Nocturnal review: An author, his novel, and a brother hungry for vengeance

We’re all familiar with the feeling of caring for someone, or something, despite the problems said thing or person might cause.

Whether it’s a younger rebellious sibling or a clumsy new pet, you can’t help but feel a need to reach out a hand to them whenever they land themselves in hot water.

In Nocturnal (2025), we see what happens when the said object of affection loses their life because of their reckless behaviour. And how a man who’s only ever known how to solve problems with his brute strength, avenges them.

The plot

The film revolves around the death of Bae Seok-tae (Park Jong-hwan), a drug addict whose death could have been caused by anyone, considering his history of bad decision-making and unruly behaviour.

Viewers are first introduced to Bae Min-tae (Ha Jung-woo), Seok-tae’s older brother who brought him into a gang.

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He receives a rather distraught-sounding voicemail from Seok-tae, begging him for help one morning, and goes over to his house to check on him, only to find both Seok-tae and his live-in girlfriend, Moon-young (Yoo Da-in), missing.

While he has long left gang life behind in exchange for a fresh start at a construction job, Seok-tae is still a part of the gang, so that’s naturally the first place Min-tae goes for answers.

Leaving only bloodied knuckles and wounds, Min-tae takes it upon himself to find his brother with the help of his ex-subordinate, Byeong-gyu (Im Sung-jae).

After discovering from the police that his brother is not missing but dead, Min-tae encounters Kang Ho-ryeong (Kim Nam-gil), a mysterious author whose novel eerily mirrors Seok-tae’s life—right up to the moment of his death.

This is where the hunt for Moon-young kicks into action, with three different parties looking for her for vastly different reasons.

Worth the watch?

By and large, Nocturnal is a well-executed crime film, so it’s safe to say that it’s worth the watch.

The film gradually provides bits and pieces of information, allowing you to piece together your theories alongside the characters on screen, without making it blatantly obvious who the real culprit is.

It’s also commendable how they brought different characters into the story who are related to the victim in one way or another, further thickening the plot for viewers and leaving you eager to find out more. 

Nocturnal is now showing in Golden Village cinemas.