KOSA KK
Artykuł z gazety 'The Korean Herald' (14 Sie 2004):
'Fighter in the Wind' dedicated to legendary martial arts master
Legends, if well told, can be inspiring. "Fighter in the Wind," which opened Thursday, is about a legendary Korean man who fought 47 bulls and defeated numerous karate experts in Japan. Fictional factors aside, the question is whether the director has crafted a fine story.
The plot is based largely on a famous cartoon series by Bang Hak-ki, featuring Choi Bae-dal (1922-1994), a real life figure who moved to Japan during the colonial period and established himself as a much-admired karate fighter by founding a new version of the martial arts form called "Kyokushin Karate."
In 1934, 11-year-old Bae-dal (Yang Dong-geun) watches his father's farmhand, Bum-soo, fighting with Japanese officials in the market in Gimjae, Korea. He admires Bum-soo's fighting skills and starts to learn to fight.
Seven years later, 18-year-old Bae-dal smuggles himself into Japan to enroll in an aviation school but instead finds himself being forced into the Kamikaze program. He resists and fights with the Japanese instructor, Kato, who is a karate master and captain of the program.
Bae-dal is shamefully defeated and earns Kato's scorn. His pride deeply hurt, he determines to get stronger and learn real fighting skills. He happens to meet Bum-soo again and obtains a copy of Musashi Miyamoto's "Book of Five Rings," a book detailing techniques on how to fight and survive.
The encounter with Bum-soo is a turning point for Bae-dal. He begins to wander the streets at night, saving women and others from bullies and robbers. A romance is inserted into the plot when Bum-soo rescues Youko (Aya Hirayama), a beautiful geisha, from some ill-mannered American soldiers.
However, Bae-dal can't become complacent. His master, Bum-soo, is brutally killed by a Japanese mob. Filled with anger and desire for revenge, Bae-dal goes to the mountains and commits himself to intense self-training.
Now, all the factors are in place for a numbing series of fight scenes as Bae-dal finishes his training and embarks on a journey to fight and defeat top martial arts masters across Japan.
Actor Yang, as has been widely publicized, seems to have spent much time practicing martial arts in order to make the fight scenes as authentic as possible. His performance as the action hero Bae-dal deserves some praise because he did all the fight scenes himself, without relying on special effects or a stuntman.
For all the impressive action scenes, however, the audience may find it a bit hard to understand why Bae-dal is so obsessed with fighting, and especially trying to conquer all the famous martial arts masters of Japan.
Director Yang Yun-ho has included some scenes designed to evoke nationalism on the part of Koreans, but they are not enough to justify Bae-dal's peculiar acts. Some audience members - perhaps those in their 30s or older - may understand the underlying reasons thanks to having read the cartoon series in the past, but teens and twenty-somethings are likely to wonder who Bae-dal really is and what's behind his obsession.
"I fear fighting. I have a fear of losing, and I have a fear of becoming crippled while fighting," Bae-dal says repeatedly. This remark gives Bae-dal a human side, helping the relatively simple characterization.
Despite the efforts to lend a human touch, however, some viewers may conclude that this film over-idolizes the main character. It would seem that making a film about a legendary figure is as difficult as becoming one.
'Fighter in the Wind' dedicated to legendary martial arts master
Legends, if well told, can be inspiring. "Fighter in the Wind," which opened Thursday, is about a legendary Korean man who fought 47 bulls and defeated numerous karate experts in Japan. Fictional factors aside, the question is whether the director has crafted a fine story.
The plot is based largely on a famous cartoon series by Bang Hak-ki, featuring Choi Bae-dal (1922-1994), a real life figure who moved to Japan during the colonial period and established himself as a much-admired karate fighter by founding a new version of the martial arts form called "Kyokushin Karate."
In 1934, 11-year-old Bae-dal (Yang Dong-geun) watches his father's farmhand, Bum-soo, fighting with Japanese officials in the market in Gimjae, Korea. He admires Bum-soo's fighting skills and starts to learn to fight.
Seven years later, 18-year-old Bae-dal smuggles himself into Japan to enroll in an aviation school but instead finds himself being forced into the Kamikaze program. He resists and fights with the Japanese instructor, Kato, who is a karate master and captain of the program.
Bae-dal is shamefully defeated and earns Kato's scorn. His pride deeply hurt, he determines to get stronger and learn real fighting skills. He happens to meet Bum-soo again and obtains a copy of Musashi Miyamoto's "Book of Five Rings," a book detailing techniques on how to fight and survive.
The encounter with Bum-soo is a turning point for Bae-dal. He begins to wander the streets at night, saving women and others from bullies and robbers. A romance is inserted into the plot when Bum-soo rescues Youko (Aya Hirayama), a beautiful geisha, from some ill-mannered American soldiers.
However, Bae-dal can't become complacent. His master, Bum-soo, is brutally killed by a Japanese mob. Filled with anger and desire for revenge, Bae-dal goes to the mountains and commits himself to intense self-training.
Now, all the factors are in place for a numbing series of fight scenes as Bae-dal finishes his training and embarks on a journey to fight and defeat top martial arts masters across Japan.
Actor Yang, as has been widely publicized, seems to have spent much time practicing martial arts in order to make the fight scenes as authentic as possible. His performance as the action hero Bae-dal deserves some praise because he did all the fight scenes himself, without relying on special effects or a stuntman.
For all the impressive action scenes, however, the audience may find it a bit hard to understand why Bae-dal is so obsessed with fighting, and especially trying to conquer all the famous martial arts masters of Japan.
Director Yang Yun-ho has included some scenes designed to evoke nationalism on the part of Koreans, but they are not enough to justify Bae-dal's peculiar acts. Some audience members - perhaps those in their 30s or older - may understand the underlying reasons thanks to having read the cartoon series in the past, but teens and twenty-somethings are likely to wonder who Bae-dal really is and what's behind his obsession.
"I fear fighting. I have a fear of losing, and I have a fear of becoming crippled while fighting," Bae-dal says repeatedly. This remark gives Bae-dal a human side, helping the relatively simple characterization.
Despite the efforts to lend a human touch, however, some viewers may conclude that this film over-idolizes the main character. It would seem that making a film about a legendary figure is as difficult as becoming one.
Były moderator w Stylach Tradycyjnych Uderzanych i MMA oraz byly czlonek "Elity"
Krzysztof Piekarz
mawajo
