War of the Arrows (2011) Choi-jong-byeong-gi Hwal (original title)

Director:

Han-min Kim

Writer:

Han-min Kim (screenplay)

Release Date:

10 August 2011 (South Korea)

Genre:

Action | History

Tagline:

A Hero Is Born The Legend Begins

Plot:

Set during the second Manchu invasion of Korea, Nam Yi, the best archer in Korea, goes up against the Qing Dynasty to save his younger sister Ja In - who was dragged away by Manchurian. |

Plot Keywords:

Archery

Awards:

4 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Hae-il Park	...	Nam-yi
Seung-yong Ryoo	...	Jyushinta
Mu-Yeol Kim	...	Seo-gun
Chae-won Moon	...	Ja-in
Han-wi Lee	...	Gap-yong
Gu-taek Kim	...	Kang-du
Kyeong-yeong Lee	...	Kim Mu-seon
Gi-woong Park	...	Prince Doreugon
Seung-joon Lee	...	Wanhan
Jae-goo Lee	...	Hu-man
No-shik Park	...	Jang-sun
Da-wit Lee	...	Young Nam-yi
Min-seo Jeon	...	Young Ja-in
Rye Hei Otani	...	Nogami
Hyeon-tae Kim	...	Hu Reu-gang
Tae-yeong Kang	...	Hu Ra-hu
Yeong-dong Mun	...	Wu Ring-ga
Ha-seok Jo	...	Yan Bu-reu
Gil-dong Kim	...	Pen-don
Je-woo Jeong	...	Gyo Chin-ka
Dong-goo Seo	...	Child
Geon-woo Ji	...	Naigada
Mun-jong Kim	...	Qing Officer
Hong-su Kim	...	Escort Officer
Jo Sin-je	...	Qing Messenger
Eunjin Kang	...	Eun-yi
Soon-woong Yoo	...	Pilgrim
Sang-hong Lee	...	Joseon Border Guard
Tae-hwan Choi	...	Qing Officer 3
Bon-jin Ku	...	Qing Officer 5
Sang-min Noh	...	Escort Guard 1
Sin-cheol Kang	...	Escort Guard 2
Eun-ah Jang	...	Gisaeng Girl 1
Mi-so Lee	...	Gisaeng Girl 2
Ji-hyeon Lee	...	Gisaeng Girl 3
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Myeong-shin Park	...	Kim Mu-seon's Wife
Seon-hoo Yoo	...	Sword Dancing Gisaeng Girl
Dong-hwan Yoon	...	Choi Pyeong-ryang

Directed by
Han-min Kim

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Han-min Kim		screenplay

Produced by
Won-seok Jang	....	producer
Sung-hwan Kim	....	producer

Original Music by
Tae-seong Kim

Cinematography by
Tae-seong Kim

Film Editing by
Steve M. Choe		(as Steve Choi)
Changju Kim		(as Chang-ju Kim)

Production Design by
Chun-seop Jang		(as Chun-seob Jang)

Costume Design by
Seung-Hee Im
Suk-ho Jung

Makeup Department
Seo-jin Lee	....	makeup artist
Jae-ho Shin	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Ju-won Lee	....	supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sun-young Shin	....	second unit director

Sound Department
Tae-young Choi	....	sound
Byung In Kim	....	adr mixer
Chung Gyu Lee	....	foley artist
Yong Ki Park	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Do-ahn Jung	....	special effects
Hee-kyoung Lee	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Kyudon Choi	....	character setup technical director
Young-woo Han	....	visual effects supervisor
Kumsoon Hwang	....	digital matte painter: DIGITALIDEA
Kiyoung Jung	....	pipeline technical director
Dong-hoon Lee	....	visual effects supervisor
Ju-won Lee	....	co-vfx supervisor
Sun Jin Lee	....	lead modeler
Il Hwan Na	....	matte painting supervisor: DIGITALIDEA
Youngbin Park	....	digital compositor: DIGITALIDEA
Min Jung Shin	....	digital compositor

Stunts
Dong-heon Choe	....	stunts
Tae-hwan Choi	....	action choreographer
In-beom Hwang	....	stunts
Seong-ho Jeong	....	stunts
Joo-hyun Jo	....	stunts
Jong Seok Jun	....	stunts
Byung-oh Kim	....	stunts
Sang-young Kim	....	stunt coordinator
Tae-hwan Kim	....	stunts
Yong-soo Kim	....	stunts
Se-young Oh	....	action choreographer
Jin-Soo Park	....	stunts
Sung Man Seo	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Kyung-Seok Kim	....	lighting technician
Jong-chul Park	....	director of photography: second unit

Production Companies

• Dasepo Club
• DCG Plus
• SOVIK Venture Capital

Distributors

• Well Go (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2012) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Showgate (2012) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Lotte Entertainment (2011) (South Korea) (all media)
• Madman Entertainment (2012) (Australia) (DVD) (as "War of the Arrows")
• Splendid Film (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Splendid Film (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Splendid Film (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Special Effects

• Digital Idea (visual effects)

Also Known As:

"Choi-jong-byeong-gi Hwal" - South Korea (original title)
"Arrow, the Ultimate Weapon" - International (English title) (imdb display title)

MPAA:

Rated R For bloody violence

Runtime:

South Korea:122 min | South Korea:128 min (extended version)

Country:

South Korea

Language:

Korean

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

South Korea:15 | South Korea:18 (extended version) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) (DVD rating) | USA:R | UK:15 (cut) | Singapore:PG13 | Japan:PG12 | Netherlands:16 | Australia:MA15+ | Canada:14A (British Columbia/Ontario) | Canada:18A (Manitoba) | Germany:16 | New Zealand:R16

Company:

Dasepo Club

471th Review: Multiaward Winning And Well-Deserved

War of the Arrows is not your typical set battle piece - it is a superbly realised take on the classical idea of one man, a true hero in skill and virtue, being chased by a band of elite archers.

The story of a brother looking to rescue his sister and her husband from invaders is well-handled. The last two-thirds of War of the Arrows is simply outstanding - here we have thrilling film with snipers - but snipers who use bow and arrows rather than guns - who give chase to each other - and what a chase!

In addition, above and beyond excellent production values, the acting is a class-above this genre. Even though this is clearly an action film, there is character development, virtue as well as virtuosity, and this reviewer for one was totally lost in the film in a way that no amount of special effects or set wire fights alone can produce - it is simply a thrilling film.

This is a film that does transcend its genre and is clearly one of the better films of the year, bar none.