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Surprisingly good Korean history flic. Very good performance by the actors. No overacting. No trash. No cringe. Characters are well drawn. The script well written, featuring the predicament of the main protagonists. But note! if u want battle action, please opt for Lord of the rings or Avengers Endgame. Sry no offense. This is more a political movie!

This film recently came up on NowTV and thought would give it a try without knowing anything about it. Very glad that I did! If you think you would enjoy an insight into a brutal period of medieval history not well known in the west with a mix of realistic battle scenes and court intrigue (and you don't mind subtitles) then I could recommend this. Central to the story being the kings aides who have differing advice for the King on how to deal with the invading Chinese army against a backdrop of a society with very distinct rich and poor divide where honour is sacrosanct. The film captures well the bleak remote location of the fortress while the combat is refreshingly devoid of the extensive use of cgi.

That gloomy sentiment, beyond the plot, is also perfectly represented via cinematography and sound design, granting The Fortress the uniquely dark aesthetic of showing us history from the side of the losers.

Josean (Korean) King Injo (Park Hae-il) is being attacked by the Qing, led by the Khan. He retreats to a mountain fortress in deep winter, and listens as Interior Minister Choi (Lee Byung-hun) argues with the Prime Minister (Sung Hyun-soo) about whether to negotiate or fight. Meanwhile, the fortress villagers and soldiers, including blacksmith- turned-recruit Nal-soe (Go Soo) and his brother are slowly starving and freezing to death, and it is turning out to be a long, long winter.... This film is based on Korean history in the 17th Century, when China ruled much of the peninsula and in turn was being menaced by the Qing, the forces of Genghis Khan's empire. Overall, "The Fortress" points out the futility of war and, a bit unexpectedly, also that life in the end will prevail (just not for everyone). The film is quite long at about 2 1/2 hours, but it's beautifully drawn and especially interesting to see in the middle of a very hot summer; all the scenes of snowstorms made me feel a tad chilly, even!

Based on real events from the early 17th century, this enthralling drama tells the story of the efforts made by the last king of independent Joseon (modern day Korea) to keep his kingdom and his people from the encroaching Qing who conquer all before them. Facing overwhelming odds, he must retreat to a remote mountain fortress and rely on it's inaccessibility and the fierceness of the winter to keep them safe until the spring, when hopefully his southern armies will be able to reinforce him. They are determined to sit it out, even if food was is in short supply for the 13,000-odd mouths they had to feed, and to a certain extent are helped by their foe who would rather the king (Park Hae-il) came out and publicly swore fealty to the Khan (Kim Pub-Lae). As you might expect, his advisors consist of those hawkish and those pragmatic, and he has to try and reconcile the increasingly fractious advice of his council. Meantime, getting a message to his troops is no mean feat, either, and he has to be aware that even if their wily blacksmith messenger does get through the enemy lines his soldiers might decide to keep their powder dry many miles away. The film looks great with authentic looking and especially frigid scenarios bringing a shiver to your spine as the occupants of the mountain refuge face the constant snow and freezing temperatures with only some straw cushions to insulate them from the cold. It does drag a little at times, but there are some entertaining combat scenes with plenty of bows, arrows and cannons to compensate. It's an history so like that other hilltop siege story "Masada", there's no actual jeopardy - but it's still a classy looking production that marries the needs of the state with the needs of the little people quite effectively for a couple of hours of honour amongst warring parties.

The Fortress is a good historical war movie. The portrayal of the 2 sides seems historically accurate. It paid attention to details. A huge feat this movie accomplished is that the Qing side speaks Manchu instead of Korean or Chinese, as Manchu is an almost extinct language today. This fact alone bring immersion into the world of 1600s. The movie, while showing a major historical event, and portraying from the Korean perspective, attempts to take no side emotionally from the 2 warring parties. There's no demonizing of the Qing forces or glorifying of the Korean resistance. This brings more universality in the story line. Great movie for history buffs.

Even in China, there is no courage to reflect on the destruction of Han civilization in the three hundred years since the founding of slaves, sigh. Scholars mislead the country, but that's all. Ming also died in Donglin, a group of scholar who could only fight for the party, and Yuan Chonghuan, a kind of scholar who could only earn money.

An all-star cast in an undeniably great production. Sadly, though, I found the film overlong, slow moving and very repetitive in dialogue and actions. I mean, there must have been about twenty scenes or so of them meeting in the Royal chamber. How many times did they utter the words "he must be beheaded", "send the crown prince", etc.? This was a matter of deja vu, deja vu... The film became tedious having to watch the same over and over again.

Considering what I've already seen in Korean cinema, I can't say the battle scenes were all that spectacular. They were indeed very good, but not impressive. I also didn't understand the significance of the little girl. What was her purpose in the film? She honestly didn't play a mention-able role.

Although hailed by critics, this multi award winning film is forgettable (for me, at least). Next!

Inevitably, with Game of Thrones having ended, many people will be looking elsewhere for a dose of historical politics & war, but few if any will match up.

The Fortress will be an interesting one for anyone interested who falls into that area, but it's a true story, telling of The Last Stand by a King holed up in a mountain fortress in what is now Korea, in a futile bid.

There's no fantasy here, just the political realpolitik and the bloodshed, but it's more measured.

This is quite refreshening turn when it comes to large scale historical military movies, as it's about survival and not victory. The competing advisors are judging weather war or conciliation with the far greater powerful Qing dynasty is the best course of action.

The settings are beautiful as is the choreography, and it also helps that the viewpoints of the foot soldiers is taken as seriously as that of those at the top.

It's a long movie and it's fascinating to watch, not all medieval movies have to be European! The Far East has done many good films in this way too which can be recommended.

Back to this one, it's far better than you expect. It's the story & acting that will capture you, and as you watch the advisors & king mentally battle to just keep their heads afloat in a merciless environment you will have your heart wrenched.

Very good watch, give it a chance.

Enjoyed this as it's not black and white morally and you genuinely don't know where it's going. A bit of a gem actually.It's quite brutal in parts but not gratuitously as it is about a very desperate battle.

There are a lot of positive and negative things to write about The Fortress. Let's start with the positive. The cinematography was great, clear well shot images of good quality. Credits to Dong-hyuk Hwang for that. The battle scenes were quite impressive and made this movie watchable. The negative things are the repetitive scenes during a movie that just feels too long. The acting is like most of the time with Asian movie not great, too much overacting, yelling when it's not necessary and so on. From the Asian movies the Korean ones are the best but this one is disappointing compared to what I've seen before. The story is worth telling but due to the repetitive submissive scenes it all felt dragged out. There's only a certain amount of bowing and asking for decapitation a man can endure in a movie and here we reached a world record. On a side note, if those are the real hats they were wearing at that time they just won the award for most unfunctional silly hats.

I'm completely ignorant to the history of the time frame this movie takes place in, so I'm reviewing this as simply a movie rather than a true historical piece.

My favorite thing about this movie is the dialogue. For being over two hours long and not feeling bored the entire time is truly a testament to how well acted and directed this film is. You don't need a background in Korean history to understand what is going on in the film as everything is explained very well. Every scene is engaging because you can feel the sense of urgency of their situation, and as the plot develops new problems arise, and it was interesting seeing everyone's debate on what course of action should be taken.

Overall I highly recommend this film if you are interested in period pieces, or if you are a fan of great films in general.

Hard to watch such suffering for power and greed, but script production, direction, and most certainly the acting made it worth my while. Kudos again Korea!

I don't care about the technical aspects or if it's historically correct, I just thoroughly enjoyed watching this imo well made Korean movie, It goes straight into the keep folder for me to watch again some time in the future.

This is not a war movie. There are hardly 2 short fight sequences in the movie. The movie takes place mostly in the king's court where most of the time the ministers are arguing on the situation they are in. The acting is good. Don't expect it as an epic war movie but a war drama and you might not be disappointed.

What a great movie. While it feels like an action packed movie, it's really not. And that's great. What this movie is all about is a fantastic review on war itself, and the stupid reasons we fight. The acting is superb and the settings make for an anti climax ro the drama unfolding. Go watch this Korean masterpiece.

Choi and Kim not only share different political values but also approach the meaning of life very differently as well. 'The Fortress' lasts more than two hours, but it does not feel long because I get to focus on the comparison of these two. When one looks at this movie from afar, the main narrative seems too linear, simple, and dull. However, if one looks closely, the director does an amazing job of organizing the stories based on these two pillars of contrast between the two main characters in such a dynamic way. Lines are also beautiful, almost poetic. When Choi and Kim discuss the meaning of life and death and how it applies to their respective political views in front of the king without a single pause, it is breathtaking, almost like watching a ping-pong match. That scene emphasizes the importance of lines and how actors say it as well. Tones, pauses, speed, cadence... Everything is absolute perfection. I also have to compliment the actors' performances of bringing beautiful lines into full effect. 'The Fortress' is an uncomplicated and straightforward movie. Acting makes such a difference, making the film absorbing, charismatic, and interesting on another level.

My Movie Review: The Fortress

The Fortress, directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, is a powerful historical drama set during one of the most harrowing moments in Korean history-the Qing invasion of Joseon in 1636. The film plunges viewers into the cold and desolate mountain fortress of Namhansanseong, where King Injo and his court seek refuge while grappling with political division, the bitter realities of war, and a looming surrender. With stellar performances, striking cinematography, and a thoughtful script, The Fortress offers more than a retelling of a historical siege-it's a meditation on leadership, loyalty, and moral conflict.

At the heart of the film are two opposing philosophical and political figures: Choi Myung-kil (played by Lee Byung-hun), a pragmatic official advocating for negotiation and survival, and Kim Sang-hun (played by Kim Yoon-seok), a rigidly principled minister who urges resistance to the Qing invaders at all costs. Their debates represent a larger national dilemma-whether to protect lives by yielding or to defend honor through resistance. The tension between these ideologies gives the film its emotional and intellectual depth, elevating it beyond a traditional war narrative.

Lee Byung-hun and Kim Yoon-seok deliver commanding performances that carry much of the film's emotional weight. Lee's portrayal of Choi is particularly compelling, marked by a quiet intensity and inner conflict. Kim, on the other hand, brings a stern, almost spiritual gravitas to his role as the voice of moral absolutism. The supporting cast, including Park Hae-il as the troubled King Injo, further enhances the film's nuanced portrayal of historical figures faced with impossible choices.

Visually, The Fortress is stunning. The wintry setting of the fortress itself becomes a character-harsh, isolating, and unforgiving. The cinematography captures the snow-covered mountains, the flickering warmth of firelight, and the silent dread of waiting for news from the battlefield. The muted color palette and somber atmosphere immerse the viewer in the emotional and physical coldness of the situation. Composer Ryuichi Sakamoto's haunting score adds another layer of poignancy, emphasizing the tragedy that unfolds not just on the battlefield but in the hearts of those trapped by duty and conscience.

What sets The Fortress apart is its philosophical depth. Rather than glorifying war, the film dwells on its consequences-on the burden of leadership, the suffering of common people, and the cost of pride. It resists easy answers or heroes, instead presenting a morally complex tale rooted in real history. Though the pacing is deliberate and the action sparse, the film maintains tension through political intrigue and emotional stakes.

In conclusion, The Fortress is a thoughtful, visually rich, and emotionally resonant historical drama. It's a film that challenges viewers to consider the nature of patriotism, the responsibilities of power, and the painful compromises that history often demands. For those interested in Korean history or philosophical dramas, The Fortress is a must-watch-both a cinematic achievement and a sobering reflection on national identity and human frailty.

I am susceptible to Korean productions and watching it to the end has not been difficult nor boring for me . It is the story of a kingdom seeking to survive amidst the powerplays of two great neighbours. Set in the 17th century , the king has limited options to isolate his nation from becoming subjects to either Ching or Ming Dynasties. What impressed me the most about the movie was its giving viewers the chance of watching closely competition, polarisation and decision making in the executive pillar of the kingdom. The dialogues were a real work and attracted my attention primarily as I am a political scientist and an international relations expert. Koreans need particular applause in their crafted ability to drown productions in cheap sexuality. There was no ingredient of romance as a baking power. You will see sheer man's world , misery , survival and zest for liberation. Though underrated the movie is destined to be an issue of wider recognition in the years to come. Thank you from Türkiye to Korea.