[FILM REVIEW] Emergency Declaration (2022)

Directed by Han Jae-rim, Emergency Declaration is an aviation-disaster film that tells the story of a group of people who are brought together by a bio-terrorist attack on a plane. The film boasts a star-studded ensemble cast with actors Song Kang-ho, Lee Byung-hun, Jeon Do-yeon, Kim Nam-gil, and Im Si-wan. It was first screened in 2021 at the 74th Cannes Film Festival, and has been praised by critics for its stellar cast performances.  

Get ready for takeoff 

We’re introduced to In-ho (Song Kang-ho), a tired detective whose wife is going on vacation in Hawaii without him. At the police station, he watches a video of a man shrouded in darkness, threatening to attack a plane. Although the other officers dismiss the words as an empty threat, In-ho decides to investigate, thinking about his wife. 

Meanwhile, Jae-hyuk (Lee Byung-hun) and his daughter are standing in line at the airport. Jae-hyuk is overprotective over her, barely allowing her to go to the bathroom. Seeing the long line for the women’s toilet, she sneaks into the men’s room instead. 

At the same time, Jin-seok (Im Si-wan) asks airline counter staff for information on the busiest flight, cussing her out after she refuses to reveal the numbers. He enters the men’s toilets, where he cuts the flesh under his armpit, stuffs a small glass bottle filled with a yellow powder into the cut, and sews it back up. He belatedly realises he wasn’t alone in the toilet, but Jae-hyuk fetches his daughter right before Jin-seok has the chance to speak to her. Noticing that they’re flying to Hawaii, the paranoid Jin-seok decides to buy a one-way ticket there. 

Turbulence

Passengers, including In-ho’s wife, Jae-hyuk and his daughter prepare for their flight in mundane ways, chatting excitedly about their trips, while pilot Hyun-soo (Kim Nam-gil) readies the crew for a smooth takeoff.

In-ho’s investigations on the terrorist threat lead him to an empty, foul-smelling apartment with an unlocked door. Inside, he finds a rotting body covered tightly in plastic wrap, and a thorough check with forensics reveals that the corpse died of a toxic virus which was transported in powder form. Aside from being extremely contagious, the virus causes rashes and blood vessels to explode, resulting in imminent deaths of those infected.

The apartment belongs to none other than Jin-seok, who In-ho finds out is already on the plane –– the same one that his wife is on. 

In-ho then meets the minister for Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Sook-hee (Jeon Do-yeon), and they scramble to find a way to ensure the safety of the people on the plane. 

Thousands of miles in the air, Jin-seok releases the virus into the plane bathroom, smiling maniacally as he returns to his seat, but not before telling Jae-hyuk’s daughter that he’s going to kill everyone on the plane. 

Review

Despite the reveal of Jin-seok as the terrorist villain being done fairly early in the film, it does a great job of maintaining suspense throughout the running duration. There are endless plot twists that keep the audience on its toes, with moments of light-hearted humour sprinkled in between. 

Amplified by the intense sound effects, the stellar ensemble showed top-notch performances that immerses the audience in the characters’ plight, and really makes you feel like you’re in the middle of the action. Im Si-wan shows an exceptionally chilling performance as the psychopathic Jin-seok, showing a new side of him unlike his innocent image from previous dramas.

Emergency Declaration will be out in cinemas from August 4, 2022. If you’re looking for a thrilling time in the cinema, Emergency Declaration is a must-watch! 

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Running Time: 140 minutes
The Seoul Story’s Rating: 4/5 

We would like to extend our huge thanks to Encore Films for the invite!

Written by: Nicole
Photos by: Encore Films

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