Review Wanted: Shiri
12-19-00, 04:48 AM
#1
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I never heard of this movie until today and I'm very interested. I guess its supposed to be selling like hotcakes in Korea. I've heard about the cheesy explosion and one instance of bad editing; but is this movie worth my $15?
12-21-00, 10:07 PM
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...well, I have the Chinese version on the Edko Video label: excellent letterbox 1.78:1 (non-anamorphic!) transfer, DD 5.1 sound, optional subtitles, trailer, cut goofs, making-of...
I don't regret buying it, but won't return to it often, I'm sure - this movie is a sort of Korean gung-ho version of similar American gung-ho fare - the latter being, quite frankly, done better...
...but there are lots and lots and lots of people who get shot, stabbed, their throats slit, their necks snapped...
!
!
I don't regret buying it, but won't return to it often, I'm sure - this movie is a sort of Korean gung-ho version of similar American gung-ho fare - the latter being, quite frankly, done better...
...but there are lots and lots and lots of people who get shot, stabbed, their throats slit, their necks snapped...
!
!
12-26-00, 03:52 PM
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This really depends on your outlook towards foreign films, i.e., are you the type of person who believes 'Hollywood rules' like the previous poster; if you are you probably won't dig it. Also, if you have difficulty relating to characters & situations that are non-American you probably won't either.
I have this film and must say that, although it is less action-centered, it is practically the equal of Woo's 'Killer' (pretty close). If you, like I, are sick of the braindead formulaic drivel that passes for films in theaters today, you may like it. It's true that it has a Hollywood 'feel' but that's mainly because of its high production values not illiterate script. They spent money on it and it shows. The North/South theme is though-provoking & excellent. It's very well-written and is satisfying on every level- Shiri aint no empty-headed 'gone in 60 secs' type movie.
It's got action, intrigue, romance, etc. but in the right doses, not overdone. It also doesnt have a plot/script full of holes as it would have if it were a bruckheimer/bay movie. There were maybe, like, 2 points in the movie that may have been suspect but overall it's very tight. It's not really action-centric either, the action's a natural consequence ot the situations depicted not the other way around as with formulaic hollywood fare. The ending is especially great- one that would NEVER happen in a hollywood movie where everything has to be oversimplified. A really great flick that's been a big hit around the world (except the US of course).
The HK & Japan dvd's are supposed to be good issues, not the korean one.
I have this film and must say that, although it is less action-centered, it is practically the equal of Woo's 'Killer' (pretty close). If you, like I, are sick of the braindead formulaic drivel that passes for films in theaters today, you may like it. It's true that it has a Hollywood 'feel' but that's mainly because of its high production values not illiterate script. They spent money on it and it shows. The North/South theme is though-provoking & excellent. It's very well-written and is satisfying on every level- Shiri aint no empty-headed 'gone in 60 secs' type movie.
It's got action, intrigue, romance, etc. but in the right doses, not overdone. It also doesnt have a plot/script full of holes as it would have if it were a bruckheimer/bay movie. There were maybe, like, 2 points in the movie that may have been suspect but overall it's very tight. It's not really action-centric either, the action's a natural consequence ot the situations depicted not the other way around as with formulaic hollywood fare. The ending is especially great- one that would NEVER happen in a hollywood movie where everything has to be oversimplified. A really great flick that's been a big hit around the world (except the US of course).
The HK & Japan dvd's are supposed to be good issues, not the korean one.
12-26-00, 06:45 PM
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"...the type of person who believes 'Hollywood rules' like the previous poster..."
That's a pretty big assumption you're making re my 'type of person' whom you know nothing about - plus it's dead wrong: FYI my movie 'collection' -2000+ titles collected since the early 1980s, on LD, VHS, and DVD- includes hundreds of very much non-Hollywood films, from France, the UK, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, Iran, the late Soviet Union, the new Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil...
IMVHO, this movie, "Shiri", is very obviously patterned along 'Hollywood blockbuster' lines ('anything H'wd can do, we can do better - or at least just as well' - except the fact is they can't, not quite).
The 'historical background', such as it is, very likely carries special meaning for (South?)Koreans (did the North Koreans ever get to see the film?), but would hardly add anything to your average American movie fan's enjoyment - who, like as not, has not the foggiest idea of what that's all about... he said, pedantically - but probably truthfully...
As for 'Shiri' not being an action film... well now, I counted 439 dead in the first four minutes alone... hence my remark about 'lots and lots, etc.'...
But... I repeat, this is all MVHO only, YMMV and all that!...
! !
That's a pretty big assumption you're making re my 'type of person' whom you know nothing about - plus it's dead wrong: FYI my movie 'collection' -2000+ titles collected since the early 1980s, on LD, VHS, and DVD- includes hundreds of very much non-Hollywood films, from France, the UK, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, Iran, the late Soviet Union, the new Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil...
IMVHO, this movie, "Shiri", is very obviously patterned along 'Hollywood blockbuster' lines ('anything H'wd can do, we can do better - or at least just as well' - except the fact is they can't, not quite).
The 'historical background', such as it is, very likely carries special meaning for (South?)Koreans (did the North Koreans ever get to see the film?), but would hardly add anything to your average American movie fan's enjoyment - who, like as not, has not the foggiest idea of what that's all about... he said, pedantically - but probably truthfully...
As for 'Shiri' not being an action film... well now, I counted 439 dead in the first four minutes alone... hence my remark about 'lots and lots, etc.'...
But... I repeat, this is all MVHO only, YMMV and all that!...
!
!
12-26-00, 10:48 PM
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coming from a Korean perspective, i'd have to say i'm kind of biased, but i would definitely recommend this film to others. this movie did huge in Korea, and i can understand why. there really hasn't been a movie i think of this nature in Korea, i.e. big blockbuster i guess. i saw it last summer in nyc at a asian film festival and i've also seen it again on video. it definitely has a bit of everything including action, romance, etc. but i'm sure there might be a some scenes or situations that non-Koreans or non-Korean natives might not fully understand. it's been awhile since I've seen it, so i'm not really sure about that. but anyways, i'd recommend it.
jin
jin
12-26-00, 11:49 PM
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I saw this movie in Japan and this is like a must see movie, even i dont understand the Korean language nor the Japanese subtitles.But it was entertaining as a movie should be, had allmost all the elements.
Well its beatifully made and the ending was fantastic.
Well its beatifully made and the ending was fantastic.
12-27-00, 01:01 AM
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check out www.angelpop.com and www.hivizone.com
they both have it, but they're two different versions. don't have either of them so can't really comment on the quality or anything, but i'm pretty sure they're both region-free (someone correct me if i'm wrong)
jin
they both have it, but they're two different versions. don't have either of them so can't really comment on the quality or anything, but i'm pretty sure they're both region-free (someone correct me if i'm wrong)
jin
