COURTESY OF HIFF
Ming Princess Furong (Zhang Ziyi of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") is determined to protect her subjects who are barricaded in the Clay Fortress behind her. Yeosol (Jung Woo-Sung) accompanies her.
Director Sung-Soo Kim has created a heroic clash brought on by desire and contrasted with the concept of Confucian filial duty in "Musa -- The Warrior." In fine theatrical fashion, all heroes are easily identified from a distance by the color of their clothing.
'Musa -- The Warrior'
Part of the Action Asia section of the Hawaii International Film Festival
Playing 10 p.m. tomorrow at Waikiki Twins 2 theater and 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10 at Dole Cannery 9 theater(2.5 stars)
By Christina Chun
cchun@starbulletin.comIn 1375, the chivalrous but dull Gen. Choi Jung (Joo Jin-Moo) heads a Koryo (Korean) diplomatic delegation. Their mission is to reinstate good relations with the Ming Dynasty. He is dressed in red armor, the color of clotted blood, representing his warlike and rash character.
The group, however, is mistaken for a military expedition and banished into a hellish desert where the sands are on the verge of bursting into orange flames.
Having lost the official letter of diplomacy and his head envoy, Gen. Choi desires to lead his caravan back to Korea through scathing sandstorms and Mongolian attacks.
This goal is deflected when he enters a village oasis and receives a plea for rescue from the kidnapped Ming Princess Furong (Zhang Ziyi of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"). Her silk robes are a vibrant yellow, suggestive of her prideful and slightly capricious but warm heart.
Her beauty stirs Gen. Choi. He then explains his decision to his delegation to rescue the Ming princess as a chance to accomplish their diplomatic duty.
But there is another motive behind the general's decision. We learn that his father's brilliance far outstripped him on the battlefield and in leadership. His current reluctant rival for leadership is the wise Sgt. Jinlip (Ahn Sung-Gi), who dresses in sedate blue. Should Gen. Choi manage to rescue and return the princess, he will prove to be their equal.
Princess Furong is pursued by the implacable white-clad Mongol Gen. Rambulhwa (Rongguang Han of "Iron Monkey"). The volatile princess had given in to her desire to run away from the Imperial palace, but she retains her sense of duty as caretaker of her people. The Mongol general's troops kill many of her protectors in spectacular gushes of arterial blood. Rambulhwa has sworn a blood oath to the Yuan Emperor -- his duty is to recapture her.
Former slave Yeosol (Jung Woo-Sung) wears powerful, honorable black, and emerges as a contestant for Princess Furong's favor, impressing everyone with his skillful spear-play and his samurai-like sense of dedication.
When his master the head envoy dies, Yeosol's obligation is clear: to honor his master's wish to be buried in his hometown. Later, he transfers his sense of loyalty from the head envoy to the princess, concealing his barely perceptible desires under the cold exterior of duty. His essence is to serve and protect, and that is the only way he knows to express his deep feeling.
DIRECTOR Kim molds lush color into his scenes to set the mood and help code the characters. Their elaborate costuming grows steadily more tattered as the movie progresses and, in at least one case, changes color as the character evolves.
The director also believes in a great deal of meaningful eye contact. If eyes are windows into the soul, by carefully watching these characters' eyes, we can "read" them to the point where dialogue is not necessary.
Speaking certainly isn't necessary in the case of the laconic Yeosol, who has "the eyes of a lion" and peers intently through his flowing locks of hair. This heroic pose is so dynamic that it's probably clichéd.
I'll admit, though, that I could watch Yeosol staring icily through his hair and slicing up his antagonists all day. All wounds inflicted in this movie are critical: belly gouging, arrows shot through necks, severed limbs and heads. In some cases, the amount of gushing red blood is nearly comical. But in all cases, the violence is unapologetic.
These lovingly filmed battles propel the breakneck pace of the story, with Rambulhwa's Mongols at every half-turn. I had a few problems with the translation, which was awkward at points but, nevertheless, the story is simple enough.
The opening narration says that it is based on a true event, but I can't vouch for the historical accuracy of "Musa -- The Warrior." The history isn't vital, though. For those seeking a sensual, well-formed wallow in blood and gore brought on by a heroic conflict between Chinese, Koreans and Mongolians, this is a fine movie to watch.
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