The 2024 South Korean historical action film Uprising is Netflix’s attempt at telling a story of intense warfare, betrayal, and bloodshed during tumultuous times in the Joseon Dynasty. The film, which recently premiered as the opening film of the Busan International Film Festival, is centered around the adventures of a man named Cheon Yeong at a time when anti-slavery sentiments and the threat of Japanese invasion were rocking the political and social stability in Joseon or Korea. Driven by commendable performances and slick action scenes, Uprising is quite a thrilling watch, although the lack of historical context surely acts as a confusing hindrance to the watching experience.

Spoiler Alert

What is the Netflix film about?

Uprising begins around the very time when a scholar named Jeong Yeo-rip created a private community, named Great Unity, in which he asserted that all humans should be treated equally, essentially calling for the abolishment of slavery.