Guard Post

A host of dead bodies, one soldier missing, questions unanswered and only till the morning to sort it all out, for Sergeant Major Noh Seong-gyu (Cheon Ho-jin) this is going to be the longest night of his life... and unquestionably the bloodiest.

After members of a guard post fail to make contact with their HQ, the South Korean military police send in a team fronted by Seong-gyu to investigate. From the start it seems Seong-gyu’s task is going to be a formidable one, on arrival he discovers the crime scene covered in blood and hackled bodies, his only suspect in a coma and has been told he has until 7am to come up with a conclusion before a cover up is instituted.

As the story unfolds clues begin to creep out, what seemed like just some inner conflict between the group is suddenly becoming something for more disturbing and grotesque as a series of flashback sequences fill in the gaps leading up to the deaths – this is, however, were the film showcases its first problem. The constant switch from past to present begins to make the narrative feel incoherent and is extremely frustrating given the story’s early promise. Writer/director Kong Su-chang also shows his lack of experience behind the camera by failing to create the necessary tension certain scenes are clearly craving.

What Kong does have on his side, thankfully, is some stand out cinematography plus a strong group of actors who perform well and bring a certain amount of emotional depth to a film containing such a crazy plot. There is also enough action and gore to satisfy viewers during its rather overlong 120 minute running time.

While it certainly won’t win any awards for its intelligence or storytelling Guard post still boasts enough key ingredients to satisfy horror buffs while also providing us with a tale that surrounds itself in true mystery.