That is about as simple as I can put it, which is saying something, as Memories of the Sword is packed with backstory. Years later, various grudges come into play as a plot for revenge is put into motion. Memories of the Sword focuses on three swordsmen who led a revolt to overthrow the empire in ancient Korea, only to see deceit and betrayal come between them. However, being another film that takes on the dreamlike atmosphere of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon can only take you so far if the story is not that engaging. The film is every bit as lavish as you would expect and the Blu-ray’s technical presentation certainly supports that. Memories of the Sword is a historical drama that balances epic drama with thrilling swordplay and martial arts. Jeon, winner of the best actress award at the 2007 Cannes International Film Festival for "Secret Sunshine," by director Lee Chang-dong, proved her potential once again by successfully playing a blind sword master.I was intrigued to see a new film from the director of Children of Heaven, starring The Good, The Bad, The Weird ’s Lee Byung-hun. Lee persuasively portrays Yubaek, son of a slave and a man of ambition who transforms into a high-ranking official of Goryeo, but never forgets the love of his life. The gorgeous visuals - fighting or training scenes in a bamboo forest, a field of reeds, or a snow-covered palace courtyard - rekindle memories of Zhang Yimou's picturesque period martial arts movies "Hero" and "Lovers" or of Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
Leading the 121-minute running time instead of narrative is the film's meticulous costume and production design, as well as superb acting by the cast.
Her final choice as for at whom she should aim her sword, however, appears to be rather forced or contrived. Hong-i may be the one as she has the key to two other protagonists' fate. So the audience is confused regarding with whom they should emphasize. For all the melodramatic bluster, the emotions are more proclaimed than felt, in part because the narrative lacks a delicate description of each character's personal history and historical background.
MEMORIES OF THE SWORD MOVIE
Slipping backwards and forwards in time, the movie interweaves the themes of a past story of love between Yubaek and Wolso and their modern-day hatred. Wolso and Yubaek loved each other but the relationship turned to hatred after the incident. They led a people's uprising 18 years ago together, but it ended in failure because of Yubaek's betrayal. The relationship among the three original sword masters - Yubaek, Wolso and Pungcheon, who is Hong-i's father - is complicated by the web of their common past. Hong-i falls into great shock and chaos at first, but later engages in a duel to the death. One day, the stepmother divulges a secret that she and Yubaek (Lee Byung-hun), one of the most powerful men of the period, killed Hong-I's parents and that she must avenge their deaths. Set in the late Goryeo era (918-1392) under the rule of a military regime, a chaotic period when even those from a low class could become king by resorting to the power of their swords, the movie starts with the story of a boyish girl named Hong-i (Kim Go-eun) who learns swordsmanship from her blind stepmother Wolso (Jeon Do-yeon).
These superfluous genre elements caused some audience members to burst out laughing while watching the film, even when the lead characters are serious. Characters hop between titled roofs of traditional Korean houses and walk on the air as if they can fly. But at its heart is a story of star-crossed love.Īlthough it claims to be a Korean-style wu xia film with lots of melodrama, the film still contains many cliches of Chinese films of the genre - a secret of parentage, a protagonist training in martial arts for revenge while growing up, and a tragic story of love. 10 (Yonhap) - "Memories of the Sword" is a straight genre picture, a fight movie of the old school.
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