This movie pretends to deal with Korean history but freely departs into legend. A stout young fellow (and brilliant swordsman with his sort-of chopping axe) falls for the delicate and edible Queen before she is crowned, when she takes his punt to the seashore. Plenty of canoodling at this point. Later, she is Queen in the palace and the young man's prediction comes true (there's nothing but trouble in that there palace). He manages to barn-storm his way into the Palace guard, after successfully testing a new bullet-proof jacket. From then on he is dedicated to saving the Queen from destruction and his sword is irresistible. At one point he leaps around among the stars as he takes on the biggest swordsman in the Guard (they fight to a stand-off). When he runs off with Queenie for a few days to save her, the King's attention is alerted, and he decides to abandon his mistress and vigorously knock up the Queen (missionary and cowgirl positions). Eventually, the historic Japanese-friendly chancellor swears to kill the Queen, and our friend makes a brilliant, but suicidal, attempt to defend her. She is graphically run through by several super-sharp swords and dies with the young man's name (Johanes) on her lips for the first time. This is a grotesque romanticization of an ugly part of Korean history and the director does Korea no favours with his fantasy nonsense. Not strongly recommended.
8 Reviews
Great film; beautifull scenes ,deepling moving end
chistabel28 May 2022
I watched this film because I fell in love recentle with Cho Seung.
Saw him in recent work, Stranger, life,Sisyphus.
He got my attention for his cool playing of stranger en though it was his caracter to do he made me curious. His he always his way, also with very scarse body language. I was delighted to discorver this wonderfull actor who coud express emotions and coud use his body so well.
Started lookin up his younger work and found Horse doctor with had me hooked also.
Now I found this early gem.
Especially I loved the use of the light in this film and the amazing fighting scenes, well performed by Cho Seung it was beautifully orchestrated.
The lead actress can express a lot withe her fine features and beautifull face. The chemistry between both was not that overwhelming but this is due tot the script.
This film I will not forget. End scene leaves you breathless.
Saw him in recent work, Stranger, life,Sisyphus.
He got my attention for his cool playing of stranger en though it was his caracter to do he made me curious. His he always his way, also with very scarse body language. I was delighted to discorver this wonderfull actor who coud express emotions and coud use his body so well.
Started lookin up his younger work and found Horse doctor with had me hooked also.
Now I found this early gem.
Especially I loved the use of the light in this film and the amazing fighting scenes, well performed by Cho Seung it was beautifully orchestrated.
The lead actress can express a lot withe her fine features and beautifull face. The chemistry between both was not that overwhelming but this is due tot the script.
This film I will not forget. End scene leaves you breathless.
Recommend Skipping It
letmeforget041921 March 2014
This movie is so bad that I couldn't finish it. Believe me; I tried, suffering through an hour and 30 minutes of it. And even though there were only about 20 minutes of torture left, I just couldn't do that to myself. So this review isn't for the ending of the movie, which may have been the sweet ending to the very-sour beginning. I will never know.
As another reviewer mentioned, the editing of this film isn't very good. It terribly disrupts the flow of the story lines. Because of this, I simply couldn't "fall" into the plot and follow our protagonists along their journey.
When editing fails, the chemistry between the actors must pick up in order to make up for the audience investment. But don't expect that here. There was no chemistry between our star-crossed lovers, the Queen and the Bounty Hunter, making their romance unbelievable. And when that force of attraction isn't there to push the story along, the whole movie falls apart.
That isn't to discredit the acting. I thought the actress who played the Queen did a good job emoting depths of feelings, while the actor who played the Bounty Hunter was decent in his own right. Perhaps one should blame the casting director for putting two actors who didn't possess the magnetic pull towards each other into these roles.
As for the fight scenes? Less than mediocre. I always enjoy action, especially well-choreographed fight scenes. The ones in this film are far less than impressive. "Hit me here. Hit me there. I'll tumble here. And... we're done." I've been on a binge of South Korean movies lately, and I have been impressed by the acting, story lines, directing and editing for the most part. But The Sword with No Name is a stinker.
As another reviewer mentioned, the editing of this film isn't very good. It terribly disrupts the flow of the story lines. Because of this, I simply couldn't "fall" into the plot and follow our protagonists along their journey.
When editing fails, the chemistry between the actors must pick up in order to make up for the audience investment. But don't expect that here. There was no chemistry between our star-crossed lovers, the Queen and the Bounty Hunter, making their romance unbelievable. And when that force of attraction isn't there to push the story along, the whole movie falls apart.
That isn't to discredit the acting. I thought the actress who played the Queen did a good job emoting depths of feelings, while the actor who played the Bounty Hunter was decent in his own right. Perhaps one should blame the casting director for putting two actors who didn't possess the magnetic pull towards each other into these roles.
As for the fight scenes? Less than mediocre. I always enjoy action, especially well-choreographed fight scenes. The ones in this film are far less than impressive. "Hit me here. Hit me there. I'll tumble here. And... we're done." I've been on a binge of South Korean movies lately, and I have been impressed by the acting, story lines, directing and editing for the most part. But The Sword with No Name is a stinker.
Beautiful film... can't speak for historical accuracy though
kira-lee25 September 2011
I've been watching more of the films out of South Korea lately, and have largely been impressed by the skill -- in acting, directing, and special effects -- that is apparent in many of the titles. This one is certainly no exception.
Having said that, I can't really speak to the historical accuracy of it. The central female character, the Queen, definitely existed and the film does seem to follow the rough details of how she influenced Korean history, but my impression is that some finer details may have been sacrificed in order to produce a more compelling film.
The filmography is beautiful, a blend of beautiful nature shots that make you feel like you're in the Korean countryside, quiet court scenes and almost Matrix-esque swordfight scenes that still flow together seamlessly.
The only difficulties I had with this movie were that, as with most subtitled films, sometimes it's difficult to follow exactly who the various characters are and the subtler nuances of what they are saying.
Overall a very well-done film that is well worth the 2 hours spent watching it.
Having said that, I can't really speak to the historical accuracy of it. The central female character, the Queen, definitely existed and the film does seem to follow the rough details of how she influenced Korean history, but my impression is that some finer details may have been sacrificed in order to produce a more compelling film.
The filmography is beautiful, a blend of beautiful nature shots that make you feel like you're in the Korean countryside, quiet court scenes and almost Matrix-esque swordfight scenes that still flow together seamlessly.
The only difficulties I had with this movie were that, as with most subtitled films, sometimes it's difficult to follow exactly who the various characters are and the subtler nuances of what they are saying.
Overall a very well-done film that is well worth the 2 hours spent watching it.
An Entertaining Historic War Feature, that, Despite a Few Notable Issues, Brilliantly Encapsulates a Story of Unrequited Love and Dedication
totalovrdose5 July 2015
The Sword With No Name is both a historic reenactment, and a romantic narrative, regarding a dark time in Korea's past, the love story being the driving force that makes this feature so enjoyable. Despite sporting costumes that are as attractive as they are vividly colorful, several of the small settings, alongside the depiction of events, where obviously significantly more people would be attending (as an example, during ceremonies and upon the battlefield), suggest the budget of the film, which is heightened by the use of computer generated effects for at least half of the fight scenes. In so doing, although entertaining, the addendum these are not executed with wires or other like real-world mechanics, forbids these particular encounters from being realistic. The soundtrack during these moments however, is quite immersive, though it is the score accompanying the film's emotional segments that strongly deserves kudos.
The occasionally humorous, and more light-hearted moments, do not take away from the seriousness of the feature, instead strengthening the relationship between the two lead characters, though at the same time, there are certain exchanges that seem to contain little pertinence. During one scene, the Queen is presented with the skin of a tiger, however, never does this make a reappearance, despite the suggested importance conveyed during an exchange of dialogue.
Moving on, Cho Seung-Woo is especially enjoyable in his portrayal of Mu-Myeong, the mysterious, expertly trained fighter, who develops an infatuation for the Queen. His unwavering dedication, and willingness to sacrifice his own existence is well articulated, his feelings being realistically portrayed, furthering the believability of his character. The magnificently beautiful Soo-Ae as Queen Myeongsong exhibits intellect, compassion and professionalism in her role, heightening the courage and confidence she reveals in the depiction of this historic figure. Due to my lacking knowledge on the historical period, I may question the Queen's willingness to spend time with (no offense intended) a lowly commoner like Myeong, though the feelings she demonstrates for his character appear very legitimate, which ultimately build upon her character's ability to proudly serve.
This however is potentially hindered by the intensity of the sex scene. It is by no means explicit, though the screams of raucous passion, the fierceness of the bodily thrusts, and the vision of intertwined limbs, has a way of stealing the focus of the film. Despite serving a purpose, which is well executed (though at the same time highly exaggerated), the belief viewers may have held prior to the scene might be diminished, or perhaps compromised, and I personally found myself questioning the necessity of such a scene.
Moving on, the King's father, the influential Dae Won Kun (Cheon Ho-Jin) largely appears indecisive and spontaneous over the course of the feature, this especially due to the lack of exploration or presence his character receives in contrast with the two leads, an argument that can be potentially made about other characters. Noe Jeon (Choi Jae-Woong) as the expert swordsman, exhibits multiple agendas that audiences may have difficulty placing, while King Gojong (Kim Young-Min) appears as a jealous coward on more than one occasion, with potentially nefarious motives up his sleeve, the few scenes he is given being barely enough to reveal him as a leader. Such characters needed extra screen time in order to make their personalities and intentions more comprehensible.
Similar remarks can be made about the interpretation regarding the invading Japanese, who are presented as arrogant, selfish and violent offenders, the solely Korean perspective prohibiting viewers from accurately gauging a complete awareness of their intentions. This lacking information is furthered by the addendum that several sub-plots are unresolved by the conclusion, though those familiar with the period may be privy to such knowledge.
Despite the occasional lack of context, and a couple, potentially unnecessary moments, The Sword With No Name tells a very well developed story of unrequited love that may be quite relatable to viewers who have experienced similar emotional strife. The acting by the leads is one of the feature's most powerful qualities, further strengthening the film's most dramatic moments, while keeping us vested until the final poignant sequence.
The occasionally humorous, and more light-hearted moments, do not take away from the seriousness of the feature, instead strengthening the relationship between the two lead characters, though at the same time, there are certain exchanges that seem to contain little pertinence. During one scene, the Queen is presented with the skin of a tiger, however, never does this make a reappearance, despite the suggested importance conveyed during an exchange of dialogue.
Moving on, Cho Seung-Woo is especially enjoyable in his portrayal of Mu-Myeong, the mysterious, expertly trained fighter, who develops an infatuation for the Queen. His unwavering dedication, and willingness to sacrifice his own existence is well articulated, his feelings being realistically portrayed, furthering the believability of his character. The magnificently beautiful Soo-Ae as Queen Myeongsong exhibits intellect, compassion and professionalism in her role, heightening the courage and confidence she reveals in the depiction of this historic figure. Due to my lacking knowledge on the historical period, I may question the Queen's willingness to spend time with (no offense intended) a lowly commoner like Myeong, though the feelings she demonstrates for his character appear very legitimate, which ultimately build upon her character's ability to proudly serve.
This however is potentially hindered by the intensity of the sex scene. It is by no means explicit, though the screams of raucous passion, the fierceness of the bodily thrusts, and the vision of intertwined limbs, has a way of stealing the focus of the film. Despite serving a purpose, which is well executed (though at the same time highly exaggerated), the belief viewers may have held prior to the scene might be diminished, or perhaps compromised, and I personally found myself questioning the necessity of such a scene.
Moving on, the King's father, the influential Dae Won Kun (Cheon Ho-Jin) largely appears indecisive and spontaneous over the course of the feature, this especially due to the lack of exploration or presence his character receives in contrast with the two leads, an argument that can be potentially made about other characters. Noe Jeon (Choi Jae-Woong) as the expert swordsman, exhibits multiple agendas that audiences may have difficulty placing, while King Gojong (Kim Young-Min) appears as a jealous coward on more than one occasion, with potentially nefarious motives up his sleeve, the few scenes he is given being barely enough to reveal him as a leader. Such characters needed extra screen time in order to make their personalities and intentions more comprehensible.
Similar remarks can be made about the interpretation regarding the invading Japanese, who are presented as arrogant, selfish and violent offenders, the solely Korean perspective prohibiting viewers from accurately gauging a complete awareness of their intentions. This lacking information is furthered by the addendum that several sub-plots are unresolved by the conclusion, though those familiar with the period may be privy to such knowledge.
Despite the occasional lack of context, and a couple, potentially unnecessary moments, The Sword With No Name tells a very well developed story of unrequited love that may be quite relatable to viewers who have experienced similar emotional strife. The acting by the leads is one of the feature's most powerful qualities, further strengthening the film's most dramatic moments, while keeping us vested until the final poignant sequence.
The Sword With No Name aka The Last Empress, fantastic!!
BronzeKeilani2626 March 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Director Kim Yong-gyoon's tale played out as a fascinating driven journey blending swordplay, high romance, and politics with nice action sequences and mind-boggling scenery! An excellent biopic of the beautiful & strong-willed 15 yr old consort of King Kojong from the Yi period, played by the Korea's enchanting Jae-woong Choi. It revolves around a 15 yr old girl named Ja-young, who later is crowned Queen Myeongseong, considered a national heroine in South Korea today, and her bodyguard, Moo-myoung. Moo-myoung starts off as a Joseon dynasty headhunter who tracks down fugitives and lives off their rewards. One day, he encounters a beautiful noble girl, Ja-young, and falls in love with her. A few years later, Ja-young enters the royal palace as the next queen of Joseon, Empress Myeongseong. Lovesick Moo-myoung becomes the personal guard to the Empress in order to be closer to her.
Empress Myeongseong (19 October 1851 – 8 October 1895), is arguably one of the most controversial figures of the entire Joseon Dynasty back in the Yi period. Her parents passed away when she was 9, leaving her a poor orphan who had to live with the Mins of Yju, the place of her birth. She was made the royal consort in 1866 at the urging of Lady Min, consort of Hungsn Taewngun and mother of her future husband, King Kojong. At barely 16, she married the 15 yr old boy king at the Joseon Dynasty. She's portrayed as pure, innocent (but not naïve), devoted, and defiant. This movie is about her rise to power and bloody assassination (at the hands of the Japanese), which all seems to fall in line w/ historians. After Japan's victory in the First Sino-Japanese War, she advocated stronger ties between Korea and Russia in an attempt to block Japanese influence in Korea, which was represented by the Daewongun, her father-in-law. She is an assertive and ambitious woman, unlike other queens that came before her, and later becomes quite interested in politics and the western world via a French friend (Sophie Broustal); the arrival of electricity in the country; and international power politics. Miura Gorō, the Japanese Minister to Korea at the time and a retired army lieutenant-general, backed the faction headed by her father-in-law, whom he considered to be more sympathetic to Japanese interests. She tries to modernize the dynasty by allying with foreign nations but becomes turmoiled into a political power struggle. Moo-myoung must fend off devastating threats from her father-in-law and the foreign army(Japanese) in order to protect Ja-young from harm.
A powerful & moving biopic. The Koreans have in recent years produced some pretty decent swordplay movies Bichunmoo, The Restless, The Duelist and Shadowless Sword being some of the more memorable movies. 9 out of 10 from me!
Empress Myeongseong (19 October 1851 – 8 October 1895), is arguably one of the most controversial figures of the entire Joseon Dynasty back in the Yi period. Her parents passed away when she was 9, leaving her a poor orphan who had to live with the Mins of Yju, the place of her birth. She was made the royal consort in 1866 at the urging of Lady Min, consort of Hungsn Taewngun and mother of her future husband, King Kojong. At barely 16, she married the 15 yr old boy king at the Joseon Dynasty. She's portrayed as pure, innocent (but not naïve), devoted, and defiant. This movie is about her rise to power and bloody assassination (at the hands of the Japanese), which all seems to fall in line w/ historians. After Japan's victory in the First Sino-Japanese War, she advocated stronger ties between Korea and Russia in an attempt to block Japanese influence in Korea, which was represented by the Daewongun, her father-in-law. She is an assertive and ambitious woman, unlike other queens that came before her, and later becomes quite interested in politics and the western world via a French friend (Sophie Broustal); the arrival of electricity in the country; and international power politics. Miura Gorō, the Japanese Minister to Korea at the time and a retired army lieutenant-general, backed the faction headed by her father-in-law, whom he considered to be more sympathetic to Japanese interests. She tries to modernize the dynasty by allying with foreign nations but becomes turmoiled into a political power struggle. Moo-myoung must fend off devastating threats from her father-in-law and the foreign army(Japanese) in order to protect Ja-young from harm.
A powerful & moving biopic. The Koreans have in recent years produced some pretty decent swordplay movies Bichunmoo, The Restless, The Duelist and Shadowless Sword being some of the more memorable movies. 9 out of 10 from me!
The purpose of a sword
KineticSeoul16 February 2012
It takes a bit of patience to get into this movie mainly because of the way it flowed and because the editing wasn't done very well. And sometimes seemed over the place a bit at times, but it's still a good movie and a well shown story. This isn't a mindless sword fighting movie but there is some actual meat in the story. This movie is based on a true story that has historical characters in it, but I am not sure how much is accurate. Especially because it has some fantasy like elements in it sometimes and comes off a bit fairy tale like...Well not entirely though. The plot mostly revolves around a man who is a bounty hunter, but falls deeply in love with a person that is soon to be the queen of Joseon Dynasty. She is a open minded queen that didn't mind building ties with other foreign nations, especially with Russia in order to stop Japanese influence. Since japan at the time tried to oppress and meddle in the affairs of Korea constantly. So there is some politics and rebellion going on inside and out. And while this is going on the man that fell for the queen doesn't give up his devotion to her and tries his best to protect her no matter what. This is a movie that probably won't grab the attention of the audience right off the bat, but as it progresses you will get more invested in it. If the development of the story and editing was a bit better this movie would have been great. If your looking for a bright and happy romance movie this won't be for you. But what is brings out is emotional and heart-wrenching story with great actresses and actors.
8/10
8/10
Beautiful Story
AJ_McAninch16 July 2023
I first saw this film over a decade ago and loved it. I re-watch every few years or so. Yes it has flaws, but the relationship between the leads is warm and touching. I watched it for them and still love it to this day because they also are among the most talented Korean stars and made me love their characters. The film introduced me to Korean movies 13 years ago, and I've loved them since.
For me the beauty of the film, based on history but with a romantic overlay, is its story of the young queen's devotion to duty, as well as the swordsman's devotion to honor-and protecting her. He will not leave her side, and she is equally brave and stalwart. It is the story of a woman's love of country and a swordsman's love of her. And it's achingly beautiful.
For me the beauty of the film, based on history but with a romantic overlay, is its story of the young queen's devotion to duty, as well as the swordsman's devotion to honor-and protecting her. He will not leave her side, and she is equally brave and stalwart. It is the story of a woman's love of country and a swordsman's love of her. And it's achingly beautiful.
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