War from the Arrows (Choejongbyungki hwal)

A Lotte Entertainment discharge of a Dasepoclub Co., DCG Plus Co. production. (Worldwide sales: Lotte Entertainment, Seoul.) Created by Kim Sang-hwan, Jang Won-suk. Executive producers, Sohn Gwang-ik, Park Hyun-tae. Co-producer, Jung Ji-hoon. Directed, compiled 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-search engine optimization. (Korean, Manchu dialogue)After whistling along nicely to have an hour, Korean costume spectacle "War from the Arrows" allows fly having a other half of nonstop action and excitement. Toplining Park Hae-il ("The Host") being an archer whose prowess puts Robin Hood to shame, this rip-roaring yarn has hit the bull's-eye in your area, with 7.4 million admissions since August. 11. Reissued March. 21 inside a director's cut, "Arrows" has edged out "Sunny" as South Korea's greatest domestic hit of 2011, and obtained respectable amounts in limited U.S. release March. 7. Fests seeking high-energy crowdpleasers should take a look ancillary is going to be robust. Getting rid of 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-search engine optimization) narrowly getting away dying when their father is top quality a traitor and wiped out by rivals within the Chosun empire court. Cut to 1636, and Nam-yi (Park Hae-il) and also the beautiful Ja-in (Moon Chae-won) stay in the proper care of Kim Mu-seon (Lee Kyeong-yeong), a wealthy family friend whose slightly nerdy boy, Search engine optimization-gun (Kim Mu-yeol), has requested Ja-directly into marry him. Badly luck might say, the couple's big day coincides using the Manchu invasion of Korea, leading to Ja-in and Search engine optimization-gun being taken and held prisoner close to the Korea-Manchuria border. Perfectly fine entertainment to date, the pic becomes full-on exhilarating when Nam-yi, that has evaded capture, determines to save his sister. Formerly seen as an gifted archer without any concentrate existence, Nam-yi springs superbly into action as some kind of superman with Ph.D-level understanding of bow-and-arrow the rules of aerodynamics, plus a chance to hear enemy missiles and take split-second evasive action. With one of these talents proven in dazzling p.o.v. and slo-mo images, Nam-yi picks off a large number of enemy soldiers on the way to saving Ja-in in the lecherous advances of Manchu prince Doreukon (Park Gi-woong). But that is just half the fight to get Ja-in and Search engine optimization-gun to safety. Nam-yi's cat-and-mouse game with fearsome Manchu warrior Jiusinta (Ryu Seung-ryong) and the uber-macho hit squad is very staged and packs real emotional punch once the final arrow hits its target. A significant vary from his previous features, psychodrama "Handphone" and murder mystery "Paradise Damaged," helmer Kim marshals large-scale action with considerable flair. Thesping, a lot of it within the almost extinct Manchu language, is tops: Park shades his guy-of-action heroics with warm notes of quiet contemplation, Ryu is things rugged because the dominant heavy, and television star Moon is terrific because the feisty girl together with her own group of combat abilities. Topnotch cinematography by Kim Tae-seong (to not be mistaken with the composer of the identical title here) includes thrilling chase moments in misty forests along with a riot of carnal colors within the randy royal's boudoir. Excellent CGI blends effortlessly in to the action, and also the Manchu martial artists look wonderful in fur-lined heavy leather costumes. Other tech jobs 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 seem (Dolby Digital), Choi Tae-youthful visual effects administrators, 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 range newsroom at news@variety.com