Duelist

You're probably wondering what the heck my title means.

There's a memorable scene where the soundtrack features a hard rock thrash song and a quiet piano sonata ...playing simultaneously! How the audio engineer pulled this off without it sounding like a train wreck is beyond me. But you can distinctly make out the two clashing pieces of music.

The whole movie is much like this phenomenon. First of all, it boldly crosses the line between "art house" and "martial arts flick". If you're looking exclusively for either, you'll be disappointed. But if you're sharp enough to follow the jumps, you'll love this picture.

Almost every other reviewer has criticized the plot for being too thin. I think they're missing the point. The classic Japanese film SEVEN SAMURAI can also be said to have a weak plot, if you're get right down to it. But the point is not to look for an intricate Alfred Hitchcock weave; the point is to enjoy how expertly the visuals can bring a fairy tale to life. And this is a great fairy tale, at times leaving you wondering what is a dream and what is real.

And then suddenly you're holding your sides because you're laughing so hard at the comic routines. Like I said, this film mixes it all. You gotta be quick to keep up.

Visually, I can't praise this film enough. Vivid colours, smooth camera motion, graceful movements (to the point where a mob scene looks choreographed) and gorgeous sets give this movie a fantasy quality that few directors have been able to achieve. And the computer animation (if even there was much at all) was not noticeable, unlike a lot of modern films that use CGI for everything. Instead, the director uses very creative lighting and shadows to accentuate the swordplay. At times it looks like a Star Wars light sabre duel, but so realistic.

Enjoy this film for what it is. Expect nothing, drop all preconceived notions, and I guarantee you'll have a great time.

Oh, I also thought I'd mention... no nudity or gratuitous sex, no blood splattered across the screen, no animal cruelty. Fun for everyone.

I saw this movie in the Pusan International Film Festival. Director Myung-se Lee said it is the third edition, after the screening. Maybe, it was post-Toronto & Vancouver Festival Version.

The image is so beautiful. Films which shoot in front of blue screen (a lot of CG) won't have this charm. Costume and architecture of the Lee Dynasty are interesting, too. I wasn't bored one minute. I felt two hours short.

I think that the casting is a big success. Ji-won Ha performs the sometime-funny role of female detective Namsoon greatly. Sung-kee Ahn gives the tone to this movie. And, mysterious Sad Eyes, nobody will be able to do excluding Dong-won Kang.

Selection of music makes this movie not sophisticated. At this point, it looks like Lee's previous work "Nowhere to hide-Injeong sajeong bol geot eobtda-". (However, selection of music might be a charm of the Lee works!)

I praise that all characters are solitude and independent. I saw a number of Korean movies and dramas, there are a lot of works of complex story based on the family relation and the sickness. In this movie, a simple story permits intoxicating it beautifully of the image.

The pronunciation of Japanese well known tanka is incorrect. I expect it to be corrected before screening in Japan.

I walked into this movie knowing almost nothing about it except for a very basic synopsis that is nothing special and the knowledge that people either love it or hate it. I walked out of it, totally in love.

Duelist is a prime example of art film that doesn't try hard at pushing an elaborate story into its viewer. There is very little dialogue, barely enough to let us know what's going on, and most of the story is told via movements, lightings and music. Honestly I was kinda puzzled during the first half, not knowing where it was going, but the curiosity and Gang Dong-won being a feast to the eye made me stay. And I didn't regret any minute of it. The two leads have ridiculous chemistry and they totally compliment each other. My only issue with the processing is the excessive use of slow motion that time seems to flow differently in Duelist, but it also makes everything so pretty I'm not complaining.

Featuring one of the best soundtracks I have ever heard, being that the music is an essential part in leading the viewers, Duelist tells a love story through sword fights that look so passionate and intimate it's almost dancing. A brilliant visual feast, like a poem, it's peculiar and sometimes over-the-top theatrical, so it might not be everyone's cup of tea. I personally absolutely love it and have been raving about it to anyone who would listen. Try it yourself to find out which side you are on.

This movie is disguised as historical action,romance and detective film. It has every element of any Asian action genre film.

Underneath it, this movie is very self-conscious and experimental film. Of course, there is a compromise between mainstream movie and director's personal movie. That is "having narrative" in this movie.

Director expresses his visual vision which is loosely based on detective story.However if you try to follow story in this movie,you will be utterly disappointed.

This is almost another form of alienation effect. There is narrative but narrative can not handle its grandized style. It is not style for narrative but narrative for style. Director almost challenges you what movie is and means to you. In this grossly capitalized movie making world, can movie be presented as an art form or a painting. is it even possibility of discussion?

If you like this kind of geeky challenge(almost Brecht like) or exploration, this is movie for you. If not, I say still give a shot and focus on style and rhythm and visualization and do not waste to spend too much time to follow the "story". If you are interested in this director, you can google it and will be able to find interviews. I think this movie Lee expressed more his personal vision and visual challenge than previous one and he is definitely pushing it.

Movie is based on comic book characters and stories written by Bang Hak-gi.Korean soap opera "Damo (female detective)" also is based on this comic book story.

Female leading lady(Ha ji won) played similar role in drama "Damo". Damo was great hit series drama in Korea.

This movie did not do well in korean box office but there is a cult following for this movie. When you try to buy DVD, make sure that it is quality you want because director did several digital enhancement on this movie after release.That is what I heard anyway and you do not want to miss gorgeous visual in this movie.

I saw this film at the opening night of the Hawaii International Film Festival, as an unannounced special screening. Outrageously colorful and stylized, it's a tale of a girl trained as a sword-fighter who works as a cop, and a mysterious masked swordsman who may or may not be in league with a gang who is flooding the country with counterfeit money. The plot is confusing enough, but it really doesn't matter: it's just an excuse for some amazing set- pieces involving crowds of sword-fighters, fighters chasing through markets and dye factories, barroom brawls, and over the top humor. And swordplay as foreplay. Not likely to get a US release, but a lot of fun. Modern Korean cinema, in my opinion, is leading the world in terms of set and scenic design, and innovative cinematography. Catch this film to see what I mean.