A visually striking period drama from Woo Min-ho, “Harbin” follows Korean independence activist Ahn Jung-geun (Hyun Bin) as he plans the assassination of Japan’s Prime Minister in 1909, shortly after Korea’s annexation. The ploy involves numerous trains and several moving parts, resulting in a gripping last act that makes for a wonderful historical imagining. En route to this engaging climax, Woo also introduces a mystery element that keeps the wheels of the story turning, even when it may not have enough steam.
Woo’s eye-popping vistas stand out right from the start, during lonely shots of Ahn traversing an icy hellscape. Context is eventually added to this scene of wandering, just as it’s added to the lives of Ahn and his fellow freedom fighters. The events that led them to the movie’s central scheme, and those that cause mistrust between them, are depicted in…
