Our hero's quest ... never ignites, mostly because of Mr. Lee's acting deficits.

The South Korean suspense drama is both ideal popcorn movie and morally complex revenge tale.

It's interesting to see an indie director like Jo Sung-hee making his way in the mainstream, and while not quite firing on all cylinders yet, he's a filmmaker worth watching

The Phantom Detective is greater than the sum of its parts, and although it doesn't reach levels of greatness, it is an entertaining diversion that packs committed performances, surprising direction from Jo Sung-hee and an appealing visual style.