The Good, The Bad, The Weird
March 3, 2011 Leave a comment
Imagine if Quentin Tarantino and Clint Eastwood had a Korean baby: this would be it. Korean dudes on horses in Manchuria?!? Clearly, you gotta see this. Plus, some of Korea’s most respected actors as the good, the bad and the weird. Song Kang-ho is a supremely talented actor, previously in films like Miryang (The Secret Sunshine) and Park Chanwoo’s Thirst, Sympathy for Mr. and Lady Vengeances and JSA. In this he plays the Weird, a treasure-seeking thief, who’s ultimate dream in life is just to go back to Korea and raise chicken and goats. Jung Woo-sung is the Good, a bounty hunter who hunts bad dudes just cuz, well, they’re bad. And Lee Byung Won plays the Bad, and plays bad so good…..
The movie has a good pace to it, and always steps on the border of ridiculousness, without quite overstepping the bounds of wanton superfluous violence that it could easily slip into. The context is as insane as the get-ups; pre WWII, post Japanese occupation of Korea, where these Koreans have escaped Korea to try their fortune in the Chinese desert. History doesn’t rule the storyline however, it just adds a bit of flavor in the plot.
Did I mention Lee Byung Won plays bad so good? He also plays hawt so well. HOLLA! There’s like a good 10 minutes or so of a shirtless Lee Byung Won, seemingly for no reason but to show off his chiseled abs. To the people who don’t believe the asian man can get cut, just take a good look at the pic above. Show ’em how it’s done, son!
All in all, enjoyable, and oh so very cool…$8
P.S. Also available on netflix streaming!
If you heart The Good, The Bad, The Weird:
Recommendations from …:
Inglourious Basterds
Old Boy
Unforgiven