Daeho

The special effects done in this movie by a Korean graphics firm (which also worked on Mr. Go) was on par with or better than many Hollywood CGI movies. I was impressed and touched by stunning visual of treacherous winter mountain in old Korea and sad and desperate struggle of its last wild tiger. I have to warn you this is an extremely sad movie. The tiger in this movie looks more mythical (resembles old korean painting of a tiger) than the one in life of PI which was also cgi-made. I recommend this movie to animal lovers, nature and adventure enthusiast, and Asian history and culture fans. more realistic and geared towards mature audience than Disney / Hollywood movies involving man vs wild.

On the surface it's about hunting a large tiger. Under the surface the story is really about the resilience of the Korean spirit and the hardships they endured under Japanese occupation. How the Japanese forced many of them to turn against each other, and how families were torn apart.

Ultimately, the spirit of the people and of the homeland on which they were born and stewarded with their lives, wins out and are forever melded together.

In all, a well told story with great scenery shots and some well done CGI.

The epic South Korean blockbuster ''The Tiger: An Old Hunter's Tale'' is a mixture of a historical drama and an action-adventure movie. To fully understand this movie, you have to be aware of the fact that the tiger is a symbol associated with Korean people and their resilience to keep their culture, identity and values alive despite the hardships this people has gone through and is still going through today. That's why the obsession of the Japanese invaders to exterminate the peninsula's last tiger is related to the fact that if they achieved that goal, it would mean that the resistance of the invaded country would finally be broken. This context also explains why many Koreans despise the Japanese, fear the consequences of the hunt and respect the tiger by calling him the Mountain Lord. Still, some of the Korean characters want to see the tiger dead as well for many different reasons: reputation, revenge and wealth among others. If the tiger were to die, it should at least die at the hands of a Korean hunter. The movie introduces us to three different groups that end up hunting the legendary tiger: Japanese soldiers, Korean hunters and the lonesome main character.

Obviously, this philosophical movie doesn't only deal with the symbolism related to tigers but also touches profound topics such as dealing with forgiveness, honor and loss as well as family values. The story of the old hunter and the old tiger has a lot of parallels as well. The tiger almost seems human in this movie and one can somehow identify with the majestic beast. Most people will probably end up rooting for the tiger's survival. In my opinion, it's quite an achievement from the makers of this film to make us feel this way without making this movie too melodramatic.

It also helps that the CGI of the tiger is surprisingly dynamic, majestic and realistic. Despite a lot of screening time for the true feline hero of this tale, the initial first impression never really lets go. In addition to this, the landscapes on and around Mount Jirisan are truly impressive. The calm camera shots that never shake unnecessarily, the rich classical soundtrack and the contrasting lighting techniques add to the atmosphere of the movie.

I must also point out the numerous fight scenes between the tiger and his enemies. In contrast to the movie's overall rather calm pace, these action sequences aren't only fast and powerful but also quite gory without ever getting gratuitous. They make the tiger's desperate fight for survival even more realistic in my book.

The acting performances are overall quite good. Main actor Choi Min- sik is authentic, entertaining and intense as always and proves once again that he is at least one of the very best contemporary Asian actors. I only thought that the villains of the story could have been a little bit more detailed, diversified and present in this film.

The only other issue I have is the movie's slow-paced storytelling. This film could have been about half an hour shorter and it wouldn't have taken anything away from the character or story development at all. Patient fans of Korean cinema are already used to the smooth development but those who aren't familiar with this style might find the movie's introduction somewhat pointless, overlong or even boring and they might have a point this time.

In the end, ''The Tiger: An Old Hunter's Tale'' is an atmospheric, epic and sophisticated film that mixes contemporary action sequences with slightly patriotic historical fiction and philosophical topics that never feel too dry. Fans of Asian cinema will like this release and it's definitely a welcome change to the hollow superhero movies in our Western world, so you might as well give this movie a fair try.

...and what a grand Mountain Lord this one is.

A magnificently CGI-ed tale of two families: human & tiger, and how the brutality of life atop the mountain doesn't detract from their interspecies bond of gratitude, agony, vengeance and ultimately, comprehension.

Unlike Pi's tiger, this beautiful creature is at once awe-inspiring and pitiful, as the forest is ravaged by Japanese-led Korean troops in a vainglorious exercise to get obtain pelts of this fabled beast. The father-son relationship is raw and well-acted, as is the sad plight of the Korean hunters who are forced into a bind for the sake of their livelihoods.

Strictly for feline lovers only -- dog people may empathize with the wolves instead.

Were I teaching I would use this hugely entertaining Korean film to discuss story elements such as man vs man; man vs the environment; man vs himself.... I am sure there is at least one more component. Set in Northern Korea, with Japan occupying this small country, in 1925, Japanese and Koreans, military and civilian forces have their own, and varied reasons why, and why not to hunt down the one remaining tiger.

There are really only six characters of note in this film lasting 135 minutes before end credits. Father and son; the leader of the Korean hunters and his lieutenant; and one Japanese General and his Korean aide. The seventh and title character is The Tiger. The humans are so ably played and stereotyping avoided that it is surprise, the tiger is so immediately and continually seen as real, with feelings, and actions determined by emotions that we, the audience, can help but root for the tiger.

The Koreans know how to tell a story; they know how to pull out all the stops, and very often they take their story somewhere you were not expecting. A film like THE TIGER: AN OLD HUNTER'S TALE also benefits from the usual stellar photography, so we believe the location and how dangerous it is; and then with the music it is never over the top; needless and repetitive loud and signifying nothing.

THE TIGER is a film the makers can be proud of. I wish more foreign language films got a wider release, and Korean film especially because I have lost count of their varied and fascinating successes since I saw JSA, MEMORIES OF MURDER, and others, until I lucked out and found MUSA (the North America DVD suffers by losing a half hour or so of running time).

Rousing; uplifting and tragic; with the final sequence telling you, the audience what you might have already figure out. Great viewing.

Thanks for reading, Simon In BC, Canada