Chute Giratório

SPIN KICK (2004)

Underdogs. Loyalty. Taekwondo. Discipline. Team Work. Perseverance. Focus.

My young Binnie played Min-gyu who presented what genuine loyalty means. I am not familiar with Taekwondo but I love how they move. Precision is needed for that big spin kick, I guess.

It was a good film.

#HyunBin #SpinKick

Sure, the plot isn't Oldboy. It seems the only "great" movies these days are amazingly shocking or high-budget/hyped in some way.

Spin Kick is a drama/comedy about a group of people who decide to pour their hearts into tae kwon do. Regardless of what you expect from this film, you're guaranteed to feel moved by the work, pain, and expectations that the characters force themselves to experience. Though comedic at times, many moments and characters are rendered beautifully: there's the old guard character who takes things too seriously, the hoodlum turned good-guy who just wants a second chance at life, the meek team-substitute who would die happy if he just won once in his life, and many other well-rounded characters with their own problems-- but most importantly, their own their hopes and dreams. While the plot and the goals of the movie are simple, these aspects of the movie merely highlight the development of the characters as they overcome their personal and inter-personal struggles.

In short, this film will leave you feeling fresh, determined, and satisfied.

A good Korean film about not just Taekwondo but what its takes to be good, like a thugs way of fighting cannot beat a taekwondo guy in his sport because there are rules, just as there are to life and school and this film has undertones of this notion.

The martial arts in the film isn't that good but it is passable and enjoyable. Friends who go on to achieve something they once would mock become stronger through the mind and heart. This film isn't meant to be taken too seriously as it does have slapstick, but it also carries a message.

A good film again from Korea.

Side Kick is based on a down-on-their-luck, yet proud, high school tae kwon do team as they train for and fight in a tournament for many different yet meaningful character-specific circumstances. The plot participates in a long line of formulaic martial arts dramas (See summary title): somewhat absurd yet entertaining. Yes, Side Kick is more of drama told through the medium of tae kwon do, but does little in separating themselves in plot depth and meaning from other high school sport flick contemporaries such as Friday Night Lights, Remember The Titans, Love & Basketball, and Hoop Dreams. Side Kick is more on the level of Karate Kid and a high school version of Best of the Best. Watch Side Kick if you liked the latter two.

For better or worse, the story depends on plenty of plot twists (ala Armageddon), a youth-be-served mentality (ala Sister Act II), and the acting of Dong-wan Kim (Yong-gaek) to carry itself through. If you suspend your disbelief through some of the plot twists, you might find this a surprisingly refreshing tear-jerker.

This flick is an easy-to-watch mildly-involving action drama with plenty of teenage angst and kicking. 6/10

The movie never claims to be something spectacular like many films do. The films props itself as a fun and entertaining time. And that's exactly what it was. It is the Korean version of a male Bring It On.

From the get go you can feel for the rest of the film and how it will end but the enjoyment is not in the surprise twists nor is it the way the film is a carbon copy of another. Instead, the enjoyment is held in the journey of how the 2 remaining "thugs" came to be men in their own right. Therefore, the film is fun and entertaining.

The camera work, specially the dolly moves were very well executed. The script, being a tad weak, was overly enjoyable in the fact that the characters were not 2 dimensional but they were full of life and desire. This film will not win any Oscars, nor any DVD blockbuster sales, but a fun watch and a fun experience.