In 1930s Manchuria, three gunslingers are after a map. Chang-yi Park (Lee) a ruthless bandit / hitman, with a gang of followers, is hired to steal the map from a prominent Japanese man. Before he can get to the map it is inadvertently stolen by thief Tae-goo Yoon (Song), who manages to escape the train derailment caused by Chang-yi's gang. Both men are pursued by Do-won Park (Jung), a sharp eyed bounty hunter.
Tae-goo believes he has found a treasure map, and with the help of Do-won, plans to follow it and find the treasure. Chang-yi and his gang plan to obtain the map by any means necessary and set off in pursuit of Tae-goo and Do-won, leaving a trail of bodies. The map also draws the attention of a group of Manchurian bandits, led by Byeong-choon (Yoon), the second in command. In addition, the Japanese army want the map to save their empire. As the bounties and bodies grow higher, who will win the map and treasures?
I first discovered this film when it was reviewed on a blog I read. It sounded interesting, and I enjoy Korean films, so I added it to my list of "Must Sees". Once it was added to Netflix's instant streaming, I added it to my queue.
The story grabs your attention from the beginning. It is funny and features impressive / bloody battles and stunts. The three leads are charismatic and draw your attention. Kang-ho Song, who also starred in The Foul King, is hilarious as Tae-goo Yoon, the Weird. He is the most fleshed out character and most interesting. He also won Best Supporting Actor in the Asian Film Awards for this role. Byung-hun Lee, who has appeared in the G.I. Joe films and in Red 2, is fascinating as Chang-yi park, the Bad. He is involved in the most fights and is a compelling villain. Woo-sung Jun is the bland but impressive Do-won Park, the Good. His character is the least developed, but has some sweet moves with his rifle (specifically during the big chase scene towards the end of the film).
The film uses minimal CGI and focuses on intricately staged fight and chase sequences. The body count is high and there is a significant amount of bloody violence. Apparently, director Ji-Woon Kim (also spelled Jee-woon Kim), who also directed The Foul King, has a cult following in Asian cinema for his ability to tackle different genres. I enjoyed this film and The Foul King and look forward to checking out his other films.
A great action flick, that pays homage to the western The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
The Good, the Bad, the Weird [Joheun-nom, Nabbeun-nom, Isanghan-nom] (2008) 130 minutes
Rating: R for non-stop violence and some drug use
Director: Ji-Woon Kim
Starring: Kang-ho Song as Tae-goo Yoon, the Weird
Byung-hun Lee as Chang-yi Park, the Bad
Woo-sung Jung as Do-won Park, the Good
Je-moon Yoon as Byeong-choon
Seung-soo Ryu as Man-gil
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