“The Swordsman” is a pretty cool Korean popcorn action-film. If you are in it for the action, then definitely give this film a try!
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TITLE: The Swordsman
FILM RELEASE DATE: 2020
DURATION: 101 Minutes
DVD INFORMATION: Color, 16:9 widescreen, Korean and English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, Subtitles: English
COMPANY: Well Go USA Entertainment
RELEASED: February 16, 2021
Directed by Choi Jae-hoon
Written by Choi Jae-hoon
Produced by Park Ahyoung
Cinematographer by Son Won-ho
Starring:
Hyuk Jang as Tae-yul
Kim Hyeon-Soo as Tae-ok
Joe Taslim as Gurutai
Jeong Man-sik as Min Seung-ho
Jang Hyun-sungas King Gwanghaegun
Choi Jin-ho as Lee Mok-yo
Lee Min Jyuk as Gyeom Sa-bok
Lee Na-Kyung as Sun Hwa
Jae-hwan Shin as the Reaper
Ji Seung-Hyeon as Inuchi
After being blinded in a coup against the king, Joseon s greatest swordsman (Jang Hyuk) goes into hiding, far removed from his city s anguish. But when traffickers kidnap his daughter, he has no choice but to unsheathe his sword once more.
Set during the time of the Min-Quing dynasty transition, Prince Gwanghae (Gawnhaegun of Joseon), the 15th king of the Joseon Dynasty was deposed due to a coup d’etat.
Fighting to protect the Prince was Tae-yul, Joseon’s best swordsman. But during the bloody battle with Joseon’s greatest military official Min Seung-ho, his sword shattered and pieces of the metals went into his eyes. The Prince’s last words for Tae-yul was to take his baby daughter, Tae-ok, so she would not be killed.
And so both would escape to the mountains. Fast forward many years later, Tae-yul (portrayed by Jang Hyuk) has raised Tae-ok (portrayed by Kim Hyun-Soo) to a kindhearted young woman and is dependent on herbs to maintain his eyesight, as he is going blind. Living in the secluded mountainous area, Tae-ok wants to find treatment for the man she knows as her father.
As the two head into town, the town lives in fear due to the arrival of the arrival of those working for the Qing Imperial family, especially their leader Gurutai (portrayed by Joe Taslim)
But as the two observe what is happening in the town, the two have no money and wanting to help Tae-yul, Tae-ok agrees to work for a noble.
But what Tae-ok doesn’t know is that she was hired to be a double for noble’s daughter and while the noble and his villagers are slayed, Tae-ok and the noble’s daughter are imprisoned with other women to be sex slaves.
When Tae-yul hears about the news, he heads to the village to find and rescue Tae-ok and Joseon’s best swordsman makes his return.
For the most part, “The Swordsman” is an Korean popcorn action film set during the Min-Quing Dynasty transition. For me, I found it quite fascinating because there are not too many Korean films that focus on this era.
Typically when you watch Qing Dynasty films and the unifcation of Machuria, Mongolia, Tibet, Taiwan, etc. there is an underlying theme of how certain people of their respective factions fought to death to prevent being taken over. Especially when it came to the Nomads and various tribes (especially Jurchen).
When it comes to Korea, their have been a few Joseon campaigns. In fact, the Second Manchu invasion of Korea, Joseon Korea had to give several of their royal princesses up as concubines to the Qing Manchu regent Prince Dorgon.
But in this film, the Swordsman is trying to protect Gwanghaegun of Joseon and manages to save and flee with his daughter. In reality, Gwanghaegun tried to seek balance between the Ming Empire and the Manchus because of their powerful military empire. But Gwanghaegun is seen as a King who attempted diplomacy through neutrality as China’s Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty had their sights towards Korea.
But he was deposed by a Westerners faction and he is one of two deposed kings who were not restored nor was he ever given a temple name. While not looked favorably in the past, in modern South Korea, he is considered one of Korea’s wiser kings and is seen as a victim of political factions.
One of the best movies about Gwanghaegun is the 2012 film “Masquerade” (which I reviewed back in 2014).
But as far as “The Swordsman”, what you get is straight up popcorn action. An action film about Tae-yul, a swordsman who tried his best to protect the king but was bested by Min Seung-ho, Joseon’s greatest military official, in a sword battle. It was a powerful battle, so much that Tae-yul’s sword shattered and the metal splinters hit his face and his eyes.
As King Gwanghaegun gave himself up, his last wish to his fellow swordsman is to take his baby daughter and flee.
Fast forward many years later and we learn that Tae-yul is nearly blind and he has raised the girl, Tae-ok (who believes Tae-yul is her real father). Both have lived up in the mountains and she has to gather herbs that helps with Tae-yuk’s eyesight.
Unfortunately, for the villagers, the tyranny of the Qing led by Gurutai, has them beating and killing anyone they want and taking their women and girls. Tae-ok feels its so wrong but Tae-yul tries to make sure she doesn’t get herself into trouble.
But when the two find themselves in trouble, men working for Gurutai tell him about how they were beaten by a man with a cane and is an amazing fighter. For Min Seung-ho, he wonders if its the swordsman he battled many years ago?
Meanwhile, as things get worse for Tae-yul’s eyesight, Tae-ok feels the only way she can make money to help her father is to work and she gets a job for a noble. But when Gurutai’s men end up taking Tae-ok and other women to cage them and prepare to send them back to China, Tae-yul (despite his bad eye sight), will do all he can to rescue his daughter.
The film is cliche in the fact that its similar to other swordsman type of films in which the main protagonist is like a superhero. No matter how many men try to go up against him (with swords or rifles), he’s hard to defeat and in this case, hard to defeat, even if he’s nearly blind and no matter how many wounds he has.
So, yes…it’s a bit farfetched but for popcorn action films with an action hero (may it be USA’s “Die Hard”, Hong Kong’s “Fist of Legend” to Japan’s “Rurouni Kenshin”) going up against the odds, people want and enjoy these type of action films. I enjoy these action films.
“The Swordsman” is one of those films that I enjoyed simply for its stoic protagonist, not scared of who the adversary or the number of opponents he may have. He fights. He wins.
I do wish the final battle or key battles were longer. Some felt way too short.
But I do feel that actor Jang Hyuk did a good job playing the stoic swordsman and actress Kim Hyun-soo did a great job in delivering emotional scenes.
The Blu-ray release features solid HD with an immersive soundtrack for both its Korean and English dub. The English dub is actually good, consistent with many Well Go USA Entertainment releases.
Overall, “The Swordsman” is a pretty cool Korean popcorn action-film. If you are in it for the action, then definitely give this film a try!
PURCHASE THIS BLU-RAY ON AMAZON