Confidential Assignment 2: International: Daniel Henney, Hyun Bin, Yoo Hae-Jin and Im Yoon-Ah hatch a plan to smash a drug-smuggling syndicate.

Confidential Assignment 2: International (NC16)

Starring Hyun Bin, Yoo Hae-Jin, Im Yoon-Ah, Daniel Henney, Jin Seon-Kyu

Directed by Lee Seok-Hoon

Full disclosure: I didn’t see the 2017 original but that didn’t get in my way of enjoying the breezy bromance between Hyun Bun and Yoo Hae-Jin. They play cops from North and South Korea, respectively, who put their ideological differences aside for the greater good (what’s not to like about that?): to bust Jin Seon-Kyu’s renegade Pyongyang soldier-turned-dope trafficker (with a G-awful $12 haircut). Daniel Henney crashes the party as the hunky, hot-headed US federale with an ax to grind with the miscreant. The action is engaging but it’s the LOL moments — especially those involving Im Yoon-Ah — that leave an impression. (3/5 stars) In cinemas now

Photo: Purple Entertainment/Golden Village

Skandal! Bringing Down Wirecard: The folks at the payment processing company were a shady bunch.

Skandal! Bringing Down Wirecard (NC16)

Directed by James Erskine

James Erskine’s gripping doc looks at how the intrepid scribes at Financial Times — with an assist by a group of sharp-eyed short sellers (investors who make money when share prices fall) — took down fintech company Wirecard in 2020. On the surface, the “German PayPal” prided itself as “an Internet company with a bank as a daughter”, but in reality, it was a money-laundering front (very Ozark!) with ties to ex-spies and right-wing militiamen. And the real kicker of the movie-worthy saga? The journos got wind of Wirecard’s dodgy operations from a former top exec-turned whistle-blower based right here in Singapore! (4/5 stars) On Netflix

Photo: Netflix