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Good, The Bad, The Weird

Korea 2008
Directed by
Ji-woon Kim
124 minutes
Rated MA

Reviewed by
David Michael Brown
3 stars

The Good Bad Weird

Synopsis: Three strangers are racing against time to discover a mysterious treasure. There is one map and the trio constantly battle to claim ownership of the scrappy bit of paper that could lead them to untold riches.

Fusing Sergio Leone Spaghetti westerns, John Woo gunplay and high-kicking martial arts action; The Good, The Bad, The Weird is a genre bending hybrid that revels in twisting our expectations but never denies the viewer the moments that have become the mainstay of the very films which it is name-checking.

The opening scene on a train is a perfect example. Melting in the sweltering heart, waiting for the train they are going to rob, the lonely figures of the criminals straddling the railway track, gun in hand, recall Leone’s classic Once Upon A Time In The West (1968). This quite moody opening is shattered by a series of frenetic, gravity-defying action set pieces that feature stunning wire work, awe-inspiring acrobatics and virtuoso displays of martial arts skills.

The rest of the film, unfortunately, does tend to drag between the set pieces. The characters are just not likeable enough for the viewer to fully be immersed in this zany tale. Overacting is obviously the name of the game here as the Good (Woo-sung Jung,) the Bad (Byung-hun Lee) and the Weird (Kang-ho Song) stop at nothing to own the treasure map. This is a slapstick adventure on an epic scale and the physical prowess of the actors has to be admired.

Technically, the film is beautiful to behold. The wide screen cinematography is glorious and the soundtrack pays homage to every Ennio Morricone score known to mankind. Director Ji-woon Kim, whose previous horror hit A Tale Of Two Sisters was remade, to a much lesser affect, by Hollywood, handles the action with aplomb. It may be too long and a tad incoherent but when the bullets fly and the fists are clenched, The Good, The Bad, The Weird is a thrill ride like no other.

 

 

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