Nocturnal
Performance & Direction: Nocturnal Review
Last updated: February 23, 2026
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is Nocturnal (2025) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE with a verified audience rating of 6.2/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Mystery.
Cast Performances: A Masterclass
The success of any Mystery is often anchored by its ensemble, and Nocturnal features a noteworthy lineup led by Ha Jung-woo . Supported by the likes of Kim Nam-gil and Yoo Da-in , the performances bring a palpable realism to the scripted words.
Performance Analysis: While the cast delivers competent and professional performances, they are occasionally hampered by a script that leans into familiar archetypes.
Final Verdict: Is it Worth Watching?
Story & Plot Summary: Nocturnal
Quick Plot Summary: Released in 2025, Nocturnal is a Mystery, Thriller film directed by Kim Jin-hwang. The narrative presents a compelling narrative that engages viewers from start to finish. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict involving Ha Jung-woo.
Ending Explained: Nocturnal
Ending Breakdown: Directed by Kim Jin-hwang, Nocturnal concludes its story with a mix of closure and open interpretation. The finale presents its approach to mystery resolution.
The final reveal recontextualizes earlier scenes involving Ha Jung-woo, offering viewers material for post-viewing discussion.
Ending Analysis:
- Narrative Resolution: The story concludes by addressing its primary narrative threads, providing closure while maintaining some ambiguity.
- Character Arcs: Character journeys reach their narrative endpoints, reflecting the film's thematic priorities.
- Thematic Payoff: The ending reinforces the mystery themes established throughout the runtime.
The final moments of Nocturnal reflect the filmmakers' creative choices, offering an ending that aligns with the film's tone and style.
Who Should Watch Nocturnal?
Worth Watching If You:
- Enjoy Mystery films and don't mind familiar tropes
- Are a fan of Ha Jung-woo or the director
- Want solid genre entertainment
Top Cast: Nocturnal
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Where to Watch Nocturnal Online?
Streaming Hub🎟️ Rent on
Amazon VideoNocturnal Parents Guide & Age Rating
2025 AdvisoryWondering about Nocturnal age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of Nocturnal is 100 minutes (1h 40m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 6.2/10, and global performance metrics, Nocturnal is classified as a ABOVE AVERAGE. It remains an essential part of the 2025 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nocturnal worth watching?
Nocturnal is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Mystery movies. It has a verified rating of 6.2/10 and stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE in our box office analysis.
Where can I find Nocturnal parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for Nocturnal identifies it as Not Rated. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of Nocturnal?
The total duration of Nocturnal is 100 minutes, which is approximately 1h 40m long.
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Critic Reviews for Nocturnal
If you know anything about South Korean cinema, you will be aware they have a penchant, for quality crime action thrillers. "Nocturnal" satisfies the crime action side of the equation but falls a little short, on the thriller aspect of this tale. The story, at its climax, ultimately feels a little predictable and underwhelming. That's not to say this isn't an inherently watchable production. The gritty, no holds barred crime aspect of this film is done exceedingly well. There are dark, well rendered characterisations, who have a fatalistic view of life and its hardships. Equally, the extremely violent, street clashes between a protagonist, out for revenge and mafia style, street thugs is frenetic and enthralling. In summary, not quite the thrilling tale I had hoped for but what is offered, is extremely well done. Suffice to say, if you like this kind of thing, "Nocturnal" is well worth a look.
# Broken in all the right places **Spoiler warning ahead. Proceed only if you've already watched—or don't mind being broken wide open.** --- ## A title lost in translation There’s something quietly frustrating about mismatched titles. The Korean name for this film, 브로큰 (beurokeun)—Broken—says everything it needs to. It’s raw. It’s thematic. It’s accurate. And then came Nocturnal. Elegant, perhaps, even poetic. But Nocturnal is the name of a novel within the story, not the story itself. A choice that, while likely made for international appeal, ends up setting the wrong tone and wrong expectations. If you go in expecting a moody thriller about late-night brooding, you’ll come out thinking the third act forgot to arrive. If they had kept the English title as Broken, the story, pacing, and ending would’ve made more sense. ## Acting and atmosphere For what it is—a revenge thriller—the film delivers. Solid performances all around, led by an actor who wears his role like it’s grown into his bones—a notorious gangster who had already left that life behind but is forced to return after the death of his younger brother. It gives off the same energy as John Wick—feared, respected, tried to live a normal life, but got dragged back in. Except instead of a dog, it was his sibling. The cinematography fits the tone: mysterious, crime, gritty, and fitting for a revenge plot. No complaints there. ## Final thoughts > When mislabeling ruins the mood The tragedy here isn’t just in the story—it’s in the mismatch between title and tone. International viewers might be left confused by the final scene. There is a sense of something settling, but it’s jagged and unsatisfying—because it was never meant to be about closure. It was about being Broken. If they had just stuck with Broken, the pieces would’ve come together. Instead, we’re left with a film that feels unfinished, incomplete—not by design, but by branding. Rating: 5 out of 10 stars (8 if you pretend the title was Broken all along) --- - License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC By-SA) 4.0 International - By: [Yohan Yukiya Sese Cuneta 사요한](https://iam.youronly.one) ([YourOnly.One](https://im.youronly.one)) - Date: 2025-05-26
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This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.










