Hansan: Rising Dragon

While it's not Yi Sun Shin's greatest naval victory, it is nevertheless a significant event in Korean history. The sea battle is beautifully depicted, though conflating details from his other naval battles, it still gets some key facts right, and about the famous turtle ships and Korean and Japanese fighting tactics. More importantly, you get a different look than the western navies that relied on sail and wind.

The movie feels a bit rushed at the start to set the stage. When you have a movie about a naval battle, I can understand that you can't spend a lot time on the buildup of events leading up to it, but it could be confusing for non-Koreans who did not grow up learning about it in school. There are of course also lots of manufactured drama, but that's to be expected--this is not a historical documentary.

This is the prequel to "The Admiral: Roaring Currents" (2014), which depicts Yi Sun Shin's most famous victory at Myeongryang Strait some five years after the events in this film.

Rising Dragon is a sequel done perfect. A well made movie with hardly any flaws in the re-enactment process. Great work by the whole cast not missing a single beat. Excellent character insight and story build up no plot holes at all every bit of the story ia relevant to the final victory at battle. It's one of the very few movies of the genre that really is exciting without straight up war and bloody. Rising Dragon has a quietening effect to it which results it's action sequences to be fully effective. Mind-blowing special effects, simply fun to watch. Sound effects supplements well too. Worth the watch without a doubt.

My wife turned me to South Korea movies, but while she loves doramas, I am very much into war epics, as I like good war films. I watched all the Korean Civil War mvoies, but this time it is a history piece and a great one!

Epic war movie about 16th century battle in the open sea between Choson Empire and Japanese Empire. It could easily be just another war effort with little sense, but what makes this film a real good try is a very deep and decent portrayal of several main heroes with their inner and outer weaknesses, fears and struggles.

There are no super heroes here, no one flies in the air or breaks walls, nay. Here, real people fight and die either valliantly or cowardly.

Both Japanese and Koreans are depicted like real flesh and blood, sweating and bleeding, afraid or brave.

Final Hansan naval battle is a sheer eye candy but the horrors of war are here, too. People die, ships sink, mistakes are made by both sides during the battle.

The CGI are excellent here, but they are not the main It, the It-thing gere is the human struggle, the huge battle between two great admirals and their wills. This is played so weel and so decently that little doubt remains.

I recommend this tremendous epic film to all history buffs.

I have been waiting for this movie for 8 years and I have to say I got what I wanted. The introduction of the movie was done well especially the opening battle. It showed naval warfare from a perspective different from that of the Europeans. The costumes and the sets of the movie was able to show what it would truly have looked like at that time. I find this movie unique in that there are simply not that many movies out there that show the samurai from this perspective which is that of an antagonist, and instead most of the movies seem to show the samurai as these incredibly heroic beings. Speaking of the samurai, their costumes and culture was shown splendidly in the movie.

The Koreans were given a more human quality and were also depicted quite well in terms of costumes and culture.

The climax was simply incredible.

I must say however, the first half of the movie with the large number of names and historical people could confuse some people, especially those not well versed in Korean History or not paying attention. However if you are aware of it, then it is not much of a problem. My say is that if you are looking for a movie to watch in a laid back fashion, its not the best pick.

The movie had a nice soundtrack that went well with movie overall. I'd rate it a 9/10.

Pumped and saddened for the last movie of this trilogy which will mark the great generals death...

The film was excellent and professional in terms of direction And In terms of filming and special effects, it is done in such a way that one cannot tell the difference between reality and design Considering that the Admiral's story has been made in other series and movies and it is almost a repeated script, nevertheless, the making of the movie was very interesting and exciting.

Also, the movie was designed very well in terms of the beginning of the story and the end of the story, and it was in such a way that the person who watched the movie was not left without answers about anything, that is, it was not confusing.