[Herald Review] ‘Mission: Cross,’ a high octane action flick with comedic elements

Kang-moo (Hwang Jung-min) is a stay-at-home husband who cooks and cleans while his wife Mi-seon (Yeom Jung-ah) is a veteran crime squad team member who was once an Asian Games silver medalist in shooting.

Kang-moo, a warm-hearted man, helps Mi-seon by putting his past as a former agent behind and keeping it a secret from her – until he accidentally bumps into his former agent colleague Hee-joo (Jeon Hye-jin).

After the encounter, he often goes out of contact and leaves the house all messy. Mi-seon decides to dog him out one day in retaliation, only to learn that Kang-moo and Hee-joo are involved in a huge case as partners.

A couple with secret pasts and each accidentally learning about the other’s identity is nothing new in action comedy flicks. This setting, somewhat similar to that of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” allows the audience to stick to the storyline although it speedily advances.

The strength of this action comedy is that it follows the formula with various cliche moments -- the couple’s witty banter during a shootout and a car chase involving large trail trucks -- meaning that laughs are guaranteed. Like a popcorn flick, the flow is seamless and natural in “Mission: Cross.”

What elevates this movie’s delightfulness is the weighty presence of veteran actors Hwang and Yeom.

Unlike the strong characters Hwang has shown in “Narco-Saints” and “12.12: The Day,” Kang-moo in “Mission: Cross” is a comedic character that the audience has been waiting for from Hwang. He proves that he can not only digest such a role but also make it look special on the screen.

Mi-seon, for her part, shows a flawless action sequence, and Yeom, using her long arms and sleek moves, performs acrobatic jumps and also shoots guns skillfully.

Considering that “Mission: Cross” is released via Netflix, the movie can also appeal to the global audience in Southeast Asia or Europe.

“Misson: Cross” will be released on Netflix on Aug. 7.