Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mehmeh]

The weekend reviews are coming in and it doesn't look good for Mr. Shim. A lot of critics are recommending people watch it for a good laugh...ouch.

http://movies.nytimes.com/2007/09/15/movies/15dragon.html

However, it looks like individual viewers are more positive.

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808746240/user

Anyone surprised? I like a lot of Korean films, I hope the inevitable flop of this onedoesn't set back future releases.

[Freakstar]

Ha! I'd say that nearly ALL of the positive individual reviews on Yahoo were posted by native Koreans. Their poor grammar and spelling gives them away.

[mack4289]

The review was positive.

"Good, because once Baraki starts to boogie, �Dragon Wars� rocks. Bulcos, winged carnivores, munch on iron-rich helicopters. References to Ray Harryhausen and Toho productions fly. One sequence evokes �King Kong,� but with heat-seeking missiles. The seams in effects and dialogue glare, but lend charm.

Baraki eats elephants, but he can�t outrun cars, which lets Ethan and Sarah reach New Mexico for a �Godzilla�-like rumble between Imoogi. �We�ll see each other again,� says Sarah to Ethan after the bout. Hoo-boy. Batten the hatches."

[Henry VII]

I heard my students talking about this film, and happened to see a review of it on my favorite site for film reviews. Pajiba absolutely took it apart:

"Apparently, D-Wars is of South Korean origin, directed by Shim Hyung-rae, and the biggest film to ever come from that fine nation. That many of the elements in D-Wars might be lost in translation could account for the film�s remarkable clumsiness, but not quite to this degree. Now, an open letter to South Korea: As a vagabond student, I�ve known a large number of your citizens and, to a person, they�ve been kind, intelligent, well-balanced people and after seeing some of the exceptional films of Kim Ji-Woon, Bong Joon-ho, and of course, Park Chan-wook, I�ve come to expect great things from your cinema. But after watching D-War, I�m afraid I not only have to rescind these compliments, but to openly call for the genocide of all Koreans and their culture. In short, South Korea: You do a grave disservice to yourself by letting this Shim Hyung-rae make movies about you."

Ouch.

http://www.pajiba.com/dwar.htm

[Alyallen]

[mack4289]

I think Koreans are basically told to like this film for the good of the country.

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2879348

"In common with millions of other Koreans who have made D-War a hit, despite an avalanche of critical condemnation, Lee�s favorite part came toward the end when a message from director Shim Hyung-rae appears which says, �D-War and I will succeed in the world market without fail.� This moment is accompanied by �Arirang,� a Korean folk song.

.... Many critics who disliked the film cited its heavy-handed attempts to manipulate Korean patriotism.
�
Many Koreans are going to see the film because its computer graphics were made in Korea,� said film critic Kim Bong-seok. �They want it to be successful in the U.S. because it�s Korean, not because its good.�
The film�s reliance on patriotism, rather than the quality of its script or actors, has boosted D-War�s success at home, Kim says.

�When something wears a patriotic label, Koreans tend to give it unconditional support en masse,� he said. �That�s exactly what�s been happening with D-War.�

....Chin says he is repulsed by the film�s success and its reliance on patriotism to sell tickets.

�Patriotism and nationalism are sure-fire elements with Koreans, which is a remnant of past military regimes when nationalism bound people together,� Chin thunders. �Koreans see it as some kind of national honor that the film is going to the U.S. market with home made technology.�
He pointed out that the film�s promotion put emphasis on the fact it was going to be seen in the U.S at the time of its release in Korea.

In this regard, Kim says that D-War is more than just another movie.
�It is developing into a social phenomenon which everyone is eager to be part of,� Kim says. �When this happens, because of our national psychology, Koreans have an urge not to be isolated from it.�

[in_seoul_2003]

[Ya-ta Boy]

My students (adults) expanded their adjective vocabulary in looking for ways to comment on the movie. 'Silly' and 'childish' had never come up in class before. They did for this movie.

[MANDRL]

http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/dfrv?mid=1808746240&s=&rvid=7-498507&i=2&spl=&ys=09j7XXlfQIiEG7ycPPcCtg--

[GEOM]

[Young FRANKenstein]

[CasperTheFriendlyGhost]

Most movies are terrible. It's certainly no obstacle at the box office.

[mehamrick]

DAMN....

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2007/09/17/200709170029.asp

and the hits keep coming..

[browneyedgirl]

It must be bad if some Koreans are already apologizing for it.

[bassexpander]