A crystal meth dealer is forced to team up with a renegade cop out for vengeance in Bloody Ties.
Crystal meth dealer and slimeball, Sang-do acts like he is the top of his territory. He's well groomed, and has lots of money and women at his disposal. Sang-do's superior in the drug trafficking business doesn't think too highly of him, but keeps him around because he's loyal. In fact, Sang-do is an unwilling snitch for Lieutenant Doh of the narcotics division of the Korean police department.
Lieutenant Doh also doesn't think too highly of Sang-do, but uses him to get the information and evidence he needs to cement his case. And likewise for Sang-do as he feels that the good Lieutenant is guilt ridden over the loss of his partner caught in the life of fire, that he's snapped psychologically and taken over his responsiblities as husband and father.
The two, however do agree that the top crime lord and Sang-do's boss needs to be taken down and both team up in order to cement a case against him. Trouble is, the power struggle between the both of them doing the so-called-right thing in their fields raises the already heighten tension between them and makes it difficult for the other person to predict the actions of the other. No one really knows which side their loyalties lie and therefore is unable to trust the people whom they are supposed to.
It's a gritty movie with a very green washed colour palette and camera work reminiscent of something Brian De Palma would've done. Filled with blasting testosterone in almost every scene it makes its characters rather unlikeable or sympathetic - which is the supposed point of the film. It also paints a rather glamourous yet dangerous underground world of drug dealers and the effects of crystal meth use over time with the sub-plot of Ji-Young, a successful fashion designer who owned her own boutique in upscale Seoul - reduced to a life of prostitution for the sake of the next hit.
Still, the overall result is a film that while is easy entertaining popcorn viewing, doesn't make any lasting impressions nor bring anything new or impressive to storytelling or film-making.
Tartan Video releases it under their Tartan Asia Extreme division with a Making Of Bloody Ties Special features and original trailer.
