After being blinded in a coup against the king, Joseon’s greatest swordsman (Jang Hyuk) goes into hiding, far removed from his city’s anguish. But when traffickers kidnap his daughter, he has no choice but to unsheathe his sword once more.
Set during the Ming to Qing Dynasty transition of power, this loosely fact-based story focuses on three swordsmen from opposite sides in the occupied Korean Kingdom of Joseon.
Tae-yul (Jang Hyuk) is a skilled warrior living in the woods with his daughter Tae-ok (Hyeon-soo Kim) far from civilization. While out hunting, his vision gets blurred and a local medicine man advises him to travel into Joseon’s capital for eye treatment. Upon their arrival, the father and daughter’s trip becomes a nightmare when Tae-ok is kidnapped by slave traders. Tae-yul unsheathes his blade that’s forked at the tip and begins slicing his way to vengeance.
Min Seung-ho (Man-sik Jeong) is another swordsman, large and lumbering, with a powerful fighting style. He’s sworn to protect Korean aristocrats while they convene among their Chinese occupiers. The Chinese envoys provoke Min into a sparring duel to prove his legend and he wins easily.
Last but not least, is Gurutai (Joe Taslim), one of Qing’s greatest soldiers who speaks quietly while undermining his Korean subjects. In a fast-moving story, his sinister dealings lead all three men down a path towards a bloody showdown. Joe Taslim is one of the best action stars hailing from Indonesia and while I can’t vouch for his Chinese accent, he plays a great villain.
For a debut, writer/director Jae-Hoon Choi gracefully handles the court-intrigue, history, and combat. The ancient empires’ diplomatic relations are fascinating to witness and I can’t wait to study more about them. At times, his script and the choreography recall “Zatoichi” which similarly featured a visually impaired protagonist caught in between warring factions.
I was blown away by the production design, detailed fabulously with exquisite costumes and sets. And I can’t overemphasize enough how wonderful the swordplay is while Choi’s camera moves precisely during every duel and battle. Often, too many directors rely on shaky-cam in an attempt to hide their underwhelming set pieces. “The Swordsman” establishes a new talented filmmaker capable of cutting down the genre’s competitors.
Available on Blu-ray™, DVD, and Digital February 16th from Well Go USA Entertainment
