Hyeongsa (2005) User Reviews

Your Name is...

[Meganeguard · 6/10 · 7 January 2006]

Set during the Lee dynasty, The Duelist tells the tale of detectives Namsoon and Ahn. The former a hot-headed young woman who is just as willing to stick a knife in the gut of an adversary as look at him and the latter a calm, pleasant man who tries, often in vain, to keep his protégé's temper in check. One day, while working undercover, Namsoon notices a skilled swordsman sporting a white wig and a mask amazing onlookers with his impeccable skill. However, things soon become chaotic when a struggle between two groups breaks out and a wagon containing a huge amount of money is spilt. In order to keep the peace, Namsoon and Ahn pursue a couple of thieves: one a bald man with an eye patch and the other the masked man who swiped a gold statue. Namsoon is able to catch up with the masked man and they cross weapons. Although she is able to split his mask, the man is able to get away.

After this incident, trouble begins the spread because the money was counterfeit. The huge amounts of counterfeit money make prices inflate and cause distress throughout the kingdom. Wanting to get to the bottom of the problem, Namsoon and Ahn search out the only engraver, who just happens to have been released from prison recently after a mysterious person bailed him out, who is capable of making molds that could press near perfect coins. The artist sketches a picture for the detectives of the man who bailed him out: a young man with shoulder length hair and sad eyes. Namsoon recognizes him as the swordsman she pursued earlier.

Namsoon and Ahn soon learn that Sad Eyes works for the minister of defense and Namsoon dolls herself up as a simpering court woman in order to get close to the man. The two battle a couple of times and through the clashing metal and enhanced sensations, Namsoon begins to fall in love with the beautiful swordsman.

The most common criticism that I have heard and read about The Duelist is that the plot is paper-thin. Honestly, this is the case. The plot can easily be summed up in one sentence and it is a plot that has been done numerous times before with better execution. However, The Duelist is a beautiful film. The costumes are magnificent, especially those of Namsoon and Sad Eyes, and architecture is extraordinary. The fight scenes, especially those between the heroine and her enemy/beloved are gorgeous and they give off equal sensations of danger and beauty. Also the soundtrack is quite wonderful with equal parts rock and traditional music. At one point there was a thunderous rock track being played with a soft piano. The trio of bass, drums, and guitar did not drown out the piano, and it gave the supple movements of Sad Eyes, Kang Dong-won, even more beauty and grace. A decent film; just don't go looking for an intricate plot.

Love in a sword-fighting world - Everybody needs somebody

[arthurcrown · 7/10 · 3 April 2019]

This Korean film industry masterpiece written by Hae-jung Lee and Myung-se Lee - directed by Myung-se stretches across continents to reverberate and resonate with David Selsnick's 1939 film "Gone With The Wind" tells a poignant love story much older even than even Greek Drama from before the birth of Christ.

Namsoon (Ji-won Ha) is a young woman police officer in a time of turmoil and strife. She notices Sad Eyes (Don-won Gang) and, without fully understanding what is happening to her, falls deeply in love with him and he with her. She is working with an older, fatherly, police detective Ahn (Sung-ki Ahn) who has to contend with the realisation that his beloved daughter will inevitably leave his care and make her adult life with the well-connected boy with sad eyes.

But their courtship is couched in the ancient, aggressive, martial art of kendo. Kendo is a Japanese, highly stylised form of sword-fighting using blades of the sharpest and most potentially fatal kind.

As Namsoon and Sad Eyes battle with one another according to the strict rules of Kendo - the matrial art - it is the human language of love which transcends all cultural differences that is raging.

Watch the film and enjoy. My money's on the girl getting the boy and the boy getting the girl - but there is so much counterfeit money around, who knows ?

Beautfil cinematography sugar coating bland story

[anamcchoi · 5/10 · 13 September 2005]

I just saw this at the Toronto Film Festival. I really looked forward to it, after watching the trailer. The cinematography was no doubt a visual feast, beautiful composition and choreography, a lot of the time it resembles a comic book, the mysterious "sad eyes" and the exaggerated Namsoon, but the entire film just feels like a big loop of artistic sequence, a bit of story, artistic sequence, etc etc. After a while, it seems that a lot of it are just there for eye candy, didn't really do much in terms of contributing to the story, eventually it just became tiresome and repetitive. I can't say it was bad at all, but just the cinematography wasn't engaging enough, it was a sharp contrast of gorgeous visuals and an insipid story.

The actors' work was splendid.

[modam · 7/10 · 16 October 2005]

I saw this movie in the Pusan International Film Festival. Director Myung-se Lee said it is the third edition, after the screening. Maybe, it was post-Toronto & Vancouver Festival Version.

The image is so beautiful. Films which shoot in front of blue screen (a lot of CG) won't have this charm. Costume and architecture of the Lee Dynasty are interesting, too. I wasn't bored one minute. I felt two hours short.

I think that the casting is a big success. Ji-won Ha performs the sometime-funny role of female detective Namsoon greatly. Sung-kee Ahn gives the tone to this movie. And, mysterious Sad Eyes, nobody will be able to do excluding Dong-won Kang.

Selection of music makes this movie not sophisticated. At this point, it looks like Lee's previous work "Nowhere to hide-Injeong sajeong bol geot eobtda-". (However, selection of music might be a charm of the Lee works!)

I praise that all characters are solitude and independent. I saw a number of Korean movies and dramas, there are a lot of works of complex story based on the family relation and the sickness. In this movie, a simple story permits intoxicating it beautifully of the image.

The pronunciation of Japanese well known tanka is incorrect. I expect it to be corrected before screening in Japan.

Mr. Black My rating = C-

[dvdguy2005 · 3/10 · 24 December 2005]

2005 Toronto Film Festival report: One more film for today, new one from South Korea, directed by Lee Myung-Es: "Duelist".

"A tale of political intrigue The Duelist is told from the perspective of a group of undercover police officers in historical Korea. Ahn Sung-Ki - one of Korea's most dependable actors who many on these shores will recognize from his part in the stellar Musa: The Warrior - is the wise senior leader of the group, Ha Jiwan the headstrong and fiery tempered Detective Namsoo. When a mysterious masked man scatters bags of counterfeit coins into a crowd at a town fair - nearly triggering a riot - the young female detective sets off in pursuit, engages him in combat and catches a brief glimpse of his true face." Style… Style and more style. The Director Lee Myung-Es was there (Must be a big deal back in South Korea as he was swarmed with folks after the screening) and he explained the story original came from a Comic Book. Wish I had known that going in. It is a period piece, with a modern flare. Characters do things not because it makes sense, but to strike a pose. The director did not want to tag this as an action film, but as a 'Melodrama'. Full of color, especially in the early market scenes, I am sure the fans of comic at happy as hell. Does that make it a good movie? Not really. Lee Myung-Es said the film just opened in Korea, with the critics loving it… and the audience 50/50 on it. The film took ninety three days to shoot, and I am sure most of that time was spent getting the color scheme right. It's looks wonderful, and he uses Dark shadows to make some beautiful images. All this just doesn't work for me. The attempts at comedy are so over the top and goofy it is hard to take the characters seriously. The "Namsoon" character is just so goofy during the first half of the film I never really bought the romance between her and the "Sad Eyes" character. There are many action scenes, oh sorry, dance scenes, but they never had any real sense of danger for me. If you do not care who is fighting, or why they are fighting, then it comes across as really cold to me. Some will like it, others like me will not. Can not see this playing at all with a North American Audience, so the chances you will see this on the big screen are slim. A better reviewer than I has said on the internet "I think, that director Lee's films are poetry, not prose." Guess this fearless reviewer is not really a poetry kind of guy.

Come On Now People. Cinematography Is Only ONE Aspect of Film-making

[ebossert · 4/10 · 22 July 2007]

While perusing IMDb comments lately I've noticed a rather interesting perspective that glorifies cinematography as if it's the only meaningful aspect of film-making. I always thought that things like directing, acting, scriptwriting, action choreography, and post-production (only to name a few) are all important parts of making an entertaining film. Realistically, almost every film is lacking in some of these elements, but the good movies make up for it by excelling in others. Unfortunately, lots of people apparently think that cinematography alone can carry a film. I disagree, and Duelist provides a case in point.

This movie is essentially an action/comedy, which to me automatically signals an emphasis on action choreography and humor. The most entertaining films of this genre take the fight scenes to exceptional levels while sprinkling in some good laughs along the way – e.g., The Legend of Drunken Master (1994). Duelist, on the other hand, provides subpar humor and downright atrocious sword duels. I actually liked the lead actress and actor in other Korean films I've seen, but they were not utilized well at all here. Quite frankly, this film is a disaster. If I had known it was directed by Myung-se Lee (Nowhere to Hide), I probably would have never watched it to begin with. Shame on me for not doing my homework.

For the record, there is a lot of action here, but it is utterly destroyed by inept directing because the camera-work used during the sword duels sucks to high heaven. It's almost as if the director's sole purpose was to sabotage his own movie. Here are a few examples:

1. The opening scene was nonsensical, schizophrenic, and overly sloppy in its execution. A wagon full of money crashes and sprays on a road. The officials try to stop people from stealing it. The scene is nothing more than amateurs scuffling and falling over each other. Not good. There is a very brief duel at the end, but it only entails one or two sword swings.

2. One particular night duel had this viewer's blood boiling as the only discernible "action" was a series of special effects sparks on a pitch black screen. Two of the lead characters are in a dark alleyway, but instead of having them fight where we can see them, the director cuts to total blackness and adds some sparks. This kind of copout really grates on my nerves, because the director knows that he can take the easy way out and not even bother to map out carefully choreographed sword motions or character movements. This sequence, in and of itself, solidifies Myung-se Lee as one of the laziest directors in the industry today. Hey jackass, do us all a favor and don't even bother shooting an action scene if you're too lazy to do it right.

3. Another brief duel takes place in a courtyard and would have been pretty good had the director not placed the camera directly behind an obstruction, thereby showing only portions of the characters as they fought. Seriously, he could have placed the camera just about ANYWHERE else and it would have been acceptable. Instead, he tracks behind a thick fence. What an idiot.

4. Yet another scene has a character in a room with dozens of baddies, but every time he swings his weapon the director moves the camera behind a pillar to obscure the action. The scene itself lasts a matter of seconds and ends prematurely with a freeze frame of the protagonist screaming. At this point, I wanted to break something.

The aforementioned points convincingly argue against other IMDb comments that assert that the action scenes are entertaining. On the contrary, they are not the slightest bit entertaining for viewers who actually want to SEE the characters fight in well-choreographed sword duels. I'm perplexed that so many reviewers enjoy having so many events occur off-screen. You people need to raise your standards a bit.

Someone should seriously tell Myung-se Lee that the Andrew Lau/Wong Kar Wai Wuxia method of "slideshow" photography is the single worst way to film a fight scene, primarily because the viewer cannot see what the hell is going on (ala Storm Riders and Ashes of Time). Someone should also tell him to stop aiming the camera at walls and start aiming the camera at the actors. After suffering through Lee's Nowhere to Hide and this feat of idiocy, I pray to God this imbecile never makes another action film. And if he does, I pray that I'm not stupid enough to watch it.

Which brings me to the cinematography. Lots of reviewers here have claimed that the cinematography of Duelist carries the film. I see this reasoning often, and quite frequently the most overrated movies are those with good cinematography, because the people who love them conveniently forget that everything else sucks badly – e.g., Akira Kurosawa's Dreams. Hey, I love great cinematography too, but the movie has to have SOMETHING else, lest it be a very pretty but hollow shell. For example, Kiyoshi Kurosawa's films have excellent atmosphere, but without innovative philosophical concepts they would be practically worthless, like this film.

Everyone mocks me because I consider The Twins Effect (2003) to be one of the most entertaining in this genre, yet I'm vindicated every time a crappy action/comedy like Duelist comes out. Go figure.

A visual feast

[pb104-1 · 9/10 · 19 November 2006]

I saw this film at the opening night of the Hawaii International Film Festival, as an unannounced special screening. Outrageously colorful and stylized, it's a tale of a girl trained as a sword-fighter who works as a cop, and a mysterious masked swordsman who may or may not be in league with a gang who is flooding the country with counterfeit money. The plot is confusing enough, but it really doesn't matter: it's just an excuse for some amazing set- pieces involving crowds of sword-fighters, fighters chasing through markets and dye factories, barroom brawls, and over the top humor. And swordplay as foreplay. Not likely to get a US release, but a lot of fun. Modern Korean cinema, in my opinion, is leading the world in terms of set and scenic design, and innovative cinematography. Catch this film to see what I mean.

Why did I bother watching this movie?

[chrichtonsworld · 4/10 · 21 February 2007]

When movies are being showed at festivals people automatically presume that these movies are special! My experience is that most of the time that is not the case! Most of these movies only will be shown at film festivals and not find their way into the normal theaters! The reason that most of these so called "special" movies are just bad! And they always cover up these facts by giving these movies more meaning than the movies actually have! Talking about symbolism and history and so and so on! There have been movies where I could agree with some symbolism and such! And sometimes discovering this symbolism and metaphors can be fun! But for this to happen the movie itself has to be enjoyable so that you will watch the movie more times to discover all of the special elements used! "The duelist" is not an enjoyable movie! It is one of the "special" movies mentioned above! The whole movie is set up like one big dance scene with people twirling,spinning,jumping and swinging swords! Maybe some people will call this martial arts,but believe me it isn't! It qualifies as action,nothing more nothing less! It is also not clear if this supposed to be a comedy or a drama! Trust me that it is neither! It is sometimes funny and touches dramatic elements! But for the most time actors fail to carry the drama because they act as real fools (so how can I take matters seriously)! The ending contains a little twist! We find out that the man who is telling stories (throughout the movie) to his buddies actually is telling this story! So maybe all is made up! "Oh joy!" We have been tricked,it is even worse than I thought! Is everything as bad as I say! Well,I must mention that the cinematography is very beautiful and is the main reason that this movie is worth a glance! But just a glance!

Stunning

[mpoirier-2 · 10/10 · 24 February 2008]

I don't know how many of the reviewers of this movie realize just how difficult some of the visual effects the director managed to pull off really are. I'm currently an art student and I've helped in the filming of more than a few movies in my life and I've seen more movies than most people have even heard of and yet this movie has stood near the top of the list of my favorite films since I saw it. Now maybe I'm biased because this movie has more emotion depicted in one scene of swordplay than movies like the Notebook. If you missed it the first time through you were obviously reading a book by its cover because its story is told through expressions and movements of the characters not through the traditional blunt, in your face talking which can sometimes neglect the need for visuals in a movie. Half the movies that have come out in the past five years wouldn't be worth a damn except for their dialog. They would be better as books on tape. This movie is all about the visuals and how they blend with an amazing score. Very few directors can pull off emotions through pure visual splendor and music. How this has a barely above a five rating is disgusting. I recommend this movie to anyone. They say the plot is thin but if your just basing that off the dialog you've missed three quarters of the story. Watch the actors body language and how the music builds upon it.

This review I-s I-n s-l-o-w m-o-t-i-o-n

[Spuzzlightyear · 2/10 · 8 October 2005]

The big problem I have with The Duelist, and the one I'll mention off the top is how this movie pads itself by going slo-mo every second scene or so, making this trip featuring mysterious swordsman and gender-confused cop that more slower than it already is.

The director of this, Lee Myung-Se, has got enough features under his belt to truly know better, but his first foray into hai-ya! Swordsplay and while it's pretty to look at, relies too much on over repetitive fight scenes and clichés (how many fights do we really need to see in the rain?) just could almost be labeled as a half hour movie stretched out into a 2 hour movie.

Unique, but not in a good way

[zzzorf · 4/10 · 22 March 2018]

This movie was unique I'll give it that much. For me however it wasn't in a good way. For the first 20 minutes I was left scratching my head about what was happening and when I finally did catch on to the plot I was already too far gone to really care.

As I said the movie was unique, mainly to do with the way things were shot however as I said, I wasn't really a big fan of it. In the end the movie was a big miss for me.

Heavy metal w/ a touch of tender piano.

[rooprect · 8/10 · 17 June 2006]

You're probably wondering what the heck my title means.

There's a memorable scene where the soundtrack features a hard rock thrash song and a quiet piano sonata ...playing simultaneously! How the audio engineer pulled this off without it sounding like a train wreck is beyond me. But you can distinctly make out the two clashing pieces of music.

The whole movie is much like this phenomenon. First of all, it boldly crosses the line between "art house" and "martial arts flick". If you're looking exclusively for either, you'll be disappointed. But if you're sharp enough to follow the jumps, you'll love this picture.

Almost every other reviewer has criticized the plot for being too thin. I think they're missing the point. The classic Japanese film SEVEN SAMURAI can also be said to have a weak plot, if you're get right down to it. But the point is not to look for an intricate Alfred Hitchcock weave; the point is to enjoy how expertly the visuals can bring a fairy tale to life. And this is a great fairy tale, at times leaving you wondering what is a dream and what is real.

And then suddenly you're holding your sides because you're laughing so hard at the comic routines. Like I said, this film mixes it all. You gotta be quick to keep up.

Visually, I can't praise this film enough. Vivid colours, smooth camera motion, graceful movements (to the point where a mob scene looks choreographed) and gorgeous sets give this movie a fantasy quality that few directors have been able to achieve. And the computer animation (if even there was much at all) was not noticeable, unlike a lot of modern films that use CGI for everything. Instead, the director uses very creative lighting and shadows to accentuate the swordplay. At times it looks like a Star Wars light sabre duel, but so realistic.

Enjoy this film for what it is. Expect nothing, drop all preconceived notions, and I guarantee you'll have a great time.

Oh, I also thought I'd mention... no nudity or gratuitous sex, no blood splattered across the screen, no animal cruelty. Fun for everyone.

a story to be felt/read/heard through the eyes.

[gracehpknme · 10/10 · 7 April 2007]

I'm giving it 10 partially because its score is so low. The film, from what I know, was received as poorly in Korea also. I suppose it's not for everyone, although I think it's possible if one watches it one more time. When I first watched it, I hated it. It was boring, weird, and never seemed to end. but then, I felt cheated for paying for it (I watched it online.. small screen, still paid for it..) so I watched it again cuz I could re-watch it within 6 hours or something like that. And now I have the DVD.

This movie is very unkind to people who are used to traditional story-telling format in movies. We (at least I) usually want to hear things out loud. Have things explained to us. I didn't know before, but I guess we must depend a lot on the dialogues.

At first I hated some parts with its echo effects and how everybody would sing-song a line or divide them into neat parts as they would NEVER do in real life. It was hard for me to understand (and I'm more of a Korean speaker. Later I watched the DVD with the Korean subtitle on;;;) and very annoying. You don't get much of the storyline by listening to what they say. A lot of things happen that can only be seen and much emotion is conveyed through the actions/movements of the visual items on the screen (including the actors and actresses, of course) instead of being delivered straight forward in narrative 'words' to our ears.

On my first viewing I thought the film doesn't show enough convincing evidences or hows or whys of the main characters falling in love. It seemed unreal and to happen so fast that I felt they were getting away by themselves, leaving the audience behind.

But on the second viewing, it touched me much more than at the first time. I could feel how the characters felt and acted, how their feelings changed throughout the passage of the movie. Those things no longer unconvincing to me. This time, I was with them. I felt what they felt. (as opposed to just knowing what I'm "supposed to" feel) And after my second viewing, I could say this is a very emotional film. (not boring.) A lot of people accused the director of being conceited and just showing off how pretty he can make the screen look, but not trying to communicate with the audience.

But there was also a sector(?) of mania fans who viewed the film over and over again, raved about it, protested for a second viewing in the theaters. (cuz the movie was out of the theaters quickly for not making much money.) I think the reason is 1) the way of story telling was something that most people were familiar with. They were expecting something else. And 2) Maybe it just is a film that needs a bit more concentration or work from the audience. (more active participation?) Maybe one does need a second viewing to enjoy/appreciate it more. (but I've heard of people who loved it instantly on the first viewing. Maybe I just didn't concentrate or look for the right things?) Well. I own the DVD now. and I don't buy lots of dvds. Actually it was the first DVD I ever purchased. (although I still haven't finished viewing all the supplemental features;;) and the second one was this k-drama series. and now I want to buy the movie Bittersweet on DVD. (or is it Bittersweet Life? Don't know the exact English title.) I just wanna say that for those who really hated it and thought it was boring the first time they watched it, give it another chance if you ever get around to it. The chances are, you are not gonna regret it and will grow to love it like I did. (I think it improves upon repeated viewings. You see things you didn't see before every time you watch it again. the movie has lots of symbolism that's fun to try to figure out.) Hm. that was kind of a long review. but really, it's quite a lovely film, I think. ^^

its a feast to the eyes if its ur type-a movie

[angel-for-frnds · 9/10 · 29 June 2012]

the movie is beautiful in its own accord, if you are a fan of beautiful actions sequences then this might mean something. It's sad to hear that the movie didn't do as well as expected but hey its not really a movie for everyone, though it is a feast to the eyes that know how to appreciate this genre of direction. The story maybe predictable but the characters are entirely new and the actors have done complete justice to their roles. my favorite part of the movie was watching them dancing-fighting, it was so beautiful and sensual in a gentle kind of way. This was good enough for me to watch it over and over again. I would definitely recommend this for a rainy day when you are in the mood for something different with patience.

A visual feast

[Tounyan · 10/10 · 23 June 2020]

I walked into this movie knowing almost nothing about it except for a very basic synopsis that is nothing special and the knowledge that people either love it or hate it. I walked out of it, totally in love.

Duelist is a prime example of art film that doesn't try hard at pushing an elaborate story into its viewer. There is very little dialogue, barely enough to let us know what's going on, and most of the story is told via movements, lightings and music. Honestly I was kinda puzzled during the first half, not knowing where it was going, but the curiosity and Gang Dong-won being a feast to the eye made me stay. And I didn't regret any minute of it. The two leads have ridiculous chemistry and they totally compliment each other. My only issue with the processing is the excessive use of slow motion that time seems to flow differently in Duelist, but it also makes everything so pretty I'm not complaining.

Featuring one of the best soundtracks I have ever heard, being that the music is an essential part in leading the viewers, Duelist tells a love story through sword fights that look so passionate and intimate it's almost dancing. A brilliant visual feast, like a poem, it's peculiar and sometimes over-the-top theatrical, so it might not be everyone's cup of tea. I personally absolutely love it and have been raving about it to anyone who would listen. Try it yourself to find out which side you are on.

Like a poet

[south77 · 10/10 · 14 September 2006]

It's amazing!Pure movie, really.I can't believe my eyes it's very good.What can i say about music.Incredible.It's the best movie i've ever seen last 2 years.Bravo Myung-SE Lee i'll be waiting for new one.

It's not about only Samurai it's about love,art,martial arts and mystery.Men dying without violent.Music is magically and mystic.Slow motion scenes great in classic Japan trees and lamps.Fight scenes amazing especially in shadows near the wall.As i said this movie is very good.With acceptable violent without blood bath for all family.

Oh by the way i am still wondering what is the real name of "Sad Eyes"?

Highly recommended.

Cinematic Challenge. narrative for style.

[meowmeow70 · 8/10 · 26 December 2005]

This movie is disguised as historical action,romance and detective film. It has every element of any Asian action genre film.

Underneath it, this movie is very self-conscious and experimental film. Of course, there is a compromise between mainstream movie and director's personal movie. That is "having narrative" in this movie.

Director expresses his visual vision which is loosely based on detective story.However if you try to follow story in this movie,you will be utterly disappointed.

This is almost another form of alienation effect. There is narrative but narrative can not handle its grandized style. It is not style for narrative but narrative for style. Director almost challenges you what movie is and means to you. In this grossly capitalized movie making world, can movie be presented as an art form or a painting. is it even possibility of discussion?

If you like this kind of geeky challenge(almost Brecht like) or exploration, this is movie for you. If not, I say still give a shot and focus on style and rhythm and visualization and do not waste to spend too much time to follow the "story". If you are interested in this director, you can google it and will be able to find interviews. I think this movie Lee expressed more his personal vision and visual challenge than previous one and he is definitely pushing it.

Movie is based on comic book characters and stories written by Bang Hak-gi.Korean soap opera "Damo (female detective)" also is based on this comic book story.

Female leading lady(Ha ji won) played similar role in drama "Damo". Damo was great hit series drama in Korea.

This movie did not do well in korean box office but there is a cult following for this movie. When you try to buy DVD, make sure that it is quality you want because director did several digital enhancement on this movie after release.That is what I heard anyway and you do not want to miss gorgeous visual in this movie.

Outstanding

[andrewstephenson-58542 · 10/10 · 4 March 2017]

This is one of the most visually stunning films you will ever see - don't miss it!

The director creates a sense of continuous movement that provides an arpeggio to the growing romance between the two lead characters - or is it a romance? Only you can decide

Untold under the Sun

[rehaulku · 8/10 · 14 April 2006]

3 axioms:

1. Cinema in its history has a special moment during the 'past 5 plus next 5 years' decade. Genre-art film and feature-documentary film categorization confuses and brings us hybrid products. In these circumstances experimental way may give best results. 2. Korea is a passage between China and Japan. Far East Asia Metaphysics culturally followed the same way. Today there is a new moment. War choreographed and kitsch accepted movies of Japan and China is recomposed by Korea. This is an experimental way. 3. Directors (genre or auteur) may not have historical consciousness (Hegelian indifference), ie may not know what they do.

3 interpretations:

1. Tango is firstly used in a kung-fu film, but not in butoh (Japanese modern dance). Tango is a novum element as music, as action, and as thought. It strangely conjugates with Far East Asia Metaphysics of body (ie war, sex, cure, pray, and dance together). An experimental step, but strictly match in this film. 2. To watch the war of a man and a woman may bring orgasm to a man or a woman. This is natural and normal. But this war may not will end till even after post-humanism. This film shows it. 3. Form and concept may not be synthesized or praxisized, but may still give us a novum film. This is such an example. But the director may not know it or wants to do it.

It just not my taste

[misyelhasanah-06139 · 18 October 2019]

I cannot feel the love betwen them, but i love the action scenes