THE GUARDIAN

The Guardian (2026)

Directed by: Jeong Jang-hwan

Right from the very beginning, the movie seems reluctant in telling a story. Characters appear randomly, barely establishing any kind of relationship with one another. Backstories are inserted in the lamest way possible.

People just go rabid looking for trouble — just to flex their fighting skills. But then, when you witness the stunts and choreography, they look plain and uneventful. The excessive cuts in every action scene make it hard to appreciate their movements. Camera angles also lack creativity.

Lead actors get a chance to fight the villains, while supporting ones instantly get shot.

Nam Woo-hyun is skilled in combat, but that skill isn’t given justice in the movie. Eric Ejercito is committed to the role. Yassi Pressman acts with exaggeration, but it actually works in her favor. Even when the scenes feel simple, she manages to inject some life and spice into them.

Wilbert Ross has the swagger and makings of an action star, with his fit physique and the way he carries his movements with ease. But his participation in this movie is too limited, considering how it’s marketed.

Most cast members seem like they’re not in the mood for the project. Their acting lacks effort and enthusiasm. Too many extra actors appear even if they contribute nothing to the story.

The dizzying, blurry effects suggest that the characters are already exhausted, yet the direction fails to make that exhaustion feel convincing. There’s no buildup to the fight scenes.

Even when nothing is happening yet, an exciting musical score plays in the background. The sound mostly hypes up the scene to compensate for the lackluster action.

The editing is the worst, making it look like the whole movie is edited by AI — because it’s a messy watch. Timing is out of place. Transition effects shift from rainbow to white to black without any clear purpose. There’s no flow and rhythm.

All the good elements of filmmaking are left unguarded. Clearly, this movie needs a guardian of its own.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐍

Cast: Nam Woo-hyun, Park Eun-hye, Han Jae-seok, Wilbert Ross, Yassi Pressman, Eric Ejercito, Joko Diaz, Jeric Raval

Screenplay by: Park Hee-jun and Kim Esther

Presented by: Will Studios, GV Labs, Parallax Studio, Robosheep Studios, Ovation Productions, Viva Films

Release Date: September 2, 2026 in Philippine cinemas nationwide

A Movie Review by: Goldwin Reviews