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PickyMcpickleton
In the way that almost all characters in Korean entertainment meet, this one does not stray from the formula as no sooner have the two main characters met, they immediately bicker with each other. Of course this merely serves as the formulaic introduction to characters whom you know will be at the center of this plot.
The Flu features almost all your infectious disease apocalyptic type of characters.
1.) A heroic male lead who's abilities far extend his profession
2.) A mother with a cute daughter which will serve as emotional bait.
3.) A friend
4.) Bad guys who do bad guy things.
5.) Terrible politicians but rumor has it there are no good ones.
If the following characters haven't prepared you for the plot then simply put. An illegal smuggling shipping container finds itself in Korea, which triggers the spread of a highly infectious, toxic flu. Panic ensues and obviously, the government isn't prepared for this despite previous warnings.
In the theme of it's predecessors, the Flu takes absolutely no original route in delivering its story.
So prepare for.
A sick child
A hero who will save the day
A discovered cure in limited quantities
Everything to be safe at the end of the day.
By these standards this movie shouldn't warrant anything more than a five. However, it is a relatively stellar narrative that while melodramatic at times, delivers good entertainment and evokes emotion. Ultimately what you have is a mildly enjoyable story that doesn't imprint itself in memory due to its stereotypical undertakings. However, it's one that is a decent popcorn grabber.
There's not much to say about it, no lengthy review to entice you with this one. It's a cookie cutter one that is merely an easy watch.
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I genuinely didn't think I'd finish this but here we are, at the end. I finished yet another Chinese drama with over 40 episodes, my gosh, I think I need a drama doctor.
I don't think I've ever struggled to figure out a rating as with this drama, It could very well be an 7 and also a mere 6, so I settled for an in-between that I am only moderately content with
The drama thrusts you into what I presume is 1940s China under Japanese imperialism. This isn't your typical flowy dress historical as at this point, from the setting and clothing in the drama, there seems to be a huge western influence in China. We're talking guns, suits, music and that iffy shade of green army wear. The story focuses on the Ming family and the role they come to play in liberating China.
Let's start by making this clear in that I really gave the writers the benefit of the doubt as intricate plots are interwoven with nauseatingly cliché scenes that as I cringed and wondered what in the world was happening, I came to the conclusions the writers were to some extent really playing with this genre.
As with every action, suspense, shooter type of film, bullets will never hit the leads. The leads here in fact, rarely ever run for cover and when they do, it's rather comical because they've evaded hoards of bullets being shot at them out of sheer protagonistness (no, that's not a word). They of course can shoot bullets to nowhere and I swear those bullets will manage to hit someone. The gun usage is indeed your stereotypical action shooter gun usage.
We are also for a modest part of this, given a frustrating female character who constantly needs rescue and made the initial eight episodes of this a very painful experience but for once, I listened to the voices in drama land urging me to stick it out as she becomes quite the character. Nicely done, drama land.
Amidst this, romance is thrown in and my toes curled as an actor hurled sweet nonsense lines along the cringe worthiness level of “you are my sugar plum” and I questioned reality as these lines were so excruciatingly cheesy, I just can't imagine the writers not being aware of this. It seemed cliché scenes were thrown in here to help nurse the uber macho and high paced scene and also honestly, I just can't get over this *writer's f**king with us* feeling.
The main reason for a good rating is when this drama picks up, it genuinely picks up and becomes an enjoyable ride. Take the genre as it is and this drama is quite addictive. It has it's moments of suspense and brilliance although albeit sometimes the plot was far too convoluted. Amidst this is well fitted splashes of humor and heart warming scenes that just made even the most cynical side of me annoyingly melt. The Ming family have some of the best interactions and I was screaming, “adopt me with my mother's permission please.”
There is just quite the solid plot in here that really grounds this drama and it makes the genre really feel like the writers wanted to absolutely play with it yet also create a strong plot.
I do think the drama could have ended four episodes earlier than it did. The last four episodes milked the this plot like a saharan camel. I don't know if there was some broadcasting requirement in regards to that but it really pulled the screw out of this machine and made the drama feel quite loose.
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For one, I believe there is one specific moment that makes viewers uncomfortable but really is a moment that also makes you re-evaluate your beliefs. Is he wrong? Is having a fantasy without acting on it a flaw? It also shows you that Suzuki sensei isn't perfect. This drama opens up room for debate about different topics. For instance, Is the fantasy wrong if you don't act on it? These are opinions though that I rarely publicize because as the drama portrays constantly, people are so rooted in their beliefs they leave very little leeway for discussion. Yet at the same time, you have to acknowledge that you are also one of those people rooted in their own beliefs and values.
Hence, this proved a quirky and thought provoking drama with one of the freshest approaches to teaching. Furthermore, it really requires a certain type of maturity from the viewer to really absorb the discussion. Did Suzuki sensei creep me out at times? Yes and that is a testament to my values. Well, to get down to this review.
This story centers around Suzuki sensei. A teacher with a very unconventional teaching method. He must tackle difficult issues that surround his middle school class all while encouraging them to grow. The story is loaded with mature topics that provoke the viewer. It might make you uncomfortable yet also change you. The acting is also strongly believable and while there are some slight exaggerations in regards to the characters and topics, the show retains a rather mundane theme. There are no excessive speeches and exaggerated acting for the most part, which creates a slice of life type of atmosphere that makes it easier to absorb the content. I strongly recommend this, definitely one of the best.
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This review may contain spoilers
Admittedly, it's been a while since I watched Sympathy for Lady Vengeance but I must admit, it's my least favorite out of the Vengeance series.I felt the other Vengeance series were far more well thought out and far more emotionally stifling than this one. Furthermore, the fantastical element of this particular series was in some ways daunting yet also not my cup of tea as it made the film not settle as darkly for me as it could have.
Also, unlike, the other two movies, it instilled a burning curiosity in me but did not deliver. In the end, the focus was so much on Lee Young Ae's character and none on the villain rendering me a little disinterested. When it came to the other two movies, the villains final revelation really helped shape the climax of the movie and it's why these movies stuck with us. However, in this case, the villain remains a shadowy figure that we never truly hear from. Admittedly, this movie is a narrative so it hinders any other perspective other than the narrators.
As this is a narrative, you may find it quite tedious. It begins with Lee Young Ae's character being charged with the murder of a young boy. She's beautiful and not your typical murderer hence you now start to wonder, did she really do it? This is a little reminiscent of old boy in that the perspective is one where everything leads to a boiling point as you slowly unravel the story. Anything more would be a spoiler.
Ultimately though, you have a good guy and a bad guy and nothing quite philosophically daunting as the other two movies. Furthermore, different sub plots distract from the meat of the plot. Halfway through, you may actually forget about the revenge story as different sub plots vie for your attention. Furthermore, in typical Park Chan Wook fashion, there will be some dragging before you get to the final destination which in typical PCW fashion will also include more dragging. Overall, it's a good film, a little disjointed and fantastical for my tastes but not a bad ending.
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I'll delve straight into the base of the story which is about King Sejong attempting to create writing. Perhaps one of the most disinteresting plots you could quite possibly try to explain. However, what seems like a bland dish is actually the meat of the plot. What prevents this from being a flawless drama is that the meat of the plot is overshadowed by interesting looking vegetables. Kind of like a bibimbap.
In this case, sub plots will vie for your attention and lightly take away from what is an earth shattering story. Expect flashy swordplay and flying folk, something I tend to dislike but something that this drama made forgiving. What still makes this incredibly stellar is that the base of the story is so strongly told and so well acted that there are moments of revelation that left me speechless.
As King Sejong tries to create writing, he unfortunately, encounters a foe in Ga Ri On. Ga Ri On, cannot stand for the creation of writing (Hangul) and he will do anything to stop it. However, it becomes clear that he's not the belligerent idiot you encounter in just about every k-drama who makes the protagonist's life a living hell for no reason. He makes such a crucial point forcing the viewer to re-evaluate his/her philosophy.
Nonetheless, as disinteresting as this review makes the plot sound, there are action sequences and moments of fist clenching suspense, that had me very excited. The sublots feature Dol Bok's story, a slave turned soldier who has a strong distaste for the king. As you can see, this sublot just doesn't even feel like it fits in with the story, but it oddly manages to blend itself there and Dol Bok does play a part in whether or not King Sejong can create writing.
What makes this compelling is there are no true villains. Sacrifices are made on both sides and it leaves the viewer to ponder on something the viewer easily take for granted. The finale is a climatic end that I'd like to defend as I liked it. It was that moment in this plot that everything about this drama seemed to settle in and I took a breath as I bid a farewell to what for me is a drama that I can't forget. I think this is one of those dramas where you either "get it" or you don't.
Finalement, Han Suk Kyu, Han Suk Kyu, Han Suk Kyu. Those three words translate to well acted brilliantness that really makes this story come alive. When someone's acting is so riveting that it makes you pause as your marvel over every psychological reaction, every moment of torment coming alive. This man is just brilliant, he just is.
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Reviewing this drama is quite tough. It was one of those dramas where I feel like a lot of people found fault in it but at the same time, A drama that had me going "I get it." It's a drama for me that has some very clever details that I really appreciated. There's actually some symbolism here that either I'm reading too much into it or that many people missed. One is the theatrical scenes. I don't mean in the sense of ludicrosity because there were those but there were elements of theatre here that I really liked. Especially the ending. I think a lot of people focused on the face value presentations that they missed out this odd little things that actually make me rate this far higher than the story deserves.
The story in dramatic fashion is a stockholm syndromed girl vs total arsehole turned mildly decent guy. Jun Kai is a character that had it not been for the director and stellar script (at very few moments that mattered), I would have gritted my teeth through this whole ordeal but alas, he is somewhat saved by some very decent directing moments. His abuse towards the female lead is something I really tolerate but her response towards him was even more intolerable. Nonetheless, the climax of the movie saves them both. It could have been done better but I actually liked it.
It goes all Enrique Eglesias in Hero where Le Jun Kai finds his girl in a predicament and he has to save her. However, there's actually a lot of symbolism in here. The ending was actually very well done for me. A lot of people finished this and immediately ranted about how ridiculous it was but for me it turned into a cinematic stage where you have to understand what's happening. This is so annoying to state without giving spoilers. Peter ho also makes this ending very good for me and I find he for the most part, delivers decent acting. Ugh, okay my review sucked but this is a drama I need to go on a long discussion about.
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If you were to ask me what I liked about this drama, I would be brutally honest in saying, Oguri Shun's deep voice, Oguri Shun occasionally topless, Oguri Shun's terrible glasses that still make my heart flutter and lastly Oguri shun's double “kabe don” which is a word I just learned recently and he can double “kabe-don” me any time. Nothing else though because I'm not a creeper.
So what about the drama? This drama is a very mildly loveable mess that was borderline an annoyance at times. It gathers a really cool and quite decent cast and pretty much flings the dog shit that is the script at them. This script is so messy and at times just borderline stupid. It's got themes of cheesy speeches, saintly characters, feel good nonsense and the stereotypical Japanese and dorama cliches packaged into a rather nonsensical plot.
Supposedly intelligent characters behave in such irrational ways making me find them irrevocably stupid. There is very little intelligent planning and don't let the convoluted dialogue full you as the revelations are tame if not illogical and the end result from most sequences is often, very avoidable injuries. Suspense is developed in very soap opera like fashion and boy did that make me cringe.
This is one of the few scripts where the leads do not evade bullets because people are still clinging to that scarface theme but hold the applause, because they could hike mount kilimanjaro with bullet wounds in them. Did I mention they recover from bullet wounds quicker than the common cold. One minute Oguri Shun is limping, the next, you wouldn't even know he was shot in the leg. However, these little illogical inconsistencies were not what really brought this down.
The plot simply could not keep track of itself and there were random revelations that revealed plot holes that just made you question this. The whole vengeance theme is super loose and ultimately features numerous clichés that were hard to overlook such as:
A very inflexible female lead. Oh did I mention how absolutely annoying she is. She is the very definition of wishy washy and completely unrealistic especially for a detective!
Invincible leads who have been left alive for twenty years for reasons no one knows. Oh yeah, that's right, we need them to conveniently be skilled so we can have a plot. Expect very convenient situations.
A convoluted plot with a horrific yet totally nonsense revelation.
A rushed ending with soap opera like theatrics that made me roll my eyes.
Overall cheesy speeches and preceding dialogues and speeches when someone is about to kill someone. Seriously, I don't know why they have to give five minute speeches before they kill someone.
Oh yes, speeches before big revelations and someone eventually dies halfway during this speech leaving very little valuable information. I thought I was watching a telenovela. You know how when someone is about to reveal who the father is on their deathbed and they cough and wheeze for a good 10 minutes before dying by uttering one syllable. “It was am---” DEAD.
Cliche suspense music. The only way it could be worse is if they put the tom and jerry theme.
Oh, this drama also features terrible parents.
I do feel my rating is on the generous side although some may not agree but I halfway commented that this drama would be very lucky to get a five from me.
Overall, a convoluted and nonsensical mess that misuses its cast.
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If you find yourself a person who is logical and analytical about dramas then you must really follow that rule in order to enjoy this. This is one of those types of shows you enjoy solely for entertainment purposes. You aren't looking for things to make sense but simply to be entertained.
With that said, welcome to this story. Four men escape prison motivated by different things. They initially work together because they are motivated by the same goal, then later, simply because they are all saintly beings who would shame even the Mother Theresa. I assume they're far more good at being saints because these are the worst fugitives on the planet. I ask you to think of really bad fugitives, then think of something worse, then think of these guys.
However, what's worse than really crappy fugitives? Well, welcome to the most incompetent police force on the planet. They give the guys in I hear Your Voice a run for their money. This police force that cannot catch a bunch of fugitives who are tweeting their locations and running away with a seven year old girl. Yes, a seven year old girl can outrun this bunch. These fugitives constantly call their significant others, utilize cell phones and payphones to call people, visit their significant others and the cops can't track them nor catch them. In fact, most of the chase scenes involve the cops accidentally bumping into this bunch. This gives birth to a repetitive sequence of Tom and Jerry.
However, this drama has its strengths. For one, I think the main focus is what is motivating these fugitives. They all have different and touching stories that motivate them to break out of jail. It's these stories that manage to somewhat solidify this mess. The main focus is especially on Ataru. He initiates the jail break because his daughter is dying; he wants to save her at all costs. In between this is a sub plot that is steeped in mystery.
Strangely enough, this drama surprisingly captures something I don't quite think it was even trying to focus on, which is politics in the police force. It really gives a glimpse on how the people in power can disregard corruption in the police force in order to not tarnish the reputation of the police. I doubt the script writers intended the person watching to note this but this was the one thing, they oddly manage to do well.
Unfortunately, every fugitive show cliche is featured here. From making quick escapes to doors being opened only to find our fugitives are not there. Unlike many, this for me was not a nail biting experience, there were great twists when it mattered but it quickly became obvious that this crew was practically invincible, it really becomes Tom and Jerry or Wile E Coyote and the Road Runner if you prefer. Furthermore, your typical cliche prevented this from being the jittery experience some reviews promised. Especially, not if you've watched just about any fugitive show that's aired. At one point, apathy began to set in and I just could not be emotionally moved.
Furthermore, themes intermingle so strangely making me question my feelings. It's at times humorous, cute, ridiculous, heart warming, ghastly and even comedic. It's a blend of strange themes that work yet don't. Almost like a bizarre concoction of food.
Bottom line: Do I recommend this? Bizarrely, yes. It's entertaining for what it's worth. It could be that I'm on a phase of perving over the lead, I still don't know his name but this does mark the third drama in a space of two days that I have decided to watch in order to enjoy his presence (Also, I am a sucker for a buzz cut). Perhaps, that made this more entertaining for me, but yeah, if you're looking for something action filled. To me this isn't really a thriller, go for it. It's entertaining for what it's worth.
Finally, I remind you to SUSPEND BELIEF!
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First of all, the story isn't exceptionally original. It's been done numerous times but nonetheless, it doesn't stop it from being poignant and unsettling to some degree.
Song Joong Gi plays a boy who as the summary states appears to have been raised by wolves. He is discovered when Park Bo Young's character moves to the countryside due to her sickness and he happens to have been inhabiting the shed of the place that they just moved in to. Park Bo Young's family eventually pick him up because they cannot find anyone to adopt him and so the story is triggered.
This story isn't really about a werewolf. It's about monsters. Song Joong Gi's unrefined character through living with Park Bo Young's family starts a transformation to become human or to attain human qualities. He develops an affection towards Park Bo Young's character amidst his transformation and they develop quite a bond. However, due to numerous predicaments, he reverts into a "monster" and is dubbed as dangerous. However, a "monster" in appearance is not a monster at heart and in watching the movie you start to distinguish who exactly the real monster is.
The tale is somewhat light hearted but with very heavy moments that made me sweat a little from my eyes. However, I lamented a little that we never truly delve into any important details regarding Song Joong Gi's character. It's mentioned but not shown. It's not ridiculously relevant but I would have liked to know. Also, the villain is somewhat stereotypical and other than being a rich arse hole, there's not much we know about him. However, I guess his character is relevant in the success of this plot. However, the philosophical undertones didn't stop me from wondering what his story was. Take that as my need to always over think things.
Overall, a very poignant story with minor flaws.
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I don't even know if I have to explain the genre because if you're familiar with the whole delinquents becomes good because of a teacher trend, well, this is it. However, this is more focused on baseball. These delinquents will face a lot of trials in order to not only gain acceptance but rescind their mistakes.
Where Rookies excels for me is the relationships they have with each other. They are all friends chasing a dream that seems impossible. Their teacher is a beacon of light who believes in them no matter what. Man, this guy is more open-armed than the christ the redeemer statue. He believes in his students no matter what. Unfortunately, it is this belief that gives birth to a repetitive slew of motivational speeches that just make me wish he'd shut up. Almost every episode has at least five feel good speeches.
As such, these rambles take the place of action. I would have liked to see more baseball games and more introduction of other characters who rival the club. However, there are some good emotionally moving parts that make you feel all warm and fuzzy and really make you root for this team. I also like how rough around the edges the characters are as it creates some hilarious yet warm moments.
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I stand to rate this movie independently from its other content. Which by the way is far more beneficial because I AM NOT A RUROUNI KENSHIN fan, I found the original story in my teen years to be ridiculous and very annoying. Hence, I ventured into this solely because of a comment saying this would stray from the original content.
So if you are venturing into Rurouni Kenshin, allow me to prepare you for what to expect. It's a samurai movie heavily based on the barely there fighting sequences hence plot is rather sacrificed to put some focus on the action.
The plot features fight sequences triggered by Damsels in Distress and Kenshin being well just a regular dude contemplating the shittiness of his past life. If you come into this movie expecting lots of slayage, 3/4 of this movie lacks this hence where I should not dock points, I did. If a movie with a badass sword fighter spends a majority of its time trying to build a lazy plot then I am going to have to take the plot into consideration.
The plot revolves around Kenshin, a swordsman whose alter ego everyone pronounces like it's sacrilegious. Known as Battousai the Manslayer, Kenshin spends most of this movie doing none of that, having sworn never to kill anyone else. We are given dishes of his past which I found thoroughly underwhelming and just not very original. The story also focuses in splices on other characters which means nothing is ever really developed. We in the end have a black and white scenario of the self-righteous good guys vs the baddy bad guys.
The worst part is that in a movie where the main character's name is in the title, he's by far not even the most interesting character. Badass villains are featured here with intriguing personalities but in the end they are merely bad guys who do bad guy things and act crazy. Funny enough though, learn all your life lessons from the bad guys. Not kidding here, the bad guys here have got all the most realistic quotes you need. Because the good guys are all "we're samurais who will not kill" like are you kidding me?
The movie definitely did not need the length that it had. It dragged yet offered nothing that really aided the plot. The climax is an underwhelming stereotypical good guy getting beaten up only to recover
I don't know if I've edited too much video but some of the fight scenes relied heavily on cuts making the sequences feel haphazard though overall, they aren't bad though. There's a level of fluidity that makes them somewhat fun to watch. Not enough to carry the movie though.
If perchance you're thinking, I am not a fan of the genre, I assure you I've read the likes of Vagabond, Blade of the immortal and even read the Mushashi novel by Eiji Yoshikawa. Samurai tales were my obsession for quite a while which is precisely why the lackluster tale of Rurouni Kenshin has never appealed not when its philosophical and better written counterparts exist.
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Scent of a Woman is one of those dramas where I merely started watching because of Kim Sun Ah. I was a little ignorant of the cast but even after the drama ended, I never bothered to care about any of the other cast sans occasionally letting the sight that is Lee Dong Wook warm my eyes.
Nonetheless, amidst the rich man, poor woman story, slapping (lots of slapping) and cliche running in the rain scenes, there is still a story here that does not fail to engage. A story that really I must stress is made possible due to Kim Sun Ah. She brought her A game here and it was hard to hold it together as she really became the character of Lee Yeon Jae.
Yeon Jae is a woman that works in a company but never gets anywhere. Despite being older than some of her co-workers, she's mistreated and is at the bottom of the political food chain in the company. Life leaves her with no choice but to live it to the fullest and she embarks on a journey of heart breaking romance.
She tears you apart as you both root for her yet at the same time remain weary of her circumstances and she is a character that makes some of the flaws in this drama far more forgivable.
On to the flaws.
Unnecessary cliche scenes. Honestly, the slapping and running in the rain is just cringe worthy. It sets the pace for romance but I'm not very fond of the sugary prince charming character.
Unnecessary male and female second leads: For me, the story would have been just as powerful if not even more powerful without these two. One was a bitch for no reason, the other was just wall paper. A good guy but really, he isn't needed much. Both add very little other than unnecessary drama that at times distracts you from the main dish here.
The acting: Other than Kim Sun Ah, the rest for me paled in comparison. Lee Dong Wook's inability to believably break down was so bad, I actually fast forwarded his heart broken scenes. They were just embarrassing and uncomfortable to watch. He looked like he smelled something bad... The rest unfortunately played such stereotypical characters that it's hard to fault them. I mean how many ways can you execute a goody goody side kick?
I genuinely loved the OST for this but they really milked the hell out of that sad song. I didn't mind much because I like the artist but wow, it became a "that song again..."
Nonetheless, I re-re-reiterate that the selling point is Yeon Jae's journey. It's one that is sweet, forgivably romantic yet also so heart wrenching and powerful that it makes me give this a 6+.
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A King trades places with a lowly theatre actor who resembles him. It's not so much trades places as occasionally takes his place. However, the King is met with a predicament and the actor has to take his place for an even longer period that anticipated and he does so for money. The actor who takes his place ends up being loved by all, that's it. When I say that's it, it really is because there's no action. The real king is supposedly a tyrant but we don't really see that. He used to be a good King but the throne made him change somehow. Again, you never see this. We don't really get an in depth view on the burden of being King. The pauper who takes his place ends up being loved for merely giving feel good speeches and receiving almost no opposition. He changes laws just like that... Honestly, he makes being a King look bloody easy. He pretty much does whatever he wants! The men that oppose him aren't really forceful. It feels like he does more in the two weeks as the King than the real King. It would be great if there was an in depth focus on how power is use and what made the real King tyrannical to begin with. I also thought it would have been even more amazing if the pauper began to change somehow and found himself being tyrannical. Then the ending would have been perfect. I feel like the focus should have been on how the throne changes you even if you have the best of intentions. This felt like a waste of a good concept. There were good and funny moments but ultimately this felt a little too loose.
Furthermore, the ending could have been better if the plot was done better. However, the country still ends up with a tyrannical King...
Lee Byung Hun for me did a decent job but I would be lying if I said I was captivated. There were moments it was hard to tell who the real King was. While there was a lighter air about the pauper. It never felt truly challenging as I expected it to be. I ended up liking the supporting cast more...
Overall: This is pretty much the tale of the Pauper and The Prince so I could praise the concept but it's not exactly original but I thought they missed some opportunities to make this amazing. There were too many things I wish were better done. However, my six comes from some good and poignant moments and the few that I thought were good.
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