‘Mantis’ is one cool ride. Directed by Lee Tae-sung in his feature debut and co-written with Byun Sung-hyun, this 2025 Netflix action thriller dives right back into the stylish, deadly world of assassins we first saw in ‘Kill Boksoon’. Starring Im Si-wan and Park Gyu-young, the film expands that universe while carving out its own identity.
Set after the death of MK, the once-stable hitman industry is now total chaos. Lee Han-ul, better known as Mantis (Im Si-wan), returns from vacation only to find everything upside down. Determined to take control of the situation, he teams up with Shin Jae-yi (Park Gyu-young), his former rival—and, awkwardly, his long-time crush—to start their own assassin agency. Of course, nothing is ever that simple, especially when Dok-go (Jo Woo-jin), a legendary retired killer, steps back into the game.
What follows is a tense, fast-paced power struggle where loyalty, ambition, and love collide in a world that doesn’t leave much room for feelings. The fight scenes are absolutely insane—sharp, kinetic, and beautifully choreographed. Im Si-wan nails that cool, quiet intensity, while Park Gyu-young adds emotional depth and spark to every scene she’s in. Their chemistry, full of tension and unspoken history, gives the movie a real emotional core beneath all the chaos.
While it doesn’t quite hit the emotional highs or razor-sharp storytelling of ‘Kill Boksoon’, ‘Mantis’ is still a very worthy successor. It builds on the universe in exciting ways and proves there’s still plenty of life—and blood—left in this assassin world. Cool, stylish, and packed with energy, it’s a must-watch for fans of sleek Korean action thrillers.
