Kim Seong-sik’s Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman is a likeable and fun blend of genres that suffers from an overly safe second half.

For large portions of the runtime, Dr. Cheon clings to the new IP-driven Hollywood commercial look that has become more prevalent in Korean cinema over the last decade: uninspired color grading, untextured digital environments, limited contrast.

Not exactly bad, but not exactly enough to build a franchise on either.

Action-packed, unexpectedly comedic, and possessing a narrative that only releases pressure while never-letting up on the stakes, "Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman" surprises by engaging you from start to finish.