Lee Byung-hun is my favourite South Korean actor, and I've said this many times. Having seen many of his action thrillers, I couldn't afford to miss this historical drama MASQUERADE, and happily it's a very entertaining film made with a recipe having two ingredients: a heart and many efforts.
Believe me, those efforts succeed.
MASQUERADE presents Korean traditions before the world with a genuine authenticity. The presentation is excellent, as is the visual work. The cinematography is extraordinary, and the film is visually so stunning that I recommend to catch it on a Blu-ray for the best experience.
History plays a great role in Korean Cinema. Here we see why and how.
With spoiling your viewing experience, I would like to say that it's a fine movie which can be seen with the whole family. There are a lot of humorous scenes and they are quite hilarious and enjoyable. The limited yet amazingly shot action remains within your memory.
Lee Byung-hun is in his top form. He acts extremely well and there's something genuine about his performance that makes you care for him. Ryu Seung-ryong is superb in his role. Han Hyo-joo is excellent, and so are the other actors.
The screenplay is executed with brilliance and so is the editing. The film, however could've been a little shorter.
There are a lot of effective sequences in the film, especially the climax which will leave you highly impressed.
MASQUERADE intends not only to entertain you, but also to ask you certain important questions. To find out those questions, first go and watch it. Then you'll get the answer yourself.