War in the Arrows (Choejongbyungki hwal)

A Lotte Entertainment relieve a Dasepoclub Co., DCG Plus Co. production. (Worldwide sales: Lotte Entertainment, Seoul.) Produced by Kim Sang-hwan, Jang Won-suk. Executive producers, Sohn Gwang-ik, Park Hyun-tae. Co-producer, Jung Ji-hoon. Directed, put together by Kim Han-min.With: Park Hae-il, Ryu Seung-ryong, Moon Chae-won, Kim Mu-yeol, Lee Kyeong-yeong, Ryohei Otani, Kim Ku-taek, Lee Han-wi, Park Gi-woong, Lee Da-wit, Jeon Min-seo. (Korean, Manchu dialogue)After whizzing along nicely with an hour, Korean costume spectacle "War in the Arrows" enables fly getting a partner of nonstop action and excitement. Toplining Park Hae-il ("The Host") becoming an archer whose prowess puts Robin Hood to shame, this rip-roaring yarn has hit the bull's-eye in your town, with 7.4 million admissions since August. 11. Reissued March. 21 in the director's cut, "Arrows" has edged out "Sunny" as South Korea's finest domestic hit of 2011, and acquired respectable amounts in limited U.S. release March. 7. Fests seeking high-energy crowdpleasers should have a look ancillary will probably be robust. Eliminating the ponderous plot development that frequently hampers South Korean period actioners, scripter-helmer Kim Han-min cracks the narrative whip immediately. Attention-getting 1623-set prologue finds kid Nam-yi (Lee Da-wit) and little sister Ja-in (Jeon Min-seo) narrowly avoiding dying when their father is high quality a traitor and destroyed by rivals inside the Chosun empire court. Cut to 1636, and Nam-yi (Park Hae-il) as well as the beautiful Ja-in (Moon Chae-won) remain in the correct proper care of Kim Mu-seon (Lee Kyeong-yeong), a wealthy family friend whose slightly nerdy boy, Seo-gun (Kim Mu-yeol), has asked for Ja-straight into marry him. Badly luck might say, the couple's large day coincides while using Manchu invasion of Korea, resulting in Ja-in and Seo-gun being taken and held prisoner near to the Korea-Manchuria border. Perfectly fine entertainment up to now, the pic becomes full-on exhilarating when Nam-yi, which has evaded capture, determines in order to save his sister. Formerly seen as gifted archer with no concentrate existence, Nam-yi springs fantastically into action as some type of superman with Ph.D-level knowledge of bow-and-arrow the guidelines of the rules of aerodynamics, plus an opportunity to hear enemy missiles and take split-second evasive action. Using these talents proven in dazzling p.o.v. and slo-mo images, Nam-yi picks off a lot of enemy soldiers in order to saving Ja-in within the lecherous advances of Manchu prince Doreukon (Park Gi-woong). But that's just half your dream to obtain Ja-in and Seo-gun to safety. Nam-yi's cat-and-mouse game with fearsome Manchu warrior Jiusinta (Ryu Seung-ryong) and also the uber-macho hit squad is extremely staged and packs real emotional punch when the final arrow hits its target. A substantial change from his previous features, psychodrama "Handphone" and murder mystery "Paradise Broken," helmer Kim marshals large-scale action with considerable flair. Thesping, a variety of it inside the almost extinct Manchu language, is tops: Park shades his guy-of-action heroics with warm notes of quiet contemplation, Ryu is things rugged since the dominant heavy, and tv star Moon is terrific since the feisty girl along with her own number of combat capabilities. Topnotch cinematography by Kim Tae-seong (not to be mistaken using the composer of the title here) includes thrilling chase moments in misty forests together with a riot of carnal colors inside the randy royal's boudoir. Excellent CGI blends very easily to the action, as well as the Manchu mma fighters look good in fur-lined heavy leather costumes. Other tech tasks are first-class.Camera (color), Kim Tae-seong editors, Kim Chang-ju, Steve Choi music, Kim Tae-seong production designer, Jang Choon-sub costume designers, Jung Suk-ho, Im Seung-hee appear (Dolby Digital), Choi Tae-youthful visual effects managers, Han Youthful-woo, Lee Dong-hoon visual effects, Digital Ideas action choreographers, Oh Se-youthful, Choi Tae-hwan stunt coordinator, Kim Sang-youthful second unit director, Shin Sun-youthful second unit camera, Park Jong-chul. Examined at Busan Film Festival (Korean Cinema Today), March. 12, 2011. Running time: 122 MIN. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com