Choi-jong-byeong-gi hwal

This movie had the potential to be amazing. Historical dramas always do. A person learns a little history and the thematic messages can be so relevant to the culture you live in today. However, war of the arrows failed to do that because it forgot to talk about it. Visually its obvious it takes place in a certain time way back when in history. But thats about it. Sure, there are enough references here and there to add to the plot but it begins to tear at the seams abit. I loved this movie because it had great pacing, it had great acting and overall it used every movie cliché and trope to its advantage. But it needed a little bit more substance in story. So if you are happy with excellent visuals, great acting ( THe guy who plays the villain, oh my word he is in my top ten list of villains) and killer archery scenes then definitely watch this movie. However, if you are going to scratch your head at the thin plot... don't. While I wished there was a bit more, it was entertaining and moving enough for me to give it a 8/10.

War of the Arrows is not your typical set battle piece - it is a superbly realised take on the classical idea of one man, a true hero in skill and virtue, being chased by a band of elite archers.

The story of a brother looking to rescue his sister and her husband from invaders is well-handled. The last two-thirds of War of the Arrows is simply outstanding - here we have thrilling film with snipers - but snipers who use bow and arrows rather than guns - who give chase to each other - and what a chase!

In addition, above and beyond excellent production values, the acting is a class-above this genre. Even though this is clearly an action film, there is character development, virtue as well as virtuosity, and this reviewer for one was totally lost in the film in a way that no amount of special effects or set wire fights alone can produce - it is simply a thrilling film.

This is a film that does transcend its genre and is clearly one of the better films of the year, bar none.

This is a stylish and sleek movie that is unduly criticized by many, especially those from other Asian countries as can be seen among other reviews here.

Most do not seem to understand the main point of this movie because they do not know the historical background this movie was set against and consequently they just think this is a ripoff of Hollywood.

The time ... the 17th century. Korea just repelled the Japanese invasion with Ming China's aid which alternated between being an ally and being racist tormentors of the Korean populace.

Manchu(Jurchens) were a nation of fierce warriors from the north, or they thought of themselves that way at least. They had been under the Chinese yoke and just threw it off. They are eventually to invade China proper and to rule over Chinese for the next 300 years. If you saw Last Emperor you will understand this historical setting.

An important thing to remember here is that they were NOT Chinese. Their hatred of Chinese was immense, almost pathological.(and the reason that they invaded Korea was precisely that the Korean court acted like a vassal of Ming China.) This contrasts very sharply with today's Manchu who think of themselves as Chinese.

Just 40 years prior to this event there was the infamous Japanese invasion of Korea and Ming China sent a force to aid Koreans. But this force came from Liatung base, the primary function of which was to suppress Jurchens and Mongols.

Even though that war ended in the victory for Korea and China this created a power vacuum in Manchuria as Ming China no longer controlled the region effectively. This is how the Jurchens(Manchu) rose to power. They were burning with hatred of Chinese for their condescending and racist treatments of their people.

The Korean King who was the crown prince at the time of the Japanese invasion ascended to the throne in the early 17th century. And because of his war time experience he was a practical man and saw the newly arising Manchu as a force to reckon with. He tried to be neutral between Ming China and Manchu.

However he was deposed by a group of Korean nobility and they tried to justify their coup with a more pro china stance. This is how Manchu invaded Korea twice and the second one was more catastrophic as shown in this movie.

So this movie is about the anger of the Korean masses felt toward the effete and effeminate Korean nobility class who were incredibly more loyal to Chinese than to their own people. It is about a war that could have been avoided if the Korean King at the time(generally regarded as the weakest and the most effeminate king in the history of Korea) and the nobility could back their word with action or had a more practical sense.

The Korean government did not help their people, actually did not even want to as long as they could hold onto their power, so the people had to help themselves against all odds. This is the basic premise of this film.

Anyway for those who are not interested in Korean or East Asian history... Manchu are not Chinese and the language they spoke in the movie was not Chinese.(In fact it was the Manchu language which is now dead. It was recreated from the Korean records of the Manchu language. The movie creator deserves some credit for this.)

If you can free yourself from this common misconception that Manchu were just a type of Chinese people you are already half-way there. Manchu were no more Chinese than Mongols are.

WAR OF THE ARROWS is an excellent historical action flick with a twist: almost all of the action sequences are centred around bowmen facing off. Now, I've always loved archery when it's depicted in films, so I was delighted to read the premise and watch the trailer for this movie. For me, there's something intrinsically exciting about the look and the skill that goes into wielding a bow efficiently; I'd much rather watch a shoot-out staged with bows and arrows than guns. WAR OF THE ARROWS turns out to be just the film for me.

As usual for the Asian historical epic genre of recent years, the film looks great. Director Han-min Kim crafts a great-looking movie that ably matches the finesse of other recent Korean movies known for their style and substance. The cast are fine, giving their all in emotive turns without ever openly overacting. And the action scenes blow you away time and again.

Okay, I'll admit that the first half-hour is a little shaky. The set-up, although exciting, is followed by a slightly dull "get to know the leads" type scenario which drags a lot. Once the plot begins proper, though, it doesn't let up. There are twists and turns galore, plenty of moments of high drama, and then in the second half of the movie things turn into a virtual re-run of the Mel Gibson epic APOCALYPTO. Think a pared-down narrative, small-scale action – one versus a group – and suspense going through the roof. Yes, it's that good, and even some slightly dodgy CGI doesn't let it down. If only ROBIN HOOD, another recent film about a forest-dwelling archery champion, could have been this good!

I'll make it short and sweet. This is an excellent movie. Beautifully shot, acted, directed and scored.

Make no mistake, it is violent and has a certain amount of gore. The action is obviously heavily stylized, but done so to appear more real as opposed to the likes of 300 or even Gladiator. It never glorifies violence, and the movie makes sure that the audience sees this through its commentary. That said, if you like action movies with a historical flair, then this one is definitely for you. And when I say action, I mean relentless, ongoing and very much in your face action. Once it starts, it just keeps on going and keeps you on edge for the ride. And what's surprising is that the movie still allows for character exposition; something South-Korean cinema is revered for and should be proud of (in case they aren't). There are some nods to Hollywood stylizing here, and of course, influences are inevitable, but make no mistake, this is not a Hollywood rip-off or carbon copy of any kind. While there are similarities in certain scenes and aspect of this movie to Mel Gibson's Apocalypto, it is only on the surface level. The intent is completely different.

Get your popcorn, you pop and your M&M's and enjoy the ride.