The Tiger (2015) User Reviews

You will end up rooting for the tiger's survival

[kluseba · 8/10 · 6 November 2016]

The epic South Korean blockbuster ''The Tiger: An Old Hunter's Tale'' is a mixture of a historical drama and an action-adventure movie. To fully understand this movie, you have to be aware of the fact that the tiger is a symbol associated with Korean people and their resilience to keep their culture, identity and values alive despite the hardships this people has gone through and is still going through today. That's why the obsession of the Japanese invaders to exterminate the peninsula's last tiger is related to the fact that if they achieved that goal, it would mean that the resistance of the invaded country would finally be broken. This context also explains why many Koreans despise the Japanese, fear the consequences of the hunt and respect the tiger by calling him the Mountain Lord. Still, some of the Korean characters want to see the tiger dead as well for many different reasons: reputation, revenge and wealth among others. If the tiger were to die, it should at least die at the hands of a Korean hunter. The movie introduces us to three different groups that end up hunting the legendary tiger: Japanese soldiers, Korean hunters and the lonesome main character.

Obviously, this philosophical movie doesn't only deal with the symbolism related to tigers but also touches profound topics such as dealing with forgiveness, honor and loss as well as family values. The story of the old hunter and the old tiger has a lot of parallels as well. The tiger almost seems human in this movie and one can somehow identify with the majestic beast. Most people will probably end up rooting for the tiger's survival. In my opinion, it's quite an achievement from the makers of this film to make us feel this way without making this movie too melodramatic.

It also helps that the CGI of the tiger is surprisingly dynamic, majestic and realistic. Despite a lot of screening time for the true feline hero of this tale, the initial first impression never really lets go. In addition to this, the landscapes on and around Mount Jirisan are truly impressive. The calm camera shots that never shake unnecessarily, the rich classical soundtrack and the contrasting lighting techniques add to the atmosphere of the movie.

I must also point out the numerous fight scenes between the tiger and his enemies. In contrast to the movie's overall rather calm pace, these action sequences aren't only fast and powerful but also quite gory without ever getting gratuitous. They make the tiger's desperate fight for survival even more realistic in my book.

The acting performances are overall quite good. Main actor Choi Min- sik is authentic, entertaining and intense as always and proves once again that he is at least one of the very best contemporary Asian actors. I only thought that the villains of the story could have been a little bit more detailed, diversified and present in this film.

The only other issue I have is the movie's slow-paced storytelling. This film could have been about half an hour shorter and it wouldn't have taken anything away from the character or story development at all. Patient fans of Korean cinema are already used to the smooth development but those who aren't familiar with this style might find the movie's introduction somewhat pointless, overlong or even boring and they might have a point this time.

In the end, ''The Tiger: An Old Hunter's Tale'' is an atmospheric, epic and sophisticated film that mixes contemporary action sequences with slightly patriotic historical fiction and philosophical topics that never feel too dry. Fans of Asian cinema will like this release and it's definitely a welcome change to the hollow superhero movies in our Western world, so you might as well give this movie a fair try.

This is more than jus a tiger film.

[Fella_shibby · 8/10 · 10 April 2021]

Inspite of owning a dvd of this movie, i kept on delaying to play it.

Man, what a shameful mistake i did.

Jus saw this epic movie recently n i am in love with this movie.

Unlike The Ghost and the Darkness, this one is more than just a creature film.

The father son relationship is amazing n well complimented by top notch acting.

The cinematography is splendid. The mountains, the forest, the snow, the fog, the trees and the dry grasslands, etc. All these images are captivating n characters themselves.

The flashbacks of Man-duk's and the tiger's early lives during happier times is poignant.

Full circle... the story brings its characters full circle

[simonize850 · 8/10 · 1 August 2017]

Were I teaching I would use this hugely entertaining Korean film to discuss story elements such as man vs man; man vs the environment; man vs himself.... I am sure there is at least one more component. Set in Northern Korea, with Japan occupying this small country, in 1925, Japanese and Koreans, military and civilian forces have their own, and varied reasons why, and why not to hunt down the one remaining tiger.

There are really only six characters of note in this film lasting 135 minutes before end credits. Father and son; the leader of the Korean hunters and his lieutenant; and one Japanese General and his Korean aide. The seventh and title character is The Tiger. The humans are so ably played and stereotyping avoided that it is surprise, the tiger is so immediately and continually seen as real, with feelings, and actions determined by emotions that we, the audience, can help but root for the tiger.

The Koreans know how to tell a story; they know how to pull out all the stops, and very often they take their story somewhere you were not expecting. A film like THE TIGER: AN OLD HUNTER'S TALE also benefits from the usual stellar photography, so we believe the location and how dangerous it is; and then with the music it is never over the top; needless and repetitive loud and signifying nothing.

THE TIGER is a film the makers can be proud of. I wish more foreign language films got a wider release, and Korean film especially because I have lost count of their varied and fascinating successes since I saw JSA, MEMORIES OF MURDER, and others, until I lucked out and found MUSA (the North America DVD suffers by losing a half hour or so of running time).

Rousing; uplifting and tragic; with the final sequence telling you, the audience what you might have already figure out. Great viewing.

Thanks for reading, Simon In BC, Canada

More than a simple hunting tale

[geoffrey_wright · 7/10 · 8 August 2016]

On the surface it's about hunting a large tiger. Under the surface the story is really about the resilience of the Korean spirit and the hardships they endured under Japanese occupation. How the Japanese forced many of them to turn against each other, and how families were torn apart.

Ultimately, the spirit of the people and of the homeland on which they were born and stewarded with their lives, wins out and are forever melded together.

In all, a well told story with great scenery shots and some well done CGI.

An old saying goes: a mountain can only have one tiger

[baaron · 9/10 · 31 December 2015]

...and what a grand Mountain Lord this one is.

A magnificently CGI-ed tale of two families: human & tiger, and how the brutality of life atop the mountain doesn't detract from their interspecies bond of gratitude, agony, vengeance and ultimately, comprehension.

Unlike Pi's tiger, this beautiful creature is at once awe-inspiring and pitiful, as the forest is ravaged by Japanese-led Korean troops in a vainglorious exercise to get obtain pelts of this fabled beast. The father-son relationship is raw and well-acted, as is the sad plight of the Korean hunters who are forced into a bind for the sake of their livelihoods.

Strictly for feline lovers only -- dog people may empathize with the wolves instead.

It will give you chills

[ajit2106 · 7/10 · 8 August 2016]

Hoon-jung Park (New World fame) is a director who seems really keen with details. As we watch The Tiger: An Old Hunter's Tale (2015), we witness a haunting tale of suppression and agony.

An old hunter Chun Man-duk (Min-sik Choi) lives with his 16-year-old son and takes care of him. Kingdom of Korea is rules by Japanese and they are hunting for the tigers in the mountains in extreme cold. Due to some events and turns, Man-duk has to return for hunting.

The screenplay is written perfectly and narration is astounding, however, one could deduce that movie is little long and some of the scenes could have been chopped easily to make it more crisp. It packs the real punch and throw it to the audience, we have a lot of tense moments which are truly crafted.

Technically, the movie is impeccable, the CGI is mesmerizing because scenes with animals never looked like CGI, a lot of attention has been given to the details.

Cinematography is exhilarating, each scene has been captured beautifully, the horror of wilderness and harshness of icy terrain will be in your mind even after long.

We cannot comment on Min-sik Choi acting skills as he has been there and done that effortlessly, here he again leaves an impression on our hearts as an anxious father. The casting is just incredible; everyone is a perfect cut-out for the role, they did it wonderfully.

A good movie with few shortcomings.

7.5/10

Good story with excellent use of CGI

[Greenstar99 · 9/10 · 18 November 2016]

First of all it's very hard to impress me when it comes to CGI movies and I hardly like CGI movies but this movie did a great job.The way Tiger's character was used in this film was very good.Its almost real and natural.Without a doubt Tiger looked impressive and am sure you will love this movie

This movie is great not only because of CGI but because of story and acting.From action moments to emotional moments, this movie did a impressive job.

This movie also reminded me of the movie called 'Dersu Uzala'.The main character from that movie is also kind of same like in this one and it was a great movie.

I have seen and studied Tigers and I would like to share few facts about Tigers to you all-

1. A tiger's legs are so powerful that they can remain standing even when dead 2.Tigers are the largest members of the cat family and are renowned for their power and strength. 3.Tigers have antiseptic saliva. 4.They have an amazing memory. 5.A tiger not only has striped fur but its skin is striped too. 6.Tigers live alone and aggressively scent-mark large territories (up to 100sq km in size) to keep their rivals away. 7.Tigers are good swimmers and often cool off in lakes and streams during the heat of the day. 8.One swipe from a Tiger's front paw is strong enough to smash a bear's skull and even break its spine.It will easily take off the man's face. 9.It is the 2nd largest brain of all carnivores, the largest being the brain of a polar bear. 10.Tigers can tell the age, gender, and reproductive condition of other tigers by subtleties in the smell of urine markings. 11.They may be big and heavy, but tigers are by no means slow movers. In fact, at full speed they can reach up to 65km/h 12. Every tiger in the world is unique - no two tigers have the same pattern of stripes. 13.Tigers have been known to imitate the call of other animals to successfully attract prey. 14.Tigers have the most powerful jaws of all cats.

The Thrill of the hunt

[subxerogravity · 6/10 · 12 January 2016]

It's a very captivating motion picture but at the same time it can be a bit of a downer. An Old Hunter's Tale follows Chun Man-Duk, an aged hunter taking care of his teenage son and conflicted by a complex love hate relationship he has with the Mountain King, A tiger that seems to be the Moby Dick to a few sub characters in the film.

It reminds me of The Reverant, but instead of Leonardo DiCaprio going up against a bear, It's a Tiger going up against a Japanese army occupying The kingdom of Korea.

The focus on the Tiger as a main character caused for a lot of Iffy CGI. Then again, the story itself acts more like a old fable, allowing the filmmakers to be very, very surrealistic at times with the Tiger's capability.

So overall, the action does get the heart pumping as man stands off against the great beast, but the story is a real sad one, a good one, but not too uplifting.

Impressive CGI

[noorungee · 10/10 · 10 February 2016]

The special effects done in this movie by a Korean graphics firm (which also worked on Mr. Go) was on par with or better than many Hollywood CGI movies. I was impressed and touched by stunning visual of treacherous winter mountain in old Korea and sad and desperate struggle of its last wild tiger. I have to warn you this is an extremely sad movie. The tiger in this movie looks more mythical (resembles old korean painting of a tiger) than the one in life of PI which was also cgi-made. I recommend this movie to animal lovers, nature and adventure enthusiast, and Asian history and culture fans. more realistic and geared towards mature audience than Disney / Hollywood movies involving man vs wild.

annoyingly the Disney influence becomes far too evident

[christopher-underwood · 6/10 · 2 December 2020]

This is well enough made, under what must have been difficult circumstances, Choi Min-sik puts in a great performance and the bamboo woods, pine forests and mountains look great, especially in the snow. The tigers and particularly the wolves are impressively created with the help of CGI and a fairly involving story is told, very much involving the occupying Japanese army of the time. Residual resentments between South Korea and the Japan are played out here in a rather obvious manner but more annoyingly the Disney influence becomes far too evident as we near the end with ridiculous antics between man and animal and rather silly mountain top bravado.

One of the best animal stories I have seen...

[bhkneller · 10/10 · 24 October 2016]

This movie was exceptionally done and has a unique, interesting and magical story. I really enjoyed it from start to finish and thought that it never had any dull moments. The characters were wonderfully portrayed and with excellent acting. The tiger was also created wonderfully for this story as it was powerful, intelligent but also compassionate. This story is truly unique as it has two heroes in it, the hunter and the tiger. I found it difficult to not root for both. The ending is so amazing and you never see it coming. The CGI is excellent and the cinematography is impressive. There isn't anything in this movie I found flaws with. I would highly recommend this movie! One of the best ones like it I have seen...

The standoff between the man and the last beast.

[Reno-Rangan · 6/10 · 4 September 2016]

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.

6/10

Utter nonsense; silly plot & misinformation on tigers

[cgtam · 1/10 · 7 February 2021]

This ridiculous film could not be more outdated when tigers are so critically endangered. The entire slow film displays why all Asian tigers, not just Korean tigers are extinct. India's tigers are highly endangered due to legal hunting & unfettered unapologetic hunting & poaching because the Asian demand for the biggest & last toughest survivors.

Anyone watching this film believing that a tiger attacks an army of armed humans is deranged. Tigers have always been elusive, no human can sneak up on any tiger in bare snowy woods, especially if cubs are present. Watch BBC Earth documentaries to educate & see the majesty of a real tiger. This greedy value system of killing for profit the "last tiger" is nauseating & pure waste of time.

An entertaining fantasy that is slow and sad with a little gory action

[andyk-14 · 7/10 · 5 November 2016]

I was entertained. I will stop watching 10 minutes into a movie if I feel it is too boring, cheesy, etc. and I made it to the end of the movie. My wife, who normally hates Asian films, got interested halfway through and had to watch it to the end. My 8 year old granddaughter started watching, unbeknownst to us, and started crying when a significant character was killed. Don't let your young kids watch this film; it's violent and gory in some spots.

The scenery was nice, the hunting scenes were riveting, and I like the story the was slowly revealed about the old hunter and the tiger, especially at the end. I think the movie was a little too long and slow; not enough to make me stop watching but enough to sometimes fast forward to the next scene.

This is a fantasy film with CGI animals. I feel that the CGI was good in most places but sometimes the animals' movements were obviously unreal. However, I feel the same way about some of the action scenes in the recent Marvel movies. If you like the Marvel movies combat scenes then just think of the tiger and other animals as a Marvel superhero and the anonymous CGI bad guys, and you'll be fine.

The movie has a cast of interesting characters. I personally did not like the main character, the old hunter. I could not sympathize and I felt that he brought all his misery on himself. I did, however, relate to the old hunter's son. And my favorite characters were the Mountain Lord tiger, the younger scarred hunter who led the hunting hunting band, and the scarred hunter's buddy/sidekick. My suggestion is that if you don't care about the old hunter, which I didn't, there are other characters who are worthy of attention.

Breathtaking film.

[bijahandtim · 9/10 · 30 October 2016]

This amazing film tells a deep compelling story, and while it feels mostly legend, the graphics and human element are incredibly real.

It conveys perfectly the struggle and fight withing Korea's last tigers.

The imagery is the most powerful part of this film, in my humble opinion.

I couldn't take my eyes off the screen for a moment and I became so deeply invested in the caricatures and story.

I recommend this wholeheartedly, and plan on watching it at least a second time myself.

First disappointment from Choi Min-sik

[BlissQuest · 6/10 · 23 October 2016]

If you're going to use CGIs for major action scenes in a film, then get your s*it together! And if I wanted to watch an animation film, I wouldn't have bothered with this. I couldn't believe how comical all the tigers appeared, let alone the bullet-dodging skills of the "Lord Tiger". The story line is somewhat plausible up until when the tigers appear on screen. The director of this film needs to understand that CG-animals in successful films like Revenant work mainly because of the limited screen time given to the bear. The human brain won't tolerate something so unnatural for long periods of time unless it knows it has come to watch a cartoon!! Choi Min-sik's presence alone isn't enough to carry this project. Most of the supporting cast seemed clueless, almost struggling, probably because there were no actual tigers to interact with on set. What made the entire experience borderline-painful was its 2 hour-plus duration - waaay too long!! The only reason I didn't rate this lower is because of the lead-character's (fruitless) efforts to salvage it.

Magnificent Epic that should be nominated for best foreign language film

[manojp-18844 · 10/10 · 9 August 2016]

I'll keep it short here. This is a magnificent motion picture that is emotionally resonant and powerful. Movie boasts Superb acting, sublime cinematography, haunting music, very impressive CGI and visual effects (specially considering this movie did not had at-least 5% of the budget for a Hollywood blockbuster).

Performances from the entire cast is very convincing and especially Min sik Choi is amazing. The movie also delivers a timely and heartfelt message on humans confrontation of delicate aspects of nature. Filmmakers adds such an emotional arc to the tiger that demands from the audience to root for both sides of the conflict.

Go see this amazing movie and IMHO, should be nominated for best picture Oscar. It is that great.

Predictable but exciting and entertaining mountain tale

[markusisomeri-36539 · 7/10 · 28 April 2023]

An exciting historical adventure film with a good mix of humor, drama and action. Great costuming and set design and mostly good acting throughout.

Fight scenes with the tigers become less exciting the more of the CGI-tigers they show. Perhaps it's just the jungle setting, but I found some of the more suspenseful hunting scenes very reminiscent of classics like the Predator.

The melodrama is perhaps tuned up a bit too high towards the end and some of the character motivations remain slightly confusing. Some later scenes also suffer from abundant use of middling CGI, which especially effects the lighting and tension in some scenes.

The final act drags on for a bit too long and the plot becomes mostly self-evident after the first 40 minutes, but I still found myself entertained all the way to the end.

My all-time favorite film!

[paulclaassen · 10/10 · 17 June 2018]

South Korea's answer to 'The Ghost and the Darkness'. Visually stunning, action-packed, suspenseful, intense and emotional, 'The Tiger' is one of the best films I've seen!! This was beyond awesome! The film has an incredible amount of emotion on both the human and animal side. Great constant foreboding atmosphere. This is a truly remarkable film!

Love me some Korean movies!!

[mrsOGB · 10/10 · 15 July 2017]

This movie is amazing. It has great acting, scenery, and special effects. I really loved the story and symbolism. As I have stated before I don't like to say anything about the actual movie as I feel there is no point in watching a film if the reviews talk about characters/scenes too much. It is akin to the movie trailers showing all the funny/exciting scenes. So, in short it is a beautifully acted, and directed film and I hope my review encourages someone to watch it.

Flawed to say the least

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 2 October 2021]

THE TIGER is a Korean historical epic with a difference: this one's about the manhunt for Korea's last tiger, nicknamed the 'Mountain Lord' for its ferocity and resistance to capture. I was in two minds about this one, being no fan of films about humans hunting animals, and indeed while certainly well-made, this lacks a certain something. On the plus side, it's well-acted by the entire cast, particularly Choi Min-sik who brings his usual gravitas, and the realism of the era is brought vividly to life.

Unfortunately, it's the tiger itself where this falls down. The CGI effects are sketchy at best, and downright poor in other areas (such as the wolves). It's no LIFE OF PI and indeed during the action scenes I felt like I was watching a LORD OF THE RINGS movie. Even worse, realism disappears when the tiger's around. It acts in human rather than tiger ways, it refuses to follow the laws of physics with impossible speeds and leaps, and it shrugs off devastating bullet wounds with ease. No blood poisoning in this movie, which increasingly becomes a fantasy as the running time goes on. It's also incredibly overlong, so by the end I really struggled with it.

Very impressive movie

[mikevaza · 9/10 · 13 September 2017]

I must say it kind's get me touched with both characters the Tiger and the old huntsman. Good acting of Chun Man-Duk. Better then some Hollywood actors. This is one of those movies you want see 100 times. I have this movie in my "best movie ever" list Congratulations South Korea on this one.

South korean ( A+ Movie ) My Ratings 8 /10

[THE-BEACON-OF-MOVIES-RAFA · 8/10 · 19 June 2020]

Outstanding. Profound, philosophical, emotionally deep. On the surface it is a simple story about a tiger hunt. When you factor in that the tiger is the symbol of the Korean spirit, the movie takes on a much deeper meaning. The CGI work is spectacular. Deserves any awards it gets.

A pure masterpiece

[searchanddestroy-1 · 10/10 · 25 December 2019]

I discovered ths pure gold giant gem a couple of days ago. I lack words to describe it in the right scale. I am still stunned, astonished. Probably one of the best movies ever for me. A so poignant, painfully sad story of a father who seeks revenge after his son's death, killed by a Tiger, a kind of God Monster, but not an evil monster, as you may guess. No, because the audiences are so close to this beast, so human in a certain way. You have in this Korean film, many links to the Asian culture that a Western audience may not understand at one hundred percent. But who cares after all, this matter doesn't spoil the pleasure which you will feel watching this pure golden jewell. No clichés here, no good vs evil scheme, that's why this contributes to the magic.

A masterpiece in its own rights

[briggnalle · 8/10 · 26 May 2018]

The performances of this film were believable and extremely powerful, and the music only adds to the effect how haunting and emotional this film is. The CGI is spectacular for its time and you can hardly tell from time to time. The whole story revolving around this experienced hunter and the last tiger in Korea is a powerful tale that I think sets the standards of how to make an audience root for both parties of an epic conflict.