ALIENOID 2: Return to the Future (2024) - Movie Trailer

 Here is the trailer for Alienoid 2: Return To The Future! This is a sequel to Alienoid (2022), in which certain people in the distant past are looking for a sword that can 'control' time, and certain people from modern times are looking for an alien! Here is the synopsis:

Ean (KIM Tae-ri) has a critical mission to return to the future to save everyone. However, she becomes trapped in the distant past while trying to prevent the escape of alien prisoners who are locked up in the bodies of humans. Meanwhile, Muruk (RYU Jun-yeol), who helps Ean escape various predicaments, is unnerved when he begins sensing the presence of a strange being in his body. Traveling through the centuries, they are trying to prevent the end of the world...

Alienoid 2: Return To The Future released already in South Korea on January 10, 2024. It is releasing in America in theaters on January 26, 2024. I've got to watch these movies!

 

A Company Man (2012) - A Review

 

A Company Man is an excellent action movie!

A Company Man is an action movie released in South Korea in 2012 and stars So Ji-sub, Lee Mi-yeon, Kwak Do-won, Jeon Guk-hwan, Kim Dong-jun, Han Bo-bae, and Lee Geung-young. The movie was written and directed by Lim Sang-Yoon, with Jae-Min Shin as action coordinator.

Ji Hyeong-do, played by So Ji-sub. He is an expert assassin not to be messed with!

In A Company Man, So Ji-sub plays Ji Hyeong-do, an expert assassin rising up the ranks at his company. His superior, Kwon Jong-tae (played by Kwak Do-won) treats Hyeong-do rather rudely, so Hyeong-do usually answers him with, "I'm sorry, sir". Their top boss, Chairman Jeon, (played by Jeon Guk-hwan) has very high hopes and expectations for Hyeong-do. It seems Hyeong-do is enjoying his life; his boss likes him and most everyone at the company respect him. It turns out, he is thinking of quitting. He asks a former colleague, Ban Ji-hoon (played by Lee Geung-young) what he should do. Ji-hoon say whether Hyeong-do quits or stays at his job, he will always be a company man...

One day, Hyeong-do is on an assignment with a young temp, Ra Hoon (played by Kim Dong-jun), who tells him about his plans for the money he is making working these types of jobs. After Ra Hoon successfully eliminates his targets, Hyeong-do takes him out. Before Hyeong-do eliminates him,though, Ra Hoon asks a favor of him. Hyeong-do obliges and goes to Ra Hoon's house to give his mother all the money he was saving up. Hyeong-do becomes smitten with Yu Mi-yeon (played by Lee Mi-yeon), and can't stop thinking about her...

Hyeong-do's crush on Mi-yeon causes him to become careless on an assignment. Hyeong-do and Mi-yeon begin to have a romantic relationship, and Hyeong-do finally seems to be happy. Later on, Hyeong-do does not do what is asked of him by the company, and the police are suspicious of him since he was seen with Ra Hoon before he committed the murders; and this causes Hyeong-do to become the next target of the company he works for. Things go terribly wrong, and Hyeong-do becomes determined to take the whole company down.

Ji Hyeong-do and Yu Mi-yeon get along really well.

A Company Man is a dark thriller that examines South Korean work culture through the life of a hitman. You see Hyeong-do struggle with being so good and dependable as an employee that his boss loves him, his co-workers respect him, and he is rising up the ranks. The problem is that he wants to leave the job, and after finding love with Mi-yeon, wants to start a new life with her. This is all very interesting, and you hope he is able to live his life the way he wants to as you are watching it. There is a lot more to the plot and story that I'm leaving out, as I do not want to spoil the whole movie, but let's just say, things get complicated. So Ji-sub plays Ji Hyeong-do in an understated manner, so when he finally smiles... or snaps, it means something. Really great performance from him. Lee Mi-yeon plays Yu Mi-yeon as a humble, yet almost angelic woman who's had a somewhat tough life. You can see why Hyeong-do falls for her. Also a great performance from Lee Mi-yeon. Kwak Do-won as Hyeong-do's direct superior is excellent as an absolute jerk who you hope gets his butt kicked at the end of the movie. I hated that guy!

The action in A Company Man is hard-hitting and explosive.

The action in A Company Man is really good. There is a lot of gunplay in this one, and it is really wild. Let's just say, a certain area gets wrecked with all the bullets flying around. There are two or three fight scenes, and they are good as well. So Ji-sub handles himself well in the fight scenes, and is totally believable as being a highly skilled hitman. The fight scenes are not Hong Kong style, I would say they are more Korean style (duh). The camera work and editing are a bit similar to the shaky cam fights of stuff like the Bourne Identity movies, but not as terrible as those. You can see things more clearly in A Company Man, but things do get confusing sometimes. Still, the action is great in this, and worth waiting for.

As you can expect, I highly recommend watching A Company Man. This is a very good action movie! It may not re-invent the action movie genre, but it does the action very well. The actors put in great performances, especially So Ji-sub and  Lee Mi-yeon. I thought the ending was very well done, and it may make you emotional. Watch A Company Man and wallow in the darkness (and I mean that in a good way).

Reviewed by David Williams

Slate (2021) - A Review

A really good martial arts fantasy.

 Slate is a fantasy/action/swordplay movie released in South Korea in 2021, and stars Ahn Ji Hye, Lee Min Ji, Jong Ho, Jo Sun Ki, Jung Jin Woo, Lee Se Ho, and Park Tae San. Slate was directed by Bareun Jo.

Cha Yeon Hee, played by Ahn Ji Hye, just wants to be a heroine.

 In Slate, Ahn Ji Hye plays Cha Yeon Hee, a woman who has wanted to be a heroine since being orphaned as a child. To do this, she has studied martial arts, stunt work, and acting to become an actress in the Korean film industry. She gets called in for an audition for the lead role in an action movie, but she finds out it's not exactly the role she wants. Despite being told that she will never be cast as a heroine, she takes the job anyway. Yeon Hee arrives at the set with her friend early, and as they explore, the friend finds a wooden slate (or clapper/clapboard). As the friend claps the slate, Yeon Hee wishes she was a heroine...

 Next thing Yeon Hee knows, it's evening and she's on a random street. A gang, led by Dong Ja Roo (played by Jong Ho), are demanding money from some townspeople. Seeing the prop sword Yeon Hee is carrying, Kim Ji Na (played by Lee Min Ji) assumes she is the Soul Slayer, the only person who can help her town fight against Taepyeongso (leader of the villainous Dragon Clan). Ghoster, a missing Youtuber (played by Jung Jin Woo), informs Yeon Hee that they are in a parallel world where things are not exactly the same (Korea is in warring states period, there's no internet/wi-fi, and people openly carry swords). After fighting off thugs with her prop sword, Yeon Hee realizes why she is there: to be a heroine! Yeon Hee is up to the challenge, but Taepyeongso is dying and his two top men, Priest (played by Lee Se Ho) and Mr. Phillip (played by Park Tae San) are vying for control. Also, the real Soul Slayer (played by Jo Sun Ki) arrives to deal with Taepyeongso, but is baffled when the townspeople pay him no mind. Everything comes to a head, with betrayals, unlikely allies, and sword fights aplenty.

The Priest, and Mr. Phillip behind him, are not good people.

 Slate is a nice action fantasy movie. The characters and situations are believable (even though this is a fantasy with mystical elements), and even the action is realistic (for the most part). There is some comedy in this, both of the subtle and laugh out loud variety. Jong Ho as Dong Ja Roo provides the comic relief; he is fiercely passionate, emotional, and loyal. Jo Sun Ki as the real Soul Slayer is also funny in his somewhat arrogant, yet humbled role. Even though Cha Yeon Hee is ready and capable of being a heroine, she is not perfect. In fact, she comes out of some fights gravely injured. She is determined to do the right thing and stop the injustice and protect the people at all costs. Ahn Ji Hye does a great job playing Cha Yeon Hee. You can tell she is a strong person in real life. Lee Min Ji, as Kim Ji Na, plays a strong town leader that is beloved by the people. She is great in this. Another thing I liked about this movie was that there was no romance or love interests. Yeon Hee was focused on upholding justice throughout.

Slate has some nice sword fighting scenes. Ahn Ji Hye does awesome in her scenes.

 The action in Slate is all sword-based. There is some nice choreography on display, and Ahn Ji Hye shows that she has some serious skills as a sword fighter. She even throws in some nice kicks as well. Though there is a lot of sword fighting, it doesn't get too over the top with the blood and gore. I would say it is pretty realistic with its depiction of blood loss in this movie. The most graphic scene is a surprise death, and even then the movie doesn't dwell on it.The action is fast and razor sharp, but the choreography is more on the realistic side. There's nothing wrong with that, as the fights are exciting.

 So, should you watch Slate? I would say it's not a must see movie, but if you like action movies, sword fighting, comedy, cool and interesting characters, movies with a nice visual style, and a rocking soundtrack, give it a chance. The plot is easy to follow and understand, the action is good, and the actors all give believable performances. The film references Alice In Wonderland throughout, but there is a bit of The Wizard Of Oz in it as well. I watched it two times for this review, and I actually liked it even better the second time. Check it out, it's pretty good!

 

 

 SALUTE!!!

 

 

 

Reviewed by David Williams

The Man From Nowhere (2010) - A Review

A cool, yet brutal, action movie.

 The Man From Nowhere is a thriller/action movie released in South Korea in 2010 and stars Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron, Kim Hee-won, Kim Sung-oh, Thanayong Wongtrakul, Kim Hyo-seo, and Song Young-chang. It was written and directed by Lee Jeong-beom, with action by Park Jung-ryul.

Won Bin as the dark and brooding Cha Tae-sik.

 In The Man From Nowhere, Won Bin plays Cha Tae-sik, a quiet, brooding man who runs a pawn shop. His only friend (though he is not really friendly) is a little girl named So-mi (played by Kim Sae-ron). She is a bit of an outcast, with no friends and an... unfit mother. Though Tae-sik seems very aloof towards So-Mi, he shows that he genuinely cares about her.

Kim Sae-ron as So-mi. She is really good in this!

 One day, two thugs show up in Tae-sik's apartment. They aggressively demand an item he has in his pawn shop. He gives them what they want, but he makes the thugs pay for threatening him. Unfortunately, So-mi and her mother are kidnapped, and the only way they will be released is by Tae-sik making a drug delivery to a crime boss (played by Song Young-chang). Tae-sik makes the delivery, but everything goes wrong; he gets arrested and he learns So-mi's life may be in serious danger. He escapes the police station and starts a brutal quest to rescue So-mi...

Thanayong Wongtrakul as Ramrowan; a ruthless assassin who is determined to kill Cha Tae-sik.

The Man From Nowhere is an excellent movie. Of course, with my vague synopsis, it doesn't sound that interesting, but trust me, the plot is gripping. The movie is dark, riveting, and violent. Just when you think the villains couldn't be any more evil, they sink to a new low. Throughout the movie, we find out why Cha Tae-sik is the way he is, and it makes sense why he is so driven to save So-mi. Won Bin as Tae-sik is amazing. Though Tae-sik is a man of few words, through Won Bin's performance, you can feel and understand what he's going through and what's driving him. Kim Sae-ron as So-mi is also great. For such a young person, her performance is phenomenal. So-mi is nice, caring, and funny all while hiding the pain of dealing with a 'troubled' mother and having no friends. Not going to lie, some of her scenes are heartbreaking and may bring you to tears (I almost cried, but I successfully held it in).

 This movie is full of violence and tragedy. It is a revenge movie, basically, and there is nothing wrong with that! I've read that it is similar to Man On Fire (2004) and John Wick (2014). With regard to Man On Fire, there are some similarities (the plot of a man rescuing a little girl, using brutal violence to find her), but The Man From Nowhere is its own movie (I still haven't seen John Wick, so I cannot compare the two). To think, I saw this movie on sale for a very long time at the store years ago, but I never bought it. I did not know what I was missing!

The action is brutal and bloody.

The Man From Nowhere has some brutal action scenes. Truthfully, there are not that many action or fight scenes, but when the action scenes do occur, they hit hard. Cha Tae-sik uses guns and (his opponent's) knives, but his main weapon is a small blade that he expertly uses. The way the fights are filmed and edited is similar to Batman Begins (2005) or The Bourne (2004-2016) movies (though not that bad); the fights are shot up close, and you don't really see any of the strikes connect. There is no shaky cam, thankfully, but it seems like some interesting moves are being performed, but you can't see their effect. The final fight is filmed and edited a little better; you can see more of what the fighters are doing and the effect it has on them. Despite all of this, the action is still brutal and exciting to watch.

 I highly recommend watching The Man From Nowhere. The plot is thrilling, the characters are interesting, and the action is brutal. This movie is very emotional, as well. You may cry during certain scenes. The Man From Nowhere is just a cool movie. Won Bin and Kim Sae-ron kill it in this film. It is also one of the best movies I've watched this year. Check it out!

 

 

 

 

Reviewed by David Williams

Arahan (2004) - A Review

 

This Korean comedy kicks butt!

Arahan is a martial arts/fantasy/comedy movie released in South Korea in 2004 and stars Ryoo Seung-bum, Yoon So-yi, Ahn Sung-ki, Jung Doo-hong, Yoon Joo-sang, Kim Ji-young, and Ahn Gil-kang. Arahan was directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, with fight choreography by Jung Doo-hong.

Ryoo Seung-bum as Sang-hwan (in the middle). He is such a dork in this!

In Arahan, Ryoo Seung-bum plays Sang-hwan, a dorky, less than graceful rookie police officer who wants to do the right thing in his job. One day, he chases after a robber escaping on a motorcycle, but gets injured by Wi-jin (played by Yoon So-yi), a skilled martial artist, after she throws an errant Palm Blast at him. She takes Sang-hwan to her house, where her father Ja-woon (played by Ahn Sung-ki), a Tao master and the other masters use acupuncture needles to revive him and release his chi. After he recovers, he immediately shows signs that he could be the person the Tao masters are looking for to be the inspiration for martial artists around the world and become the Maruchi. The Tao masters and Wi-jin begin training him in martial arts.

Meanwhile, an old man is found meditating behind a subway wall. He escapes, and starts taking out the Tao masters who are helping Sang-hwan. This old master, Heug-woon (played by Jung Doo-hong), is looking for the key, which he suspects the Tao masters are hiding. He wants the key to restore order in the world. Sang-hwan and Wi-jin are the only ones who can stand up to him, but they are not on the same page, and Sang-hwan may not even be emotionally or mentally ready for this battle...

Yoon So-yi as Wi-jin (left) and Sang-hwan.They have great, awkward chemistry together.

Arahan is another movie I heard about in the early 2000s, and I always looked for it in my local video store but could never find it. I forgot about it eventually, but I found it on a streaming site recently, and the name came back to me. So, did Arahan live up to the hype? I would say, definitely! This movie is very enjoyable with awesome action. It is mainly a comedy, very similar to Stephen Chow's Shaolin Soccer or Kung Fu Hustle. It also reminded me of the classic 80s Hong Kong martial arts comedies. As you can imagine, I enjoyed the comedy very much (though, comedy is subjective, so you may not find it funny). The comedy is very silly, and I appreciated the references to Power Rangers, My Lucky Stars, and Dragon Ball. Was not expecting those getting shout outs! Though there is a lot of comedy in Arahan, it does get serious towards the end, when our heroes face their biggest challenge. The back story is very interesting and gives a reason for the conflict.

Ryoo Seung-bum is hilarious as Sang-hwan. He plays the well-meaning dork so effectively. Even though he seems weak and useless, he is a good guy. He gets beat up and humiliated for doing his job dealing with a gang. He goes through some harsh training, which he does not seem to be benefiting from (until he does). Sang-hwan is very easy to root for. Yoon So-yi as Wi-jin is great as well. She is a very strong and determined young woman woman, and she is very skilled in the martial arts. She has no time for Sang-hwan's foolishness. She understands the danger the world is in when Heug-woon returns, and is hard on Sang-hwan for not taking it seriously. Sang-hwan and Wi-jin are great in their scenes together. Finally, Jung Doo-hong as Heug-woon is one menacing villain. He doesn't say much, but he doesn't have to when he's defeating the Tao masters like they're nothing. You may feel a little sympathy for his character...but not much.

The action in Arahan is really good!

There are two main fight scenes in Arahan, and they are really good! The first fight scene is when we finally see how good Sang-hwan has become. The fight is fast and hard-hitting. It is very much influenced by the Hong Kong fight scenes of the 80s. Ryoo Seung-bum seems to be an actual martial artist, and he really gets to show his stuff in that fight scene. The end fight is more of an epic battle, with a lot of wire-work and special effects. It's a hard-hitting fight that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Jung Doo-hong is unstoppable in this fight! The other action in this movie are in short little bursts, and in the training sequences. Though there are only two fights, they are worth waiting for.

When I watched Arahan, I did not know what to expect. What I ended up watching was a hilarious martial arts action movie that I recommend to anyone that loves comedy, martial arts, or Asian cinema. Though this movie was released in 2004, it seems very modern. The CGI is actually pretty good, too. The plot is interesting, the comedy is funny, and the action is fun. What's not to like? Check out Arahan, it's a jolly good time!

Reviewed by David Williams

I Saw The Devil (2010) - A Review

 

An extremely violent masterpiece.

I Saw The Devil is an action/thriller movie released in South Korea in 2010, starring Lee Byung-hun, Choi Min-sik, Jeon Gook-hwan, Kim Yoon-seo, Chun Ho-jin, and Choi Myung-soo. I Saw The Devil was directed by Kim Jee-woon.

A man obsessed with revenge.

In I Saw The Devil, Lee Byung-hun plays Kim Soo-hyun, a highly skilled agent in the National Intelligence Service. When his fiancee, Jang Joo-yun (played by Oh San-ha) gets a flat tire on a dark road one night, a seemingly helpful school bus driver offers to help her. Unfortunately, Joo-yun is brutally attacked, and then murdered. Soo-hyun vows to find her killer, and make him suffer as much as his fiancee suffered. With the help of his fiancee's father (played by Jeon Gook-hwan) and a co-worker, Soo-hyun exacts brutal revenge on the suspects until he finds the true killer, Jang Kyung-chul (played by Choi Min-sik). Soo-hyun brutally attacks Kyung-chul, but lets him live! Soo-hyun hunts Kyung-chul down and delivers massive amounts of pain every time he finds him. Unfortunately, Soo-hyun will regret letting him live, as things tragically get way out of control!

Evil personified.

I had heard of how great I Saw The Devil was for years, but it isn't until recently that I was able to watch this movie. It definitely lived up to the hype! This movie was incredible. I was not expecting how dark and violent this movie was. Lee Byung-hun and especially Choi Min-sik give great performances. Lee is cold and calculating in his method of revenge, and you feel he is beginning to lose himself in his quest of making Kyung-chul suffer. Choi is absolutely incredible as the demented serial killer, who doesn't have any sort of respect for anyone. Kyung-chul is pure evil, and you enjoy all the pain and suffering he endures throughout the movie.

The cinematography is dark and moody, the soundtrack is great, and the plot (which is basically a revenge story) is good, too. This movie gets really extreme with the violence (and there are some very uncomfortable sexual scenes/assaults) so be prepared for that. The two main characters go to extreme lengths to hurt each other, and it makes you wonder whether revenge is worth it. All together, I Saw The Devil is a dark, modern masterpiece.

I Saw The Devil is bloody, brutal, and violent.

The action in I Saw The Devil is bloody and brutal. There are some gruesome kills in this, as well as some brutal torture scenes. The showdown between Kim Soo-hyun and Jang Kyung-chul is as exciting as it is ferocious. Each encounter between them gets more savage and ruthless. This is a movie where the action scenes may make you feel uncomfortable...

As you can imagine, I highly recommend watching I Saw The Devil. This movie is excellent. I will say, this movie may be too much for some, as women are treated horribly in it, and the violence throughout is extreme. As dark as I Saw The Devil is, there is some humor in it (as dark as the rest of the movie is). This movie will make you think, long after it ends. You will be in awe of Choi Min-sik's performance as one of the most evil characters in movie history. I Saw The Devil is one of the best movies I've seen this year, quite frankly.

Reviewed by David Williams

PROJECT WOLF HUNTING (2022) Official Movie Trailer

 Check out the trailer for Project Wolf Hunting, a Korean action movie starring Seo In-guk, Jang Dong-yoon, Sung Dong-il, and Jung So-min. Kim Hong-sun is the director. Here is the synopsis:

During transport from the Philippines to South Korea, a group of dangerous criminals unites to stage a coordinated escape attempt. As the jailbreak escalates into a bloody, all-out riot, the fugitives and their allies from the outside exact a brutal terror campaign against the special agents onboard the ship.

Project Wolf Hunting looks pretty cool! I hope to see this one soon! It comes out September 21, 2022 in South Korea and on October 7, 2022 in America (and internationally?).

 

Hunt 헌트 (2022) - Movie Trailer

 Here is the trailer for Hunt, Lee Jung-jae's directorial debut. Here is the synopsis:

Taking place in the 1980s, Park Pyeong-Ho (played by Lee Jung-Jae) and Kim Jung-Do (played by Jung Woo-Sung) are agents for the National Security Agency. They are both elite at their jobs and have a rivalry with each other. The two men chase after a North Korean spy director, known as Dong Lim, sent to South Korea who has begun to leak top secret intelligence. They soon uncover a hidden truth...

 You could say Hunt is a bit of a passion project for Lee Jung-jae, as he directs, stars, contributed to the script, and co-produced the movie! The film was shown at Cannes and received a seven minute standing ovation after it was finished! So yeah, I need to see this movie! Hunt comes out August 10, 2022 in South Korea.

 

Alienoid 외계+인 1부 (2022) - Movie Trailer

 Here is the trailer for Alienoid, a South Korean sci-fi action movie starring Ryoo Joon-Yeol, Kim Tae-Ri, and Kim Woo-Bin. This movie was written and directed by  Choi Dong-Hoon. Here is a synopsis:

During the Goryeo dynasty, Taoists try to take a legendary divine sword. In the present day, aliens appear on Earth. A time door soon appears between the late Goryeo dynasty period and the present day. Due to this, a chaotic situations occur.

I don't know about you, but I think this looks awesome! I cannot wait to watch this one! Alienoid comes out July 20, 2022 in South Korea. Hopefully it gets an international release!

 

THE KILLER Teaser Trailer

 Here is the teaser trailer for The Killer, from director Choi Jae-Hoon and starring Jang Hyuk and Anne. This is not a remake of the John Woo classic, by the way. Here is the synopsis:

Tells a story about a retired killer named Bang Ui Gang who gets swept up in a case while using violence to protect an adolescent girl he suddenly becomes in charge of. Kim Yun Ji is an ordinary high school student, but she has a lot of hidden scars because she has no one she can depend on. After her unexpected meeting with Bang Ui Gang, she will heal some of her inner pain. 

This movie looks dark and action packed! It comes out in the United States on July 13, 2022. I cannot wait to see this one!

 

 

Limit (2022) 리미트 - Movie Trailer

 Here is the trailer for Limit (also known as The Limit) a Korean action thriller directed by Lee Seung-Joon, and starring Lee Jung-Hyun, Moon Jeong-Hee, Jin Seo-Yeon, and Jeon Guk-Hyang. Here is the synopsis:

A horrific serial child kidnapping case takes place. Police Officer So-Eun takes part in the investigation and acts as stand-in for a kidnapped child's mother. So-Eun receives a shocking phone call...

Meanwhile, Hye-Jin is a mysterious person who knows a hidden secret behind the child kidnapping cases. (taken from asianwiki.com)

Limit comes out later this year in South Korea. I think this looks very interesting, and I can't wait to watch it!

 

Fighter In The Wind (2004) - A Review

 

An underrated martial arts masterpiece.

Fighter In The Wind is a South Korean martial arts biopic/drama starring Yang Dong-geun, Jung Tae-woo, Aya Hirayama, Masaya Kato, and Jung Doo-hong. It was directed by Yang Yun-ho, with Jung Doo-hong in charge of fight choreography and stunts.

Fighter In The Wind is based on the real life martial artist Masutatsu Ōyama (known as Mas Oyama) and the manga that was written based on his life, Karate Baka Ichidai. Mas Oyama is the legendary martial arts master who founded Kyokushin karate, with many students, including Sonny Chiba and Etsuko Shihomi, who trained under him. The Street Fighter video game character of Ryu and the Art Of Fighting video game character of Mr. Karate are based on him. Mas Oyama was famous for being able to chop the horns off of bulls with his bare hands, among many other things.

Yang Dong-geun as Choi Bae-dal. Yang is amazing in this!

In Fighter In The Wind, Yang Dong-geun plays Choi Bae-dal, a young Korean man who wants to enlist in the Japanese air force to become a fighter pilot during World War II. On the way to sneaking into Japan he meets Chun-bae (played by Jung Tae-woo), a fellow Korean and con man. A few years later, Choi Bae-dal stands up to his commander, Kato (played by Masaya Kato), who has been abusing the Korean soldiers on his squad. Kato tells Bae-dal if he can defeat him with his 'inferior' martial arts style, he will release the Korean soldiers. Kato easily defeats Bae-dal, but the American air force attack the Japanese military base, which allows Bae-dal and the other Korean soldiers to escape.

Humiliated by the defeat, and never getting the chance to become a fighter pilot, Bae-dal ends up helping Chun-bae run a pachinko stall in a Japanese market. The Yakuza come looking for their protection money from Chun-bae, but Bae-dal stands up to them. The Yakuza end up humiliating Bae-dal as well, giving him an insulting nickname. Bum-soo (played by Jung Doo-hong) saves Bae-dal using some incredible martial arts! Bum-soo is a fellow Korean from Bae-dal's past. Bum-soo invites Bae-dal and Chun-bae to seek refuge at the circus, where many Koreans are working and saving up money to build something for their children. It is here that Bae-dal asks Bum-soo to teach him his style of martial arts. Bum-soo teaches him, and gives him a book by Miyamoto Musashi (the legendary Japanese swordsman, martial artist, writer, and artist), The Book Of Five Rings, which Bae-dal reads voraciously.

Choi Bae-dal goes through some harsh training to become the best fighter in Japan.

During this time, Bae-dal has become a rickshaw runner, and also saves Japanese women from being raped by American soldiers. He ends up saving a woman named Yoko (played by Aya Hirayama), who ends up becoming intrigued in him. Bae-dal also becomes awkwardly interested in Yoko...

Of course, the Yakuza kill someone important to Bae-dal, and when the Korean troop fight the Yakuza in revenge, Bae-dal is knocked out. After this, Bae-dal goes to the mountains to train in his martial art, and to train his body to take immense amounts of pain. He comes back to the city and challenges every top martial artist in Japan. Bae-dal, now known as Mas Oyama, becomes a media sensation. The Japanese Karate Association, in particular Kato (Bae-dal's former commander), is angry that a foreigner is beating the best Japanese martial artists. The Association send an assassin after Bae-dal, who is forced to defend himself. After this fight, Bae-dal vows to never fight again, and goes to the assassin's family to redeem himself. Eventually, Bae-dal returns to the city and finds out Kato has challenged him to a duel...

I remember first hearing about this movie on an Asian cinema message board I used to belong to in the early 2000s. A lot of people would say Fighter In The Wind was one of the best current (at the time) martial arts movies out there. For whatever reason, I didn't really look this movie up back then. I thought it was a remake of a 70s martial arts movie. I still did try to buy it back then, but it was always out of print or not available in my region. Close to twenty years later, I've finally watched it. It was worth the wait! This movie is so good. Even though it does follow the classic martial arts movie template, it goes a bit deeper into Bae-dal's motivations. He explains quite clearly why he needs to win. We see in his fights how he achieves his wins. Even though Bae-dal is a prodigious martial arts warrior, he is a human being as well. You feel for him, and root him on as he rises up from nothing to becoming a hero.

The fight scenes are powerful and hard-hitting.

The fight scenes in Fighter In The Wind are quick and hard-hitting. They show off the beauty and the power of traditional martial arts. The fight scenes are filmed really close up, so sometimes you literally don't get the full picture of what's going on. It is similar to Tsui Hark's The Blade or Wong Kar-wai's Ashes Of Time in that respect, but not to the extreme of those movies. There are some awesome kicks and throws Bae-dal does in his fights, for sure. The fight scenes show Bae-dal's mentality about martial arts and winning. Though the fight scenes are good, the best part of the movie is the story.

I highly recommend Fighter In The Wind. It is a very interesting and engaging martial arts biopic of a legendary martial artist. The story beats may seem familiar (it is very similar to Ip Man and Huo Yuanjia, also known as Jet Li's Fearless), but it is so well done and stands on its own. The acting is excellent, the fight scenes are exciting, and the movie is pretty inspiring. Check this movie out, it's amazing!

Reviewed by David Williams

SPIRITWALKER (2022) Official Trailer

 Here is the trailer for Spirit Walker, a South Korean action movie starring Yoon Kye-Sang, Lim Ji-Yeon and Park Yong-Woo and is directed by Yoon Jae-Keun. Here is the official synopsis:

 After waking up from a car crash unable to remember anything about his life, a man begins regaining consciousness in a new body every 12 hours. Now, he must piece together his identity, all while evading attacks from pursuing agents and dangerous criminals alike. But with no memory—and no allies—his time is running out. 

Spirit Walker comes out on Digital download and Blu-Ray on April 12, 2022. This movie looks awesome, and I am definitely planning on getting the blu-ray!

 

A Bittersweet Life (2005) - A Review

 

One of my all-time favorite movies!

A Bittersweet Life is a South Korean neo-noir action film released in 2005. It stars Lee Byung-hun, Shin Min-ah, Kim Yeong-cheol, Kim Roi-ha, and Hwang Jung-min. The movie was written and directed by Kim Jee-woon.

Lee Byung-hun as Sun-woo. Excellent performance in this movie.

In A Bittersweet Life, Lee Byung-hun plays Kim Sun-woo, a loyal (and lonely) enforcer for Kang, a crime boss (played by Kim Yeong-cheol). Kang wants Sun-woo to keep an eye on his young girlfriend, Hee-soo (played by Shin Min-ah), who he suspects is cheating on him. Kang tells Sun-woo if he catches her cheating, to either call him or to kill her and her lover. Sun-woo agrees. (Kang and Sun-woo also discuss problems with a rival crime boss's son, Baek Dae-sik (played by Hwang Jung-min).

Hee-soo and Sun-woo eating lunch at the mall. So awkward.

Sun-woo goes to Hee-soo's house, where he brings a gift from Kang. Their interaction is...awkward. He does notice certain things about Hee-soo... The next day, Hee-soo wants to go shopping with him at the mall. They go, and they get to know each other a little. Things are still awkward between them. She goes into a shop to find out the price of a lamp, but leaves without it (it's too expensive). He takes Hee-soo to her music rehearsal, then drops her off. He leaves her house, but then returns to find Hee-soo and her lover! He roughs up the boyfriend and is about to call his boss when he has a change of heart. He tells Hee-soo and her lover that they can never see each other again, and to erase everything that happened between them up until now from their memories. Sun-woo said he would also erase this moment from his memories. The lover agrees and leaves, even though Hee-soo doesn't want him to.

From here, Sun-woo's life turns upside down! You'll have to watch the movie to find out what happens, but it gets crazy!

This movie is so good. The story, the acting, the action, the cinematography are all excellent. A Bittersweet Life takes place in a shadowy world, and the people in it are just as shadowy. Lee Byung-hun gives a great performance as Sun-woo, a lonely, loyal, killing machine who has never been in love. It is cool to see him struggle with his feelings, and how he deals with everything that is going on. He doesn't say much, but he doesn't have to.

The story takes a few twists and turns, and you may be surprised by how it ends. I think the ending is perfect. Though this is a dark movie, there is some comedy in here, too. Of course, the humor is quite dark. Still, funny scenes in a dark serious movie is welcome (some people may not like it in general, though). The soundtrack is really good, too. Orchestral score with a latin-influenced song in there as well.

This movie has some hard-hitting action scenes!

The action in this movie is hard-hitting and bloody. The fights are not Hong Kong-style, they are more rough and tumble. The fights are entertaining, nonetheless! The first fight in the movie is cool and stylish. Writing about the other fights would spoil the movie, but trust me, they are good! There is a lot of gunplay in this film as well. The final shoot out is wild and bloody! This is a movie where the action scenes and the non-action scenes are equally captivating.

I highly recommend watching A Bittersweet Life. It is one of South Korea's best films. If you are getting into Korean cinema, this movie is a must-watch. It is one of my all-time favorite movies. I was always on the search for this movie on DVD back in the day, but I could never find it. I had to watch it another way back then... So, if you are still reading this review: Thank you, and go watch the movie! Now! What are you waiting for? WATCH IT!

Reviewed by David Williams

SEOBOK: Project Clone (2022) - Official Trailer

 Check out the trailer for SEOBOK: Project Clone! This is a South Korean sci-fi thriller coming out soon! It's great to see Gong Yoo in this! This looks really interesting to me! Can't wait to watch it!

 

 

Tiger Mask (2021) - Movie Trailer

 Check out the trailer for the South Korean movie, Tiger Mask! It seems to be a comedic superhero/vigilante action movie. This has no connection to the Japanese Tiger Mask manga/anime character or pro wrestler. This trailer really surprised me, I was not expecting this! I need to see this! It comes out December 30th in South Korea.

'Special Cargo' South Korean Movie Trailer

 Here is the trailer for Special Cargo, a South Korean action movie coming out in January 2022! Not going to lie, this movie looks awesome! I've gotta catch it when it releases on Blu-Ray or streaming!