Fist and furious

South Korean director Ryoo Seung-wan paints a formidable picture of urban stress and strain in his new melodrama.

He draws fine, intense performances from his brother, Ryoo Seung-bum, and Choi Min-sik (the talented actor from Oldboy and Chihwaseon) as the two failures who take up boxing to prove themselves.

Shot and cut fast and furiously with super-realism, as if the film crew just happen to be on hand, Crying Fist becomes an action film of considerably more ambition than most.

Choi, one of Asia's most potent screen presences, is particularly good as a medallist veteran of the Asian Games reduced through debt to inviting people in the street to hit him to vent their personal frustrations.

Crying Fist
Cert: 15