This is How Movies Should Be Made

it is the rare 'crazy' movie that actually has something to say.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Well, I was dumbfounded when I see both rating of this movie and number of comments. The only comfort for this outstanding movie is what ever few ratings under 30 as of today are all positive. It happens in past as well that some of the outstanding movies lost somehow and don't reach to the broader audience. This movie can easily compare to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, House of Flying Daggers, Hara-Kiri & Warriors of the Rainbow. But unfortunately this movie didn't get its due credit and also publicity, because this movie don't have big names like Ang Lee or something, otherwise acting, direction, screen play, story and editing are top notch. This is a one among few war movies which shows violence and bloodshed very much but you don't feel like its just gore you feel pain, you feel brutality of the war. Of late Koreans are coming up with great movies but among all the Korean movies I have seen so far this is the BEST. A 7.1 critic rating somehow don't justify at least to me.

This practically blows a lot of the Hollywood historical action flicks of the last 20 years out of the water, Robin Hood and Apocalypto certainly come to mind. If this trend continues, we may turn to Asian productions if we want celluloid action in the future. They managed to get passed the star-hero martial artists action vehicles like Jet Li and Jackie Chan (which were, with few exceptions, unwatchable) and chose to emphasize simplicity and heart, rather than star-power. And it works. Too bad about some cheesiness and clichés which they don't seem to be able to shake off and the fact that the humor element is...well...Asian (I don't identify with it) because it really exceeds most HW action flicks. Not to mention that it probably costs much less to make one of these. Probably Rusell Crowe's and Bruce Willis' fees for one of their blockbusters would cover it....

War of the Arrows is a story about a young man in hot pursuit of a marauding Manchurian army that has captured and enslaved his sister and her groom on their wedding day in 15th century Korea. Wayward though the young man may be, he's a savant with the bow and arrow and he puts his deadly skills to use as he relentlessly pursues the attackers.Although it doesn't involve the gun battles typically associated with the genre, this film is really more war movie than action flick. The film rarely deviates from the harried cat-and-mouse game between the marauders and the ostensible hero and could mistakenly be seen as taking place in real time. Therein lies one of the film's problems. The chase sequences and flurry of arrows piercing the air are relentless and absorb nearly all the film's running time, leaving little room for plot or character development. This film is all style over substance: it's barbarian Manchurians (the baddies) vs. salt-of-the-earth Koreans (the goodies).We know the Manchurians are the baddies not just because they throw Korean babies down wells but because they're the cool ones, with their brass-studded leather coats, shaved heads or razor-edged mohawks, and general exhibition of badassery. They are lead by a playboy prince who prefers to spend his time ravishing newly captured women in a garish mobile bordello; he leaves the details and actual fighting to his uber-macho uncles and the elite squad of warriors they personally command. But little else is known about them. Is their attack part of an all-out invasion of the Korean peninsula or a quick raid across the border for booty? Why is the pampered prince, who appears to have no military role, even there? Certain early scenes suggest the possibility of a strained relationship between the young prince and his all-warrior business uncles, but it's never explored. There are no strategy sessions between the prince and his commanders or among the uncles and their elite warriors that might flesh out the characters.As for the Koreans, little time is spent preparing us for the mayhem that ensues. At the onset, the hero is a teenager who barely escapes his family's destruction with only his little sister and his father's prized bow and arrows in tow. Flash forward thirteen years and the hero is a wayward fellow with mean archery skills who reluctantly allows his sister's marriage to their benefactor's son to proceed. The relationship between and among these characters is barely explored. There are no tender scenes between brother and sister or the betrothed that make us yearn for reunification after separation and much bloodshed. Ironically, one of the film's best sequences involves the pampered prince attempting to have his way with the pretty sister. Her feistiness and the fact that she speaks his language intrigue him. He likens seducing her to tanning a tiger's hide, as her roughness will become supple under his handiwork. The brief battle of wills between these two characters, and the mild sexual tension elicited, provide a much-needed break from the pure action-oriented sequences that predominate. Unfortunately, the prince is killed-off far too soon and the rescue of the girl half-way through the film leaves the finale somewhat anti-climatic. The final confrontation may be dramatic by virtue of the manner in which the arrow battle is executed but, emotionally, it falls flat.The failure to adequately develop the plot isn't the only flaw with this movie. While the cast is for the most part good, the lead male is woefully miscast. Aside from possessing superior archery skills, there's little to distinguish the hero from the other household staff who are caught up in the mayhem. Quite simply, he lacks the charisma and screen presence to carry this film, which is propelled almost exclusively by the baddies. They possess the macho physicality and exhibit the serious badass 'tude required for their roles. Although the story compels me to feel something for the hero, I found myself far more interested in the invaders. I enjoyed the film for what it was, but was left emotionally flat-lined at the end because of its flaws.

This was rather disappointing. After waiting impatiently for the obvious (one guy kills a thousand with arrows) I was left wondering how I managed to lose two hours in vain. The plot is as simple as possible and too straight forward to make you care, although the actors made their best, and plain, efforts toward some artistic expression of pain and feelings. And since the movies is shoot mainly in the woods or uninspiring empty landscapes there isn't even the possibility to enjoy yourself with rural old Korea, or to learn something from its history. Honestly, I saw a TV show, Korean, with better costumes, actors, society, action, etc.Is not utterly bad but it has almost zero entertaining, cultural, or artistic performance value.