In a striking debut at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, The Roundup: Punishment has garnered a chorus of international praise, marking a stellar beginning for the latest installment in the action-packed franchise The Roundup.
The film, which stars Ma Dong Seok, aka Don Lee, as the indomitable Detective Ma Seok Do, launched its world premiere at the Berlinale Special Gala. This invitation marks a first for a Korean film series, underscoring the global anticipation surrounding this release.
The Roundup: Punishment sees Detective Ma taking on a sprawling online illegal gambling syndicate, led by the villainous Baek Chang Ki, a former special forces mercenary played by Kim Moo Yul.
Immediate reactions post-screening have been overwhelmingly positive. Leading international media outlets have lauded the film, with Variety noting, “The fourth installment of the formulaic, disposable “The Roundup” franchise sees Don Lee’s Detective Ma find a new bunch of bad guys to beat up and is basically perfect, no notes,” Screen Daily calling it “a robustly entertaining romp,” and Deadline highlighting, “you get exactly the thrills, blood spills and entertainment you expect, stylishly packaged in a twisting, turning story.”
Roger Ebert encapsulated the sentiment, describing the film as “A rock ’em, sock ’em edition that pretty much delivers all the open-hand slaps, booming punches, and flying knees to the head you want!” This acclaim suggests The Roundup: Punishment could be the most thrilling and hilarious entry in the franchise yet.
The response from international audiences has been just as fiery. On the film critique site Letterboxd, over 82% of viewers have rated the film above three stars, continuing the stream of praise. After its celebrated premiere in Berlin, The Roundup: Punishment is poised for its domestic release in April.
>> Ma Dong Seok’s ‘The Roundup: Punishment’ Set for Berlinale Special Lineup
Source: ABO Entertainment
