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In 1940s Manchuria, violence is a way of life. With the Japanese army on the move and local gangs running roughshod over the populace, no one -- and nothing -- is safe. So when a hired killer named Park Chang-yi (Lee Byung-hun) is ordered to retrieve a map from a visiting foreign official, it sets off a chain reaction that ends up involving Yoon Tae-goo (Song Kang-ho), a reckless thief, and Park Do-won (Jung Woo-sung), a noble mercenary. When it turns out the document might lead to a massive treasure, the rest of the nearby criminal contingent get involved as well. From the cutthroat Ghost Market thugs to the nomads in the vast plains of the outlying area, the chase is on to see who will capture the loot, and who will die trying.
Imagine if Terry Gilliam decided to make a spaghetti western by substituting some Asian noodles and leftover beats from Quentin Tarantino and Takashi Miike and you'd have some idea of what The Good, The Bad, The Weird is trying to accomplish. On the other hand, Kim Ji-woon's homage to all things horse opera is a quirky little gem all its own. Loaded with gunplay and over the top action, and anchored by three stellar performances, the combination of period piece and postmodern reinterpretation works wonderfully.
This is a crackerjack experience, a constantly moving adventure where the frequent pops of revolvers and rifles replace the need for macho dialogue and conversational standoffs, with a storyline soaked in the Eastern ideals of duty, honor, and loyalty. Kim's control of the sprawling narrative seems effortless. One minute, a character is trying to translate a particularly tricky bit of topography. The next, someone is swinging Tarzan-style across rooftops, construction block and tackle providing a unique way of playing bullet ballet with the enemy. The Good, The Bad, The Weird doesn't get bogged down in symbolism and psychology. Instead, it recognizes the guilty pleasure of excessive firepower and then amps the ammunition count.
As for our illustrious trio, Song's craven crook -- one part jester, one part psychopath -- leaves a lasting impression. On the other end of the performance spectrum, Lee lets his '80s Phil Oakey haircut do most of the acting. While he's got a piercing stare, his Park Chaing-yi appears one step away from a Milan runway, not a Manchurian round-up. That just leaves Jung, and as with most well-meaning, semi-straight heroes, he too suffers from a lack of dimension or depth. Still, for what he's given (and the amazing stunts he partakes in), he keeps us engaged. But it's director Kim who's the real star here. Borrowing readily from John Woo, George Miller, and The Shaw Brothers, he brings a breathless inventiveness to genre contrivances.
This, in turn, makes The Good, The Bad, The Weird the most pleasant of surprises. Fast-paced, relentless, and almost too hyperactive for its own good, it stands as a perfect example of a filmmaker making a genre his own. While the title suggests something we've seen before, director Kim Ji-woon defies convention to bring us something fresh and fun.
(aka Joheunnom nabbeunnom isanghannom)
Imagine if Terry Gilliam decided to make a spaghetti western by substituting some Asian noodles and leftover beats from Quentin Tarantino and Takashi Miike and you'd have some idea of what The Good, The Bad, The Weird is trying to accomplish. On the other hand, Kim Ji-woon's homage to all things horse opera is a quirky little gem all its own. Loaded with gunplay and over the top action, and anchored by three stellar performances, the combination of period piece and postmodern reinterpretation works wonderfully.
This is a crackerjack experience, a constantly moving adventure where the frequent pops of revolvers and rifles replace the need for macho dialogue and conversational standoffs, with a storyline soaked in the Eastern ideals of duty, honor, and loyalty. Kim's control of the sprawling narrative seems effortless. One minute, a character is trying to translate a particularly tricky bit of topography. The next, someone is swinging Tarzan-style across rooftops, construction block and tackle providing a unique way of playing bullet ballet with the enemy. The Good, The Bad, The Weird doesn't get bogged down in symbolism and psychology. Instead, it recognizes the guilty pleasure of excessive firepower and then amps the ammunition count.
As for our illustrious trio, Song's craven crook -- one part jester, one part psychopath -- leaves a lasting impression. On the other end of the performance spectrum, Lee lets his '80s Phil Oakey haircut do most of the acting. While he's got a piercing stare, his Park Chaing-yi appears one step away from a Milan runway, not a Manchurian round-up. That just leaves Jung, and as with most well-meaning, semi-straight heroes, he too suffers from a lack of dimension or depth. Still, for what he's given (and the amazing stunts he partakes in), he keeps us engaged. But it's director Kim who's the real star here. Borrowing readily from John Woo, George Miller, and The Shaw Brothers, he brings a breathless inventiveness to genre contrivances.
This, in turn, makes The Good, The Bad, The Weird the most pleasant of surprises. Fast-paced, relentless, and almost too hyperactive for its own good, it stands as a perfect example of a filmmaker making a genre his own. While the title suggests something we've seen before, director Kim Ji-woon defies convention to bring us something fresh and fun.
(aka Joheunnom nabbeunnom isanghannom)
