Mantis is a leading figure within the local triads having acquired a formidable reputation by utilising her remarkable skills in the Martial Arts.  Her unforgiving attitude does have one weakness though in the form of her sister who means the world to her but is sadly dying of cancer.  As the end looms near, Mantis' sister informs her that her final wish is for Mantis to take a husband before she dies so arrangements must be made quickly.  Being inexperienced in relationships, Mantis gets her lackeys to find a suitable candidate and then approaches this dilemma like she would any problem; full on and with brute force.  She soon realises that relationships cannot be controlled like a fight and she must work hard to keep it together, even if it is only to keep her sister happy.  However, it's not so easy to juggle a life of crime and keep your partner satisfied as Mantis soon discovers.

'My Wife Is A Gangster' opens with a bang as our heroine takes on a horde of bad guys in a frenetically paced and highly competent kung fu fight that you would assume sets the pace for the entirety of the flick.  Unfortunately though, this glimpse of exceptional choreography is in the minority and the film soon strays from the implied action-fest into a mix of comedy and drama.  This cacophony of styles is probably what makes 'My Wife Is A Gangster' so frustrating as every time it seems poised to push it up a notch you are confronted by a change of genres which just leaves the viewer confused and unfulfilled.  It's a bold decision to attempt to include so many different styles and we know that if done correctly it can create a masterpiece but sadly, for 'My Wife Is A Gangster' it only results in a film that shows hints of magic but doesn't really excel in any particular area.

This is not to say that this film is completely devoid of merit as there are still several reasons to recommend it.  Firstly, the acting from everyone is nothing short of superb with a particularly impressive performance from leading lady Shin Eun Kyung.  The part of Mantis would have been a difficult role for an accomplished actress let alone a relative newcomer such as Kyung but she pulls off each aspect of her character to perfection and even manages to demonstrate a competent ability in the action department.  Comedy is also high on the agenda for this film and, even though it's not laugh-a-minute material, it does enough to keep the film flowing.  However, as is common with foreign films, I would assume that some of the jokes are lost in the translation or predominantly based on aspects of Korean culture.  Last but by no means least, you have the action which is perhaps the most wasted opportunity of the entire film.  What little we see is expertly crafted and brings back memories of what Hong Kong used to do so well (and will hopefully do again) but it's just such a shame that there is so little of it!  Still, its good while it lasts and well worth taking note of as those responsible will surely utilise their skills in future projects.

In summary, 'My Wife Is A Gangster' is a fun film that is highly watchable and another example of why Korea is churning out the most exciting cinema of the moment.  It's just a shame that this example is not quite as good as the sum of it's parts and disappoints in far too many aspects for it ever to rise above the three star mark.  Still, a brave attempt but hopefully lessons have been learned.