Director: Yoon Jong-bin
Writer: Jeon Cheol-hong
Production Co.: Moonlight film, Showbox/Mediaplex
Starring: Ha Jung-woo, Kang Dong-won, Lee Sung-min
Yoon Jong-bin is one of the hottest Korean filmmakers. From his problematic debut The Unforgiven, he has scrutinized a variety of contradictory social systems. For example, The Unforgiven, he dealt with military service, which is inevitable to Korean males; and extravagant nightlife in Beastie Boys; corrupt Korean society in '80s in Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time. Likewise, an old aristocratic society, which begot severe inequities, is dissected in a framework of vengeance story. Its subject matter is also related to current trend in which a number of Korean creative works represent either anger to social inequity or hope to supplant it.
In terms of this film's form, the Western style is partially observable. For instance, the horse riding mob in both opening and ending sequences invokes outlaws in the Western, due to the camera movement and deserted landscape. Also, other elements such as extreme zoom-in/out and transition between big close-up shots are worth noting. However, the film is more influenced by Wuxia genre. Not to mention its vengeance code, representation of characteristics via individual weapons is also a trait of Wuxia genre. It is the fast and dynamic duel sequences that generate imagery tension. However, enhancing such tension is the different qualities of weapons. For example, characters using a huge sword or a heavy mace present their outstanding strength. On the other hand, the other characters with smaller and subtler weapons try to overwhelm the former with speed and accuracy.
To be honest, there is not much room for considering social inequity since this is more an entertainment film than an arthouse movie. However, Jo Yoon's (Kang Dong-won) ambivalent character invokes a question: who is noble? who is lowlife? what distinguishes between these two?
The most powerful strength of this film is its valued actors. Not only the leads but also supporting players has performed for a significant time, and some of them has worked with the director. Especially, Yoon Ji-hye, who acquired fame from some television series, plays Mi-hyang and expresses a different spectrum.
[Spoiler] However, it is the film's abrupt plot in the last 30 minutes that deteriorates its advantage. After compiling all attractive characters, Yoon suddenly kills most of protagonists, even though he could have deepened his characters after their Pyrrhic victory upon aristocrats. What makes this transition abrupt is a previous dilemma that was coerced to Ddaeng-choo (Lee Kyeong-yeong). After being captured by Jo Yoon, he is forced to choose either to reveal his fellows' haven or to sacrifice innocent peasants of the town, Najoo. As Jo Yoon kills five peasants, Ddaeng-choo changes his mind and tell him where the haven is. Dilemma resonates only when every choice is indispensable. However, at this point, it is hard to say that saving his comrades is equivalent to saving innocent people. This is because not only his comrades but also children in their haven will be killed as a result. In other words, he abandons his neighbors too easily only to save strangers. Consequently, this unreliable element weakens the later part of the narrative.
It is transparent that Yoon tried to bypass conventional story in which an outstanding hero restores peace. He emphasizes ordinary people's power to change their world. Nevertheless, [Spoiler] using a gatling in the climax was a too easy resolution to defeat evil extras. The film's temporal background is much earlier that the American Civil War. Even though you do not give a damn to such historical facts, I still feel it like a deus ex machina.
Yet, it is undeniable that Yoon is one of the most creative Korean film directors. I just feel sorry that this could have been better if he maintained his talent and effort until the end.
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