The Tiger: An Old Hunter's Tale (2015) South Korea

The final standoff between the man and the beast.

Original title:

Daeho (Korean)

Genre:

Adventure, Drama, Thriller.

Length:

Approximately 6-minute read.


Review:
     After the stunning performance in the 'The Admiral: Roaring Currents', the Korean superstar Choi Min-Sik is back for another unique film. This time he donned in a hunter's avatar and his role was pretty inspiring. From the director of 'New World' and second time working with the same actor. Reading this kind of story might work well because of we individually visualise them as what we want. But turning them into a film is a tough task because they're one man's vision and not everybody share the same perspective, hence the disagreement surface. So I think the director did his best with the kind of screenplay he had, I would say the whole team effort was good.

     During the Japanese rule of Korea in the 1925, a fine hunter who lives with his son in the forest near a village has given up hunting since his wife's death. But when the Japanese army chief obsessed with one particular magnificent tiger that lives in the mountains of Jirisan, summons all the hunters to get it. All the attempts go in vain, until the Japanese soldiers and Korean hunters team up and go after that last living tiger. The battle between the man and the beast only brings the bloody war that's going to change forever whoever involved in it.

     I was excited to watch it after learning about the plot, because the Korean experimental films are quite fascinating as they are made in the most realistic way. Take an example of 'Mr. Go', the same visual effects team behind this film as well. They did pretty awesomely, but it was a much harder job than the big ape they had created earlier. Though, in a few shots it was below par, at a time very much comparable quality to the recent CGI tigers such as Richard Parker and Shere Khan from 'Life of Pi' and 'The Jungle Book' respectively.

 Respect the mountain and take what it gives you. 

     The film was kind of mix of reality and fiction. From the human perspective, all the narration was quite rational and historically matches. Like humans hunt animals for pleasure and its skin, teeth, nails et cetera. As from the tiger's perspective, it turned out to be a little fiction, because of the animal showing same or equal emotions as the humans. Animals do show emotions, but not in the human way as it was shown in the film. That makes it a bit unrealistic and out of proportion. That would work in a pure fantasy film where this one comes under thriller that was targeted for adults with strong blood and gore. Otherwise, it would have made a great anime.

     Apart from those disappointments, I find the film was much better if not as what I anticipated. The actors did their part so well and so the crew members behind the camera. The cinematography was good, captured some beautiful landscapes, but I don't know some of those shots might be digital creation. The length a bit long, due to engaging screenplay you won't feel you're forced to sit for that long.

     For the action sequence fans, this film offers a good entertainment, but depends who you're cheering for. As for the conclusion, I did not get it properly, because it was an understanding term rather giving a full explanation. So viewers can have a different opinion and everything might make sense. (Be careful, this following line might contain spoilers.) For my understanding the tiger and the hunter decide what they should have done years ago should be done now.

     I might have mentioned it somewhere the film is suitable for grown ups. Even for an adult like me, knowing it just a fake and graphics felt a bit too much brutality. There is a scene where a boy was eaten alive by a pack wolves. I don't know what the filmmakers were thinking, what kind of audience they're targeting. The overall writing should have been improved, making more realistic way like how the natural world animals behave. It might work for some people with a minimum guaranteed entertainment, but little children should stay away from it. From my side, I go for 50-50, neither I suggest it nor encourage to skip it.



Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
Moby Dick, In the Heart of the Sea, Jaws, Mighty Joe Young, White Lion, Wolf Totem.


External link(s):
    

WCA geolocation:
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The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014) South Korea

At war, it's not all about manpower, but strategy.

Genre:

Action, Adventure, Biography, History, War.

Original title:

Myeongryang (Korean)

What's in:

As always on-topic, A very few off-topic, Not much spoilers, Dialogues.

Length:

Approximately 6-minute read.

Review:

     The highest domestic box office ever as well as internationally as a Korean movie. Based on the naval wars of Japanese invasion of Korea that took place in the last decade of the 1500s. The battle was fought for six long years, but this film focuses only the final one called 'Battle of Myeongnyang' in the year 1597. The famous face from the Korean filmdom, Choi Min-sik can be seen in the title role. For the international market, he was badly needed than the role wanted him. But I don't say that, he was amazing as always, like the character was specially created for him.

     As an important historical subject of the Korea, it was a very carefully made flick. But the product was more commercialised than being practical, especially in the battle scenes. You can't expect logic and accurate historical account, but entertainment is promised as the film's main intention. Awesome visuals, but as I said lacks the reality. Not a bad film either, because a very much acceptable for having interesting tiny bits in the battle. The first half was more a drama and as we are viewers, there is a chance to lose the focus. Barely generates any interest, kind of a setback to the movie. Not even the character constructive was handled that better in those sections where it should have been.

     Exactly after the first hour the pace picks up as the war commenced. Then it was a non-stop action, one must buckle up his seat belt for onwards to enjoy. Mostly never seen before style, because it was exhibited in the Korean style of a sea battle. It involves some kind of oceanography like the second half of the title say, 'Roaring Currents'. But not in a theoretical calculation rather a practical by observing the pattern and executing the plans like any old civilization was doing in any field. In one of the dialogue, the admiral uses the word 'virus' about fears spreading among his men. I don't think so the virus was discovered not before the late 19th century.

 Fear does not discriminate, it can equally affect our enemy.

     It may be a Korean answer to the '300: Rise of an Empire'. There are no similarities, one is a fictional war and the other one is a biographical war film, but deals on the same theme. Especially when the hundreds of soldiers fight against the thousands, definitely reminds '300'. Actually, it was 12 Korean warships against the 330 Japanese fleets. There are so many characters, the editing was much better to give space for everyone to show their parts in this 2 long hour run. The music was equally matched to the visuals. It includes some emotional segments too, but not the appealing one like you are going to have tears rather the narration demanded it and it worked.

     In the last two decades, Korean filmmakers going after the untouched territories and their success were inevitable. The quality of graphics in the world cinema is the revolution. Something is sure that now it does not belong to Hollywood alone. Because of this technology the world cinemas can compete with Hollywood. When I was a kid, my frequent question was 'why its so gloomy?'. The one thing I liked in this film was they were not afraid to create the battleground (atmosphere in the sea) in the daylight. You can see sunshine, shadows as well as gloomy as the clouds passing by. This film was a spectacular piece, that does not mean I said it a masterpiece. Like I always say, knowing/learning history through the films are easier than the textbooks. Hope there is a part 2, seems I want one.



Similar movies:
300: Rise of an Empire, Master and Commander, Pirates of the Caribbean.


Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


External link(s):