Kundo: Age of the Rampant (2014)

A period action film centered on a militia group who turn against an unjust nobility.

Director:

Jong-bin Yoon (as Jong-Bin Yun)

Writers:

Cheol-Hong Jeon (screenplay), Jong-bin Yoon (original story)

Stars:

Jung-woo Ha, Dong-won Gang, Sung-min Lee

8 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Jung-woo Ha	...	Dolmuchi
Dong-won Gang	...	Jo-yoon (as Dong-won Kang)
Sung-min Lee	...	Dae-ho
Jin-woong Cho	...	Lee Tae-ki (as Jin-woong Jo)
Dong-seok Ma	...	Chun-bo
Ji-hye Yun	...	Ma-hyang
Man-sik Jeong	...	Butler Yang
Seong-gyoon Kim	...	Jang
Jae-young Kim	...	Geum-san
Kyeong-yeong Lee	...	Ddaeng-choo
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kim Byeong-Ok
Seon-Mook Cho
Nam Da-Reum	...	Jo-yoon (young)
Lee Da-wit	...	Jo-yoon's younger brother
Kim Hae-sook	...	Dolmuchi's mother (as Hae-suk Kim)

Storyline

A period action film centered on a militia group who turn against an unjust nobility.

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Plot Keywords:

mother prostitute | long haired woman | almond eyes | korean woman | bare midriff | 

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Genres:

Action | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is the fourth collaboration Jong-Bin Yun and Jung-Woo Ha. The other three title are: Yongserbadji Mothan Ja, Biseuti Boijeu and Bumchoiwaui Junjaeng: Nabbeunnom.

User Reviews

Dramatic and ferocious South Korean period movie with great actors

''Kundo: Age of the Rampan'' is a South Korean period film which has become one of the country's highest grossing movies ever upon release. It has also won eight awards in five different film festivals. The movie is primary an action movie and costume drama in authentic locations. The film has a sinister atmosphere filled with tension due to a charismatic acting by Kang Dong-won who is playing an ambitious villain and Ha Jung-woo who portrays a sympathetic antihero who becomes an inspiration for oppressed citizens. The fight scenes are filled with both brutal tension and elegant aesthetics. Despite the coherently dark mood, there are a couple of more amusing and emotional scenes that keep the movie dynamical over an epic length of nearly two and a half hours.

The story takes place during the late Joseon era and is partially inspired by authentic historic events. In a time of aristocratic tyranny, an illegitimate son strives for power and hires a poor butcher as assassin. Since the butcher is unable to complete his mission, he is terribly punished but manages to survive. He decides to change his life in order to protect those he was supposed to kill and fight those who have punished him. He changes identity and becomes a ferocious swordsman who helps the poor, persecuted and helpless people until the time is come to challenge his worst enemy to a final duel.

The only negative points about this movie are the fact that the story itself is quite predictable and standard for its genre despite a couple of good conspiracies and intrigues and the exaggerated final fight that feels incoherent if compared to the rather realistic fight scenes in the rest of the movie.

Still, ''Kundo: Age of the Rampant'' is a highly entertaining movie with lots of action and drama, great actors and characters and stunning locations and settings. Fans of historically inspired action movies can't get around one of last year's best Asian movies.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

South Korea

Language:

Korean

Release Date:

23 July 2014 (South Korea)

Also Known As:

Kundo: Age of the Rampant

Filming Locations:

South Korea

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$120,857, 31 August 2014

Gross USA:

$280,958

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$35,941,291

Company Credits

Production Co:

Moonlight Film, Showbox/Mediaplex

Technical Specs

Runtime:

137 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1