02-11-2023, 12:26 AM
(This post was last modified: 02-11-2023, 12:29 AM by Drunk Monk.)
A Korean siege flick. Based on a historical event in 1636, the Korean king and his entourage are still loyal to the Ming when the Qing advances in Korea. They retreat to a fortified mountain but it’s a bitterly cold winter and they are outnumbered 10 to 1.
I love a good siege flick and this one is good. There’s a wide array of characters - waffling politicians, refugees, commoners, soldiers - each with their own story arcs in this sprawling epic. The Qing are brutal, especially the merciless Khan. The politicians are annoying except for the main two who debate dying honorably with dignity in battle or surrendering and living. There’s a lot of karmic lessons as the stories unfold.
The battles are excellent. There’s only a few one-on-one fights. Most are big battlefield scenes, like really big. There’s a swirling one-er in the first major skirmish, and the finale siege is intense. It’s bloody, chaotic medieval warfare with swords, pole arms, morning stars, black powder rifles, cannons, bows, and a sickle for good measure. Some great battles that bring home the harshness of fighting in the cold snow.
It’s a tad long - a few too many political debates in the royal court - but the overall impact of the film is solid.
WARNING - there’s lots of animal death especially for the horses, as well as one dog in a scene that bothered me for its brutality but it did demonstrate what a shit the villain was.
D00M recommended - especially for cf & the yeti as I know they appreciate a big battlefield scene like I do.
I love a good siege flick and this one is good. There’s a wide array of characters - waffling politicians, refugees, commoners, soldiers - each with their own story arcs in this sprawling epic. The Qing are brutal, especially the merciless Khan. The politicians are annoying except for the main two who debate dying honorably with dignity in battle or surrendering and living. There’s a lot of karmic lessons as the stories unfold.
The battles are excellent. There’s only a few one-on-one fights. Most are big battlefield scenes, like really big. There’s a swirling one-er in the first major skirmish, and the finale siege is intense. It’s bloody, chaotic medieval warfare with swords, pole arms, morning stars, black powder rifles, cannons, bows, and a sickle for good measure. Some great battles that bring home the harshness of fighting in the cold snow.
It’s a tad long - a few too many political debates in the royal court - but the overall impact of the film is solid.
WARNING - there’s lots of animal death especially for the horses, as well as one dog in a scene that bothered me for its brutality but it did demonstrate what a shit the villain was.
D00M recommended - especially for cf & the yeti as I know they appreciate a big battlefield scene like I do.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
