Shallow adventure about a thief, a hitman, and a bounty hunter all vying to find a treasure map. Starting with that title, this ho-hum Korean western is clearly upfront about being inspired by the Sergio Leone classic. The concept is unique, I mean a Spaghetti Western from South Korea, set in 1930s Manchuria, is pretty unconventional at least. Unfortunately the execution is mostly uninspired. Bright colorful cinematography highlights lots and lots of graphic shoot-outs and chases. At first it’s kind of fun, but the strictly by the numbers story grows tiresome after 127 minutes. Fans of the genre may enjoy this Eastern take on a Western classic. All others should simply rent the superior original.
The Good, the Bad, the Weird
2 responses to “The Good, the Bad, the Weird”
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I had a lot of fun with this one. I will admit that the story wasn’t as original as one would like, but then again – as you said the name shows their intention. At least they were going for something as classic as The Good, The Bad & The Ugly – just think…it could have been Demolition Man or Speed!? Both of which are films I’ve enjoyed with a tub of popcorn and a sense of humour and that’s exactly how one should go into this film. The thundering sound, the shaky camera work & over saturated colour make TGTB&TW a cinematic treat for the senses. Also, they tried to throw a little moral nugget in too…The thing you chase will end up chasing you. Which I think basically translates to…Don’t put all your time & energy into any one endeavor, neglecting to see all the world has to offer, because It’ll up being your downfall. At least that’s how I understood it; they explained it better in the film I think.
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Nicely stated. Perhaps you should have written the film. I missed that nugget amidst the gunfire.
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