|
Musa review
:. Director: Sung-su Kim
:. Starring: Woo-sung Jung, Sung-kee Ahn
:. Running Time: 2:08
:. Year: 2001
:. Country: South Korea
|
With an excess of medieval violence reminiscent of Braveheart along with the exotic touch that made Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon successful, Musa should have had all of the qualities of a perfect export candidate. But while there is no doubt about the healthiness of South Korean cinema, Kim Sung-Su's film never manages to rise beyond the contrite limits of a low-scale B action movie.
Musa recounts the dangerous voyage of a princess and her escort chased by a group of enemy warriors. In a film that is definitely too linear to create any true excitement, the audience follows their various confrontations until a predictable climax ends them.
While the gory battles are fairly thrilling, they are intertwined with low-key scenes that break the rhythm. Characters are poorly drawn and the themes "honor, fidelity, freedom and slavery" aren't enough to mask the true nature of Musa, an overzealous action film. Another problem is the premise of the film with the sacrifice of the escort. It is hard to believe that these valiant warriors and servants would so willingly give their life for this cold as ice, distant princess.
As is often the case in Korean cinema, some will probably see a political message, a reference to the dichotomy of a country and its desire for sovereignty, but the director's exploitative approach of excessive violence annihilates its impact. Thus the main character, a freed slave who fights for his princess, symbolizes a freed South Korea continuing the fight for the establishment of large unified Korea. However, his taste for brutal and sanguinary violence brings a belligerent dimension that harms this allegory.
While the landscapes and plot make Musa look like a "western in sandals", the use of clichés specific to American action cinema contrasts with the atmosphere and reduces the film's impact. The director excels in ballets of stylized violence, which after awhile, become somewhat repetitive. By trying to make a genre film combined with social political themes, Sung-Su fails at both levels. The result is an unequal work, a potbellied action flick whose symbolism is diluted in blood. Beyond these faults, the chance to see this film is still appreciated, as it reflects the vivacity of South Korean cinema.
Fred Thom
 Movie Reviews: Korean Films
read our Latest Movie Reviews
more Reviews
|
|
