If the story was better told it could become a classic.

The fights scenes are very good.

The protagonist is moved by duty for his king and daughter. He's an interesting character and built on the tradition of the japanese Zatoichi.

One thing that really gets me in Good Guy vs Bad Guy films is when the "Bad Guy" over plays his snarky nature with an arrogant smirk. The bad fellas in this are just ate up with this characteristic. It is great, at least for me, because it makes me dislike the character that much more and I feel more drawn into what's going on.

This was a well made film. It has some well choreographed swordplay and martial arts but there is also an underlying story that offers some emotional drama so it isn't all action. It is well put together making it suitable but it could have benefited from a little more detail about our main characters. I would've liked to have seen just a bit more in that regard.

I would totally recommend this if you are into Korean period films with great sword play. I don't think you'd be disappointed.

After seeing the masterful Father (2020-also reviewed),I decided to check if any new titles were available in the Korea bundle I had purchased at the 2021 Glasgow Film Festival. In the mood for a action flick,I got set to draw swords with the swordsman.

View on the film:

Whilst clearly inspired by the " Zatoichi" films, writer/director Jae-Hoon Choi & cinematographer Won-ho Son strike their own path with spellbinding,ultra-stylised fluid Action set-pieces.

Glimpsing Tae-yul's worsening blindness in first-person sequences,Choi unveils Tae-yul to still be a master of the blade with glossy arc-shots and close-ups putting the audience up-close to the clashing of shining blades, until Choi pulls back to fantastic bursts of deep red unleashed by Tae-yul,unleashed across the stilted calm wide-shots of the Joseon Dynasty.

Forced to rely on instinct as his sight fades, Jang Hyuk gives a wonderful performance as Tae-yul,whose sharp mind-set Hyuk expresses with swift performance of his fighting moves,while Man-sik Jeong gives a thrilling, snarling turn as Min Seung-ho faces up against the swordsman.