There is something inherently gripping about a good procedural when the mystery at its centre feels bigger than the people trying to solve it. The Assassin(s) is exactly that. Hur Jin-ho’s latest is a relentless investigative thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout, peeling back layer after layer of a fascinating conspiracy.
The story follows the attempted assassination of South Korean President Park Chung-hee in 1974. What begins as an investigation into a shocking shooting gradually expands into something far more complicated, with journalists, detectives and government officials all caught in a web of conflicting evidence, suppressed information and political pressure.
The plot is based on true events and this is a tough subject matter to tackle, but The Assassin(s) approaches it with the seriousness it deserves while still delivering a pulsating cinematic experience. Its nail-biting procedural structure proves to be its biggest strength and the pacing helps maintain the momentum across its 131 min runtime.
A huge part of the film’s success is its protagonists. The lead characters are genuinely likable, their motivations are easy to understand, and the chemistry between them gives the lengthy investigation a human element. The acting standard is great throughout the cast, with every performer seemingly understanding exactly what their role needs to bring to the story.
The film also looks fantastic. The sets, costumes, production design and overall recreation of 1970s South Korea give the movie an authentic period atmosphere, with the attention to detail making the world feel lived-in rather than constructed. Hur Jin-ho’s direction is consistently strong as well. He manages to balance the procedural details, character interactions and increasingly complicated conspiracy without allowing the movie to completely lose its intensity.
There are moments when the film becomes a little over-stylistic and showy but it never takes you out of the narrative. The Assassin(s) also does not provide easy answers. It trusts the audience enough to sit with ambiguity and question what is being presented as fact. The mystery continually develops rather than simply moving from one revelation to another, and the screenplay does a very efficient job of peeling away its layers one by one.
The title itself is another clever piece of the puzzle. Why is there an extra “s” at the end of The Assassin(s)? That is something you will discover as the movie unfolds, and the reason behind it ties directly into the larger mystery and conspiracy at the heart of the story. It is one of those details that becomes more meaningful once you understand what the film is actually trying to uncover.
The biggest criticism I have is that the movie could have easily been 10–15 minutes shorter. At 131 minutes, there are stretches where the procedural nature becomes a little repetitive. The film could also have delivered a few more emotional punches. The intellectual side of the story is considerably stronger than its emotional impact, and while the characters are likable, there are moments where the film feels more interested in the investigation than in making us deeply feel its consequences.
The Assassin(s) is an intense, intelligent thriller carried by a terrific ensemble, but most importantly, it tells an important story that needed to be told. It turns a historical event into a gripping mystery without simplifying the complexities surrounding it, and its refusal to hand the audience convenient answers makes the journey even more rewarding. It may occasionally overstay its welcome and could have used a little more emotional weight, but when it locks into its investigative rhythm, The Assassin(s) is almost impossible to look away from.
The Assassin(s) premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival 2026.
