The Movie
Rather deliberately it seems, The Warrior's Way plays out like a 24-frame-per-second comic book--although written directly for the screen--right down to a brief early use of on-screen text. But whereas the trend in graphic novel adaptations has been veering toward increasing seriousness and urbanity, writer/director Sngmoo Lee dares to be goofy, telling his story in broad, hyperbolic strokes that will likely leave more sophisticated viewers in the dust.
The warrior of the title is Yang (Jang Dong Gun, and that is so going to be my porno name), who achieves his dream of becoming the world's greatest swordsman only to realize the emptiness of that pursuit. He fights in service of a clan locked in a bloody feud, but rather than kill their last enemy, an infant, he takes the child and ultimately travels to the American frontier to reinvent himself as a peaceful launderer.
There, in a small old western town he meets a plucky girl who likes knives and soon runs afoul of the pack of outlaws roaming the countryside seeking (and finding) trouble. Yang is also pursued by an army of assassins from the old country, and the action builds to an enormous climactic confrontation.
Sngmoo Lee possesses a bold visual style requiring a great many special effects, but his movie is so over-the-top violent that the blood tends to overshadow the finer dramatic points. Most of the character development is cursory, to the point that we will likely feel minimal investment by story's end.
The Picture
The thrilling 2.4:1 imagery was captured on 35mm film, revealing quite a bit of grain and video noise on Blu-ray disc, in the sandy environment of the town, and elsewhere. There is quite a bit of detail on display though, and the bold colors--of Yang's flower garden, the desert hues--are quite lovely.
The SoundThe DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack has quite a few terrific, aggressive audio tricks up its sleeve--a fly phasing around the room, knives flying... and landing!--often enhanced by a strong bass kick, most evident in the gunshots but also throughout the explosive finale. Oscar nominee Javier Navarrete's musical score is a curious concoction at times blending modern musical instruments with airy Asian flutes, exceptionally well-recorded and creatively mixed.
The Extras
The 13 deleted and alternate scenes, some quite brief, run a total of 12 minutes and are presented in standard definition. An unusual "Behind the Scenes Montage" runs about two-and-a-half minutes, in HD, combining on-set footage and final movie clips with actor interviews. Disc Two carries a Digital Copy of the movie for iTunes and Windows Media.
Final Thoughts
Tossing in heaping helpings of graphic violence, heavy-handed attempts at comedy and a would-be-touching subplot about the innocent, adorable baby might have added up to too much for mainstream audiences. But younger viewers with a taste for edgier fare might enjoy this amped up--visually, sonically and dramatically--East-meets-West adventure.
Product Details
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