Feb 5, 20212 min read

The Weekend Watch: "The Negotiation"

Updated: Jan 31, 2022

Get your BinJin fix in this exciting flick that packs some serious chemistry, a lot of guns, and a devastatingly handsome Hyun Bin.

The Plot

Hyun Bin stars as Min Tae-gu, a mysterious and cold-blooded hostage taker who toys with Korean police until they give in to his demands. Holding the fort on the other side is crisis negotiator Ha Chae-yoon, played by his now real-life partner Son Ye-jin. Given only 12 hours, Chae-yoon has to muster all her negotiation skills and wits in order to locate Tae-gu and save his hostages. But as she closes in on him and his operation, she starts to notice that things are not what they seem. Could this devilishly charming villain be a justified crusader after all?

The Review

Let's not kid ourselves. We aren't here for anything deep. We're here for that sparkling BinJin chemistry, and this movie has it in delectable bits and pieces. We could even credit the film for starting it all: this movie made Hyun Bin want to work more closely with Ye-jin, which led to them agreeing to be on Crash Landing on You, which in turn gave us the real BinJin deal today. So if it's the first flickers of BinJin you seek, you'll definitely find something here. *wink*

hyun bin — We may or may not have had this picture in our phones for the last two years.

But if it's only a fun and light weekend watch that you're here for, fear not, as The Negotiation does deliver, despite the predictable storyline and some cheese. This isn't a deep dive into negotiation tactics or a philosophical exploration of vengeance. The only moral conundrum that happens here is when a bedimpled, long-haired, gun-toting, incredibly sexy bad guy makes you root for him instead of the "righteous" ones. (Fun fact: this is the first time he's has played a villain in his entire career!) In fact, this movie is built on so many ridiculously attractive sequences involving Hyun Bin and guns that you have to wonder if there's still any substantial plot you must keep on following to the letter. That smirk? That smolder? That easy devil-may-care attitude that hooked Son Ye-jin and the rest of us in? Just a few reasons why we may end up supporting the illegal arms trade and international crime as soon as the movie's done.

Obviously, there's a plot somewhere, and yes, we do want the hostages to be saved but... we're really here for the Bin.

Again, let's not kid ourselves.

STREAM: If you're looking for a commercial action flick to watch on date night. Viewing this is also practically mandatory for anyone claiming to be a BinJin fan.

SKIP: If your significant other can no longer stand one more minute of your Hyun Bin infatuation.

The Negotiation is available for rent or purchase on YouTube Movies.