Arahan jangpung daejakjeon (2004)

Director:

Seung-wan Ryoo

Writers:

Ji-hie Eun (writer)
Seung-wan Ryoo (writer)

Release Date:

30 April 2004 (South Korea)

Genre:

Action | Comedy

Plot:

When a thief driving a motorcycle steals a purse of a pedestrian, the clumsy, naive and honest rookie policeman Sang-hwan runs after him...

Plot Keywords:

Martial Arts | Martial Arts Spoof | Chi | Gumdo

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Seung-beom Ryu	...	Sang-hwan
So-yi Yoon	...	Wi-jin
Sung-kee Ahn	...	Ja-woon
Doo-hong Jung	...	Heuk-woon
Ju-sang Yun	...	Mu-woon
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ming Jeng Chew	...	Himself
Yang Ik-Joon

Also Known As:

Arahan (UK) (new title)
Arahan jangpung daejakjeon (Australia) (DVD title)
Urban Martial Arts Action (International: English title)

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

South Korea

Language:

Korean

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Spain:13 | Portugal:M/16 | Argentina:13 | South Korea:12 | Australia:M | UK:15 | Germany:16 | Philippines:PG-13

Company:

Fun and Happiness

Good Brain Candy!

There's an awful lot to like in "Arahan," but, then again, there's always something to like in any film that features a bumbling misfit saving the world.

Sang-hwan is a young police officer, and he's not a very good one. Bespectacled and nervous, he's not exactly welcomed with open arms at work. He bumbles his way into one mess and out of another, all despite his good intentions, and he ends up causing himself (and others) more harm than good. When several old masters guarding the key to enlightenment identify a strong ch'i in him that – if properly nourished and trained – could save mankind from a newly awakened evil, Sang-hwan decides to believe in himself and accept his new role as a guardian of society … but not without bumbling headfirst into the responsibility.

"Arahan" opens with a pace and tone that feels far more dark than the script ever delivers, and moments of whimsy aren't as funny as was quite possibly intended. In fact, Sang-hwan's beating at the hands of a street gang is downright violent, completely void of any humor. Thankfully, the uneven pacing of the first half gives way to some welcome surprises in the second, complete with a spectacular showdown to save mankind with frenetic swordfights, great humor, and some spectacular wire-fu.

If anything, "Arahan" takes itself a bit too seriously again in the closing moments of the fisticuffs when too many fight sequences are photographed in brain-friendly slow motion (gee, doesn't this all look pretty and significant?). But that's a small complaint for a film that delivers some impressive action sequences, some inspired special effects, and more than a dozen good belly laughs.