Escape from Mogadishu

Escape from Mogadishu
Theatrical release poster
Hangul	모가디슈
Revised Romanization	Mogadisyu
Directed by	Ryoo Seung-wan
Screenplay by	Ryoo Seung-wan Lee Gi-cheol
Produced by	Kang Hye-jung Kim Yong-hwa
Starring	Kim Yoon-seok Zo In-sung Heo Joon-ho Koo Kyo-hwan
Cinematography	Choi Young-hwan
Edited by	Lee Gang-hui
Music by	Bang Jun-seok
Production companies	Dexter Studios[1] Filmmaker R&K
Distributed by	Lotte Entertainment
Release date	July 28, 2021 (2021-07-28)
Running time	121 minutes
Country	South Korea
Languages	Korean English Somali
Budget	₩24 billion[2]
Box office	US$29.9 million[3][4]

Escape from Mogadishu (Korean: 모가디슈; RR: Mogadisyu) is a 2021 South Korean political action thriller film, directed by Ryoo Seung-wan and starring Kim Yoon-seok, Zo In-sung, Heo Joon-ho, Koo Kyo-hwan, Kim So-jin and Jung Man-sik.^[5] The film, based on real events, is set during the overthrow of Siad Barre and the two Koreas' efforts to be admitted to the United Nations in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It depicts details of a perilous escape attempt made by North and South Korean embassy workers stranded during the conflict.^[6][7][8]

With a production cost of ₩24 billion,^[2] Escape from Mogadishu was anticipated to release in the summer of 2020 but its release was postponed due to the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was released theatrically on July 28, 2021, by Lotte Entertainment in IMAX format.^[9][10] It received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its action scenes, humorous plot, direction, and its vivid acting performances.^[11]

The film grossed over $29 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing Korean film of 2021.^[12][13] It was selected as the South Korean entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.^[14][15]

In 1991, Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, is under Siad Barre's government but threatened by rebels led by Mohamed Farrah Aidid. North and South Korean embassies vie for UN support, leading to a tense encounter when South Korean Ambassador Han Sin-seong is robbed en route to meet President Barre, missing the appointment. It is revealed that North Korean intelligence officer Tae Jun-ki orchestrated the robbery, causing friction between the Korean diplomats.

As civil war erupts, both embassies find themselves trapped and struggling to leave the country. Sin-seong’s wife is in danger, and multiple failed attempts to reach the airport ensue. North Koreans also face betrayal and violence, leading them to seek refuge at the South Korean embassy. Despite initial distrust, they unite for survival, navigating the chaos together.

The diplomats form a plan to escape, securing a spot on an Italian Red Cross evacuation flight to Mombasa, Kenya, by claiming the North Koreans are defectors. They prepare makeshift armored vehicles and white flags for safe passage, but are nearly thwarted by miscommunications and confrontations with both the Somali military and Aidid's rebels. Eventually, they reach the Italian embassy, narrowly escaping with their lives with the exception of Jun-ki, who is killed shielding the North Korean Ambassador, Rim Yong-su.

Upon landing in Mombasa, the Korean diplomats realize they must part ways to avoid repercussions from their respective governments. Despite having bonded through their ordeal, they split into their original groups, boarding separate buses to join their delegations, with a final glance acknowledging their shared experience.

• Kim Yoon-seok as Han Sin-seong, Ambassador of South Korea to Somalia^[16]
• Zo In-sung as Kang Dae-jin, a South Korean ANSP operative and attached as counselor of the embassy^[17]
• Heo Joon-ho as Rim Yong-su, Ambassador of North Korea to Somalia^[16]
• Koo Kyo-hwan as Tae Jun-ki, a North Korean MSS operative and attached as counselor of the embassy
• Kim So-jin as Kim Myung-hee, wife of Ambassador Han
• Jung Man-sik as Gong Su-cheol, secretary of Ambassador Han
• Kim Jae-hwa as Jo Soo-jin, staff officer of the Embassy of South Korea
• Park Kyung-hye as Park Ji-eun, translator of the Embassy of South Korea
• Enrico Ianniello^[18] as Ambassador Mario Sica^[19][20]

• Yoon Kyung-ho as ANSP senior operative^[21]
• Peter Kawa as Khalil, a corrupt police officer
• Alex Kinuthia as Hassan, a rebel
• Alan Oyugi as the Somali Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Andrew Ng'ang'a as Swama, a Somali employee of the Embassy of South Korea^[22]

On June 10, 2019, Kim Yoon-seok and Zo In-sung positively considered appearing for director Ryoo Seung-wan's film Escape from Mogadishu. This was first appearance of the actors together as well as their first appearance in a Ryoo Seung-wan's film.^[23] Heo Joon-ho confirmed his appearance in June 2019.^[16]

The film was entirely shot in Morocco in the second half of 2019.^[24] The post production work started in May 2020.^[25]

On July 22, 2021, CJ CGV announced that the film would be screened at all theaters including IMAX, ScreenX, 4DX, and 4DX screens starting on July 28, 2021. It is the second Korean film after the 2020 action-horror film Peninsula to simultaneously screen in all formats in the CGV special theaters.^[26]

Escape from Mogadishu was invited to be the opening film of the 20th New York Asian Film Festival. The two-week festival was held from August 6 to 22, 2021 in New York. The film was screened at Walter Reade Theater, Film at Lincoln Center on August 6, 2021,^[27] and at 10th Korean Film Festival Frankfurt on October 20, 2021, as opening film.^[28] The film was invited to the New Zealand International Film Festival in Wellington edition was screened on November 5, 2021.^[29][30] It was also screened as the opening film of 16th London Korean Film Festival on November 8, 2021.^[31]

The film was screened in 42 theaters in North America by August 11, 2021.^[32][33]

In April 2022, it was selected at the 24th edition of Far East Film Festival at Udine held from April 22 to 30.^[34]

It was re-released in its second run on September 7, 2022, in theatres coinciding with Chuseok holidays.^[35]

The film was made available for streaming globally on Amazon Prime Video from February 2022. Soon after, it was released in India.^[36]

The film was released on July 28, 2021, on 1,688 screens.^[37] According to the integrated computer network for movie theater admissions by the Korea Film Council (KoFiC), the film ranked at first place at the Korean box office by recording 75,624 pre-order audiences as on July 28, 2021, surpassing the audiences of Jungle Cruise.^[38] The film set the record for the best opening of the year 2021 for all the Korean films released as of July 28, by getting 126,626 audience on the day of release.^[39] The film maintained its first place at the Korean box office on second day with addition of 89,826 viewers and taking cumulative audience to 226,569.^[40] The film by mobilizing 540,000 cumulative audience in 4 days of release became the first Korean film in 2021 to garner 500,000 audience in the shortest period of time. It is also maintaining its number one position at the Korean box office.^[41]

The film garnered 1 million cumulative audiences in 7 days of release, thereby becoming highest grosser Korean film of 2021 surpassing the box office figures of film Hard Hit.^[42] It surpassed 2 million cumulative audience on 17th day of its release^[43] and 3 million on 33rd day of release.^[44] It took 56 days for the film to cross 3.5 million mark. It is the first Korean film to cross 3.5 million cumulative audience in 2021.^[12]

According to Korean Film Council (Kofic) data, as of December 31, 2021^[update] it is the second highest-grossing film among all the films released in the year 2021 in South Korea, and highest-grossing Korean film with gross of US$29 million and 3.61 million admissions.^[13][4][37] And, as per Box Office Mojo it ranks 89 at 2021 Worldwide Box Office.^[45]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 93% of 30 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.60/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Its depiction of actual events is questionable, but Escape from Mogadishu is sleekly effective as an intelligent, well-acted action thriller."^[11]

Kim Ji-eun reviewing for Newsis wrote that the action scenes were spectacular and the humor, though small, stood out. She opined that the film vividly portrayed the horrors of war and the emotions of the characters who faced it. Kim felt that the exotic scenery of Morocco, the filming location, in itself was the main character in the film. Ending her review she wrote, "It's not light entertainment. While the heavy historical background and setting dominate the screen, attention is focused on what kind of variable the restrained emotion that utilizes reality, will affect the box office performance."^[46]

Kim Seong-hyeon writing for YTN felt that director Ryoo Seung-wan had reproduced the Somali civil war in 1990 as if it were in 2021, and portrayed the tense situation so well that the audience would experience it vividly. Mentioning the escape scene from the city center, Kim said that it was a highlight of the film. The reviewer felt that even in tense situations the humor was well placed. He pointed out that some conversations and actions of characters and of the Somali people seemed to contain intentional messages, but concluded the review with, "Nevertheless, Escape from Mogadishu offers intense cinematic pleasure enough to offset all of this."^[47]

Kim Ji-won of Ten Asia opened the review writing, "Audio-visual pleasure and humanism that transcends ideology are properly harmonized. .... the action scenes contain the desperate psychology of the characters, bringing both entertainment and depth." She opined that the escape scene was highlight of the film, as the sequence conveyed the hopelessness of the characters, the horrors of war and the smell of sweat. She praised the performance of ensemble and wrote, ".... the supporting actors played their roles in their respective places, completing a lively story." Concluding her review, Kim wrote, "Most of the Korean films, which are about inter-Korean conflicts, use a squeezing code of tears, but Escape from Mogadishu gives a neat impression with dramatic and simple expressions without being overly emotional."^[48]

Cary Darling reviewing the film rated it 4 out of 5 stars and expressed the opinion that, "[..] an involving and suspenseful action-thriller that Ryoo Seung-wan handles with flair, capably staging big action scenes — like the final, nerve-rattling drive to potential salvation — while not neglecting the human stories at their heart."^[49]

Roger Moore reviewing the film rated it 3.5 out of 5 stars, and wrote that the sets of firefights were as good as Ridley Scott's Black Hawk Down, but the struggle to escape was more on a human level than a flamboyant one. He liked the climax scenes where convoy of cars were moving in a hail of Molotov cocktails and bullets, and concluded, "You want great action? Eschew the comic book movies and read a few subtitles. Escape from Mogadishu is in a league of its own this summer."^[50]

Richard Kuipers of Variety praising the screenplay and direction by Ryoo Seung-wan said, "propulsive and intelligently written South Korean adventure thriller" has been 'energetically' directed. He also praised the performance of its ensemble cast. Kuipers appreciating the climax of chasing bashed-up cars on the streets of Mogadishu concluded, "Even though the outcome is never in doubt, the execution of this survival run is genuinely thrilling."^[51]

Evan Dossey of Midwest Film Journal wrote that the characters of the film are aptly defined. He praised Ryoo Seung-wan's script and said, "[he] makes sure the conflicts are expressed through compelling, well-developed characters." Dossey concluded, "Escape from Mogadishu is a tense political thriller so don’t go in expecting an action film. [....] instead, prepare yourself for a well-written story of conflicting politics that asks where nationality must end for humanity to persevere."^[52]

Panos Kotzathanasis reviewing for HanCinema highlighted three elements of the direction of Ryoo Seung-wan in the film. In his opinion the first was characterization, which has helped the actors to give laudable performances. The second was the action for which Kotzathanasis praised the cinematography of Choi Young-hwan, terming it "exceptional", and the editing of Lee Gang-hui. And the third was narrative, having humor, "[..] which appears in the most unexpected moments in order to lighten the mood". Kotzathanasis ends the review with, "Escape from Mogadishu is a great action movie that also works very well on a contextual level, due to the plethora of sociopolitcal elements included."^[53]

Anna Smith for Deadline, wrote that Escape from Mogadishu is an engrossing film, which reminded her of Ben Affleck’s escape thriller Argo and 2005 French war film Joyeux Noël by Christian Carion. Smith liked the setting of scenes, characters and humor in the film and said, "Propelled by a naturally cinematic true story, the thriller blends action with humor and heart to crowd-pleasing effect."^[54]

Lee Jutton of Film Inquiry, calling the humor in the film "a huge asset", concluded the review as "With stellar performances from everyone involved, especially Kim and Heo as the rival ambassadors turned temporary allies, it’s easy to become wholly engaged by a blockbuster like Escape from Mogadishu."^[55]

Carla Hay of Culture Mix, praised the performance of lead cast in the film writing, "All of the principal cast members give solid performances." She opined that the film had many heart throbbing, uncertain and unexpected situations taking film to climax. Carla concluded the review writing, "And it’s a memorable depiction of what people will or will not do to hold on to patriotic allegiances when there are life-or-death decisions to be made."^[56]

James Marsh reviewing for South China Morning Post rated the film with 3 out of 5 stars and said, "Ryoo, who specialises in testosterone-fuelled action cinema, makes good use of his dusty, arid locations to accentuate the characters' overwhelming sense of peril and vulnerability."^[57]

• List of submissions to the 94th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film
• List of South Korean submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film

• Escape from Mogadishu at HanCinema
• Escape from Mogadishu at IMDb
• Escape from Mogadishu at the Korean Movie Database (in Korean)