HOPELESS

From the classy end of the Korean extreme cinema spectrum, this gangland drama about a boy drawn inexorably into the orbit of his local crime boss is as sad and ultra-violent as the title promises, but it's thoughtful too. Yeon-gyu (Hong Xa-bin) fends off blows from his drunken stepfather and dreams of emigrating with his mother to somewhere peaceful. Instead, he finds himself stealing and stripping motorbikes for local boss Chi-geon (superstar Song Joong-ki) – eventually and inevitably moving into their murky dealings in local politics – to pay off a petty debt. His relationship with Chi-geon becomes that of an apprentice to a master; he will never escape this life now. Sombre storytelling spliced with crunching bouts of violence makes Hopeless a bracing trip to hell.