaic but solid Cold War-style spy thriller.... Decked out with enough red herrings to feed the People's Army for a year..."(See all of Scott Foundas's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 227 words, 02/13/13
Cynthia Fuchs, Pop Matters: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...wraps up its action in melodrama, or vice versa... this being a favorite combination for any number of American action movie makers..."(See all of Cynthia Fuchs's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 884 words, 02/21/13
Rob Humanick, Slant: MODERATE(cg) "...never strays far from the inoffensively generic... a sporadically entertaining, modestly ambitious shoot 'em up that frequently succumbs to spelling out its subtext."(See all of Rob Humanick's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 382 words, 02/14/13
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a labyrinth of switchbacks and double-crosses, with a tangled plot that makes 'Infernal Affairs' look like a simple tale of good guys and bad guys."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 198 words, 02/14/13
HIGHBROW PRESS (2 Reviews)
Nicolas Rapold, New York Times: GOOD "...as soon as the movie takes flight with its exhilarating action set pieces, memories of any muddles evaporate amid the tension and vivid engagement with settings..."(See all of Nicolas Rapold's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 264 words, 02/15/13
Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times: MODERATE "There is something sharp, exciting and more original tucked within this movie -- and it is in moments a sleek, crackling film -- but it all feels somehow misshapen."(See all of Mark Olsen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 266 words, 02/15/13
MOVIE INDUSTRY (4 Reviews)
Maggie Lee, Variety: GOOD "...the labyrinthine plot may leave some auds feeling out of their depth, but engrossing performances in a later dramatic thread propel the film to a strong climax."(See all of Maggie Lee's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 655 words, 02/18/13
Justin Lowe, Hollywood Reporter: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "Curiously quaint in concept and fairly conventional in execution... like a throwback to the 70s... crackles with tense character conflict."(See all of Justin Lowe's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 579 words, 02/09/13
Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times: MODERATE "There is something sharp, exciting and more original tucked within this movie -- and it is in moments a sleek, crackling film -- but it all feels somehow misshapen."(See all of Mark Olsen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 266 words, 02/15/13
Nicolas Rapold, New York Times: GOOD "...as soon as the movie takes flight with its exhilarating action set pieces, memories of any muddles evaporate amid the tension and vivid engagement with settings..."(See all of Nicolas Rapold's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 264 words, 02/15/13
9.2 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
The Berlin File's reviews are separated by an average 9.2 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
The Berlin File (11 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:The Berlin File's reviews cover 11.4% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 4,139 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 376 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
The Berlin File Coverage, Volume & Length (11 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 7.1 Hours After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
The Berlin File's reviews on average broke 7.1 hours after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is The Berlin File's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
The Berlin File (11 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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