Musa-The Warrior

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Musa-The Warrior

Mar 13, 2017

Writer by KIM Hyun-jung
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2001｜155 MIN | Drama, Action

DIRECTOR KIM Sung-soo

CAST Zhang Ziyi, JUNG Woo-sung, JOO Jin-mo, AHN Sung-ki

RELEASE DATE September 06, 2001

CONTACT CJ Entertainment

Tel: +82 2 371 8147

Fax: +82 2 371 6340

Email: filmsales@cj.net

A delegation of diplomats is sent from the Korean kingdom, Goryeo to new Chinese dynasty, Ming, but they are accused of spying and sent in exile to the desert. However, Mongolian raiders suddenly attack and kill the Chinese soldiers who were transporting them, and the rest of the Goryeo people survive. In the dry and hot desert, the delegation is divided into two groups depending on what to do. Young general CHOI Jung (JOO Jin-mo) insists that they must return to Goryeo to report about it, but LEE Ji-heon, director of the diplomats, argues to wait Chinese soldiers. Finally, they start to head to Goryeo by CHOI Jung’s opinion.

When LEE Ji-heon dies during a hard march, he liberates his guard Yeo-sol (JUNG Woo-sung) from slavery. Yeo-sol carries his former master’s body alone, apart from the group. Meanwhile, the delegation comes across Mongolian soldiers kidnapping the Chinese princess Bu-yong (Zhang Ziyi). CHOI Jung plans to rescue Bu-yong and get a ship from China to Goryeo, but Yeo-sol and other people are against his plan.

Musa-The Warrior (2001) is directed by KIM Sung-soo, helmer of Beat (1997) and City of The Rising Sun (1999), with his affection for action movies and ambition to make a masterpiece. He went over to China on location, which was unusual at that time, and casted Chinese top star Zhang Ziyi. Moreover, it has a splendid cast of Korean actors including JUNG Woo-sung, JOO Jin-mo and AHN Sung-ki, while action master JUNG Doo-hong participated in the film. In addition, the best moviemakers such as KIM Hyeong-gu, director of photography and LEE Kang-san, lighting director joined the project.

However, the story of Musa-The Warrior was too slender for over two and a half hours of running time. Instead, spectacular actions lead the movie. The action style changes whenever Yeo-sol’s spear, Jin-lip’s bow and CHOI Jung’s sword come to the front. It shows a battle scene against the desert horizon in grainy while the camera focuses on the movements of the actors in the earthen fortifications. The film can hardly be called a 100% success, but it is true that the courage and talent to make it cleared the track to a lot of Korean action movies.

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