dragynfaerie
USA
Much better than the rating...MUCH!
Firstly, if you are a fan of J-dramas or Korean short dramas, the style and speed of the storytelling will be up your alley. The Japanese can tell one helluva story in 8-10 episodes. Most don't end with cliffhangers and while you may want more, you're satisfied. That's what No Way Out is like. It's well crafted and told. On the plus side, there are no flashbacks that make an episode unnecessarily longer. I've never understood the padding of an episode by showing a flashback of a scene we just saw earlier in the same episode. There's also no unnecessary romantic tension or romance whatsoever. Just flawed and, let's face it, not so good people doing not so good things. That's not to say if you're a fan of Korean 16+ episode dramas you won't like it. It's just that all the extraneous showy bits that viewers are used to and perhaps enjoy is cut. Does it answer every question and wrap things up in a tidy bow? No, but who cares? What's not answered has nothing to do with the show at hand. I'm not saying it's perfect. Far from it, but it's damn good.
No Way Out is gritty-esque. It's filmed more like a movie and the actions and language are like that as well. The lighting even during day scenes is dark which helps convey the overall feel of the show. The directing was solid, which would be difficult if the script was not well written.
The acting is great from the leads to the guests and/or supports. I am so happy Lee Kwang Soo took the role of Chang Jae. He's played no nonsense characters before (Puck! and Tazza come to mind), but never someone so desperate, creepy, and villainous. It seemed as if LKS and Jo Jin Woong wouldn't interact or share a scene like in Entourage, but they manage to share a rather good one. I've seen You Jae Myung in a new light as well. He was fantastic. Jo Jin, well, he was just Jo Jin aka he was excellent.
Uncharacteristically, the re-watch for me is high. I think I may have missed a few things. The music was good. It fit the scenes and helped convey the overall feel of the show.
What can I say? If you like crime dramas and stories where everything isn't black & white; where the cops look like cops and not fashion models; where the bad guys sometimes win the battles, give No Way Out a watch. I'm pretty sure you'll like it. Score: 8.5 up to 9
No Way Out is gritty-esque. It's filmed more like a movie and the actions and language are like that as well. The lighting even during day scenes is dark which helps convey the overall feel of the show. The directing was solid, which would be difficult if the script was not well written.
The acting is great from the leads to the guests and/or supports. I am so happy Lee Kwang Soo took the role of Chang Jae. He's played no nonsense characters before (Puck! and Tazza come to mind), but never someone so desperate, creepy, and villainous. It seemed as if LKS and Jo Jin Woong wouldn't interact or share a scene like in Entourage, but they manage to share a rather good one. I've seen You Jae Myung in a new light as well. He was fantastic. Jo Jin, well, he was just Jo Jin aka he was excellent.
Uncharacteristically, the re-watch for me is high. I think I may have missed a few things. The music was good. It fit the scenes and helped convey the overall feel of the show.
What can I say? If you like crime dramas and stories where everything isn't black & white; where the cops look like cops and not fashion models; where the bad guys sometimes win the battles, give No Way Out a watch. I'm pretty sure you'll like it. Score: 8.5 up to 9
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