HI-FIVE
(The 2025 London Korean Film Festival runs November 5-18 and Hammer to Nail is excited to welcome writer Nathan Sartain to the team providing boots on the ground coverage. Check out his Hi-Five movie review. Seen it? Join the conversation with HtN on our Letterboxd Page.)
Set to an eclectic, at times pulsating soundtrack and coated in relentlessly fun humor, Kang Hyeong-cheol’s Hi-Five is a joyous action comedy.
The premise of the film is simple. A rather fantastical organ donor, who literally disintegrates following surgery, sees their heart, cornea, kidney, pancreas, lungs and liver transplanted into a range of recipients. Yet rather than just giving the benefit of a happy and healthy life, these organs carry superpowers with them too, all of which are duly inherited by a diverse mix of people who possess the linked tattoos to prove it.
For a young girl, Park Wan-seo (Lee Jae-in), her new heart gives her both super speed and super strength. Park Ji-sung’s (Ahn Jae-hong) new lungs give him immeasurably powerful breath. Hwang Ki-dong (Yoo Ah-in) sees a fresh pair of corneas afford him the ability to conduct electricity, as well as end up “filthy rich” due to him exploiting his new abilities to manipulate risk games. Heo Yak-sun (Kim Hee-won) can impressively heal injuries thanks to his new liver. And as for Kim Seon-nyeo (Ra Mi-ran), well nobody knows quite what her transplanted kidney enables her to do, despite her theories she’s suddenly gained the debatable superpower of beauty.
Surprisingly early into proceedings, this ragtag bunch gets together to discuss and display their newfound skillsets, though struggle to consistently get along. To complicate matters further, just as our protagonists are pulling in the right direction, they’re forced to reckon with the film’s villain, a self-obsessed elderly cult leader named Seo Young-chun (a dual role performed by Shin Goo and Park Jin-young), who is out seeking a trip to the fountain of youth, and gunning to steal the range of powers afforded to his fellow organ recipients in the hopes he can become a God in his own right.
Owing to its energetic pacing and slickly executed comedic set-pieces, Hi-Five is the type of superhero release which retains all of its intended joy, refusing to get swept up in trying to provide moments of resonance. That’s not to say emotion is absent, as there are still several poignant scenes which display messages of friendship, sacrifice, and love. They just simmer on the side whilst the action consistently remains in the spotlight. It’s hard to argue with this thematic choice too, particularly given the frenetic chase scenes and stirring extended fight sequences deliver some real high points.
What also helps is the black-and-white approach to heroism and villainy. For as flawed as the protagonists are, whether in their past or their present, humorously or seriously, they are inherently good people. Arguably none more so than Wan-seo, who defies her age to selflessly use her powers for the benefit of others, from maintaining her former Taekwondo star father’s pride, right the way through to saving the lives of her peers. Conversely, there are no redeeming qualities to be found in Seo Young-chun, or indeed his daughter. Greedy, exploitative and selfish, their only overarching desire is to benefit themselves, no matter who suffers in consequence. Pitting these two sides against each other is simple and effective, especially when Park Jin-young’s charmingly magnetic performance could have otherwise seen some people tempted to root for Hi-Five’s cult-leading villain.
Furthermore, the rest of the film’s colorful characters are enriched by some more strong casting. Yoo Ah-in is a noticeable highlight, with his depiction of the charismatic, borderline cocky Ki-dong striking a keen balance between being explicitly cool and subtly layered behind previous trauma. To that end, Ahn Jae-hong achieves the same feat, packing his performance of Park Ji-sung with a relatable insecurity and stubbornness that sometimes outweighs his character’s overall appetite to foster meaningful connections with his fellow heroes.
Unashamedly silly, infectiously bright, and an all-round good time, overall Hi-Five brings escapist fun in superhero film form, anchored by its strong ensemble of personalities. Not everything lands flawlessly, but director Kang Hyeong-cheol’s dedication to vibrant, crowd-pleasing gratification is commendable, and in turn worth a recommendation.
– Nathan Sartain
London Korean Film Festival; Kang Hyeong-cheol; Hi-Five
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