Movie Digest
This movie is set in the Joseon era in Korean territory. A swordsman and his daughter live reclusively in the mountains. The swordsman was the most skilled in the era. However, his eyesight began to fail him. Worried and anxious for her father’s health his daughter leaves the mountains to procure some cure for his bad eyesight. En route on the journey, his daughter gets kidnapped and pushed into slavery. When the swordsman learns of the developments in his daughter’s capture, he decided to take up his sword once again to save her life. Loosely based on the political risings of the Joseon era, this movie is all about a swordsman’s grit and love to save his blood who is now a slave trader’s captive.
The Feel-Good Part
Judging from the title itself we are prepared for some sword fights and sequences. In that regard, this film does not disappoint at all, mainly because our main lead Jang Hyuk is known as an actor who displays brilliant fight skills on the big screen. Jang Hyuk plays the role of the swordman Tae Yul, who wants to rescue his daughter Tae Ok. It’s the Joseon era, but in this particular instance, one may not need extra knowledge about that era. The importance of the era is only vital as far as the background setting goes. It set a background for our main lead as a swordsman. Think of it this way, the main lead was a sharpshooter in a CIA agent, in a technologically advanced time. It’s possible to recreate this entire movie in a different plot just by changing the skills of the main character. The era of Joseon is required only as a background for the plot. So, there is not much one had to expend energy on researching. It’s a simple-minded action film. Jang Hyuk like always wowed the audience with his spectacular skills in fighting. There is a minimal amount of gory for a film that is revolving around swordfights.
The Disappointing Factor
There is not much to be disappointed by this movie. For a period of drama, this movie has done exceptionally well in showcasing martial arts and swordfights. On the other hand, although this movie has depicted a part of Joseon dynasty history when its control was crumbling, this movie is cut and dried. At least as far as the main lead’s convictions, and desires go. For someone looking to get into period drama at an advanced level, this would seem a little too simplistic. For beginners into period dramas, this sword flick is a must-watch.
In-Depth Analysis
Despite being a sword flick, the creators of this film have done a good job making the gory, graphic bloodshed to a minimum. But that being said, there are a lot of deaths in this film. We can find no nuance in the storytelling as it very much sticks to a formula. Right into the film, you understand the narratives of the daughter and her father Tae Yul. There are bad guys and good guys. It’s almost a resemblance to a cowboy flick in its storytelling. It’s the director’s feature debut, for them as a filmmaker to take a part of history that would require a lot of skills no debut feature has is impressive. So, in this case, as a viewer, we can understand why the initial half of the film dives deep into the intricacies of the Joseon era. Fights are choreographed beautifully as evident.
Star Power
Joe Taslim plays the role of Gurugutai an antagonist in the film. The swordsman role is played by Jang Hyuk and Tae Yul. He is a heavily celebrated actor in the Korean film industry, active as far as 2008. His daughter is played by actress Kim Hyun Soo. Kim Hyun Soo has starred in KDramas such as Penthouse which was critically acclaimed worldwide for its plot and excellent cast.
Overall Opinion
Choi Jae hoon does an exceptional job as this film is his feature debut of his. His scriptwriting skills have to be commended keeping that in mind. This movie is supposed to be consumed for its visual feast. The cinematography about the growing tensions as the plot thickens is very good. The movie has taken visual inspiration from the Rurouni Ken shin saga. It’s evident in its visual storytelling. Jang Hyuk has never disappointed his fans in an action film so this film is definitely worth a watch.
