Starring: Dong-gun Jang, Kate Bosworth, Geoffrey Rush, Danny Huston, Tony Cox, Lung Ti, and more…
Premise: As an assassin reaches his goal of ‘greatest fighter ever’, he comes to realize that reaching it means nothing. Rather than kill the last survivor of a rival clan, he let’s the girl child live and escapes with her to America to start a life with more than just fighting in it.
Review: The story of Yang is related to us as a spoken story. Like those told over a campfire or while snuggled by a fireplace with a mug of hot cocoa. So in the telling the story reaches a bigger than life quality. Which is then presented to us that way visually.
So a desolate town seems ever much more so. The sunrise and sunsets, even the night sky, are wider, bigger, more colorful. The feats by individuals and groups faster, grander, more impossible than normal. Dark is darker, color rare and brighter. The fight of light vs dark both a visual and moral thing. And it works beautifully!
Tons of battles. Guns, swords, leaps, bounds. And the greatest use for a half finished ferris wheel ever!
No, you won’t find a very complicated plot here, though it does end up having several layers, but then that’s not why you chose to see this film anyway. And it does spring a couple of fun surprises on you along the way, which was awesome. The great work by the cast doesn’t hurt either. And unlike most American films, don’t expect a all is wonderful happy ending. Yet it is one that fits the premise very well.
Overall, it was a totally fun ride. If you want to see gun fights, sword fights, assassin fu, destruction and more – this film’s for you. It even had a touch of creepy thrown in – when the ship goes to America with its second cargo – some real nice imagery there. Eek! Definitely worth it for the visuals alone. Fun stuff!
Rating: 4 out of 5
