The Sword with No Name

Directed by: Yong Gyun-kim

Starring: Jae Woong Choi, Seung-woo Cho,

Synopsis:

Ja-yeung, a young woman about to be crowned Empress of Korea, encounters a young fisherman on her cross-country journey to the palace and they form an easy friendship. In fact, the young fisherman is Moo-myoung, a skilled bounty hunter. He quickly falls in love with Ja-yeung, and when he learns that the new Empress is to be assassinated, manages to get hired as a palace guard so he can protect her. The young Empress proves to be quite assertive at court and advocates a policy of open trade with foreign countries, and develops a close friendship with the French Ambassador’s wife. However, he father-in-law is not impressed, and the spectre of the Japanese empire begins to rear its head as Korea makes overtures of friendship to Russia.

Review:

The Sword with No Name is quite evenly balanced between hard-hitting, kick-ass action and courtly intrigue and romance. There are some seriously complex political manoeuvres afoot here – the very nature of Ja-yeung’s marriage to the emperor being a prime example of a compromise borne out of political turmoil. Then there is the “influence” of the Japanese, and how to keep them appeased.

It would appear that Moo-myoung was struck by Cupids arrow the instant he cast eyes on Ja-yeung, and his devotion to her borders on psychotic at times. He obsesses over her in the same way that Travis Bickle does with Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver. There are times when you think the Empress might be tempted to get rid of the guy! As much as she is fond of him, she finds that she actually loves her husband, who in turn was won over by the way she stood up to his domineering father. Moo-myeung resembles more a guard-dog, eager to please his mistress, to the point that he can be manipulated into action on behalf of the Emperor.

With a title like Sword with no Name, you’d better have some decent action to back it up (the original title for the film was The Last Empress, which is much more befitting). Luckily, the film doesn’t disappoint in the action stakes, with a number of sword duels and crowded, one-against-many fights. The style of action is quite varied, some using “Sin City” style CGI backdrops – Moo-myoung’s duels with the captain of the guards are prime examples – while others are well-choreographed displays of skill. When the Emperor’s father lays siege to the palace, Moo-myoung takes on the whole army all by himself. Watching him charge towards hundred of soldiers is one of those iconic moments in genre film.

The captain of the guards is actually my favourite character in the film. You’re never quite sure which side of the fence he sits on, except where moo-myoung is concerned. And in the build-up to the film’s finale, just when you think you know for certain where his sympathies lie, he pulls the rug from under you one last time. A lot of his actions, and certainly his animosity with moo-myoung, is borne from the deep-seated national pre-occupation with hierarchy and a strict, ordered society with everyone in their rightful place. Anyone who tries to rise above their station in life, especially a lower-caste, is to be considered a renegade and held in contempt. The mere fact that Moo-myoung was in the princess’s presence bridles him and he takes pains to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Anyone expecting a Hollywood-style ending should be warned that this film is based on a true story, and there is no last-minute-save on the horizon. I’ve mentioned before that Eastern films view “heroes” differently, and sometimes (a lot of the time) a hero must die “heroically” to earn that title. The Sword with no Name is a prime example of that theme, ending in a moment of unflinching bloody defiance.

Verdict:

A compelling blend of political machinations and excellent swordplay, Sword with No Name works on most levels except the romantic sub-plot.

7 out of 10 (MikeOutWest)

New! Comments