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THE BATTLESHIP ISLAND (KOREAN)
Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan
Starring Soong Joong-ki, Hwang Jung-min, So Ji-sub, Lee Jung-hyun, Kim Su-an
Duration 133 minutes
Rating 18
THIS high-octane action-drama is South Korean director Ryoo Seung-wan’s most ambitious project to date. It’s a story of 400 Korean workers who risk their lives in an attempt to escape a forced labour camp on Hashima Island in Nagasaki, Japan, towards the end of WWII.
The lavish production, named after the infamous island that resembled a Japanese battle ship, stars popular South Korean actors Soong Joong-ki, So Ji-sub and Hwang Jung-min.
Hwang plays the quick-witted Lee Kang-ok, a charismatic jazz band leader, who is father to 8-year-old So-hee (Kim Su-an). He uses his position and Japanese-translation skills to score a performing gig for the Japanese Imperial Army in Nagasaki.
Tricked by his Japanese contacts in Korea, the two soon end up as prisoners at a coal-mining camp on Hashima Island, along with other Koreans.
After So-hee is dragged off with other women to the other side of the island, Lee quickly works hard to gain the trust of his Japanese captors.
He also strikes up an unlikely friendship with tough guy Choi Chil-sung (So Ji-sub), who constantly gets into fights with the local thugs, and the two agree to find a way out together.
Help also comes when Park Moo-young (Song Joong-ki), a resistance fighter trained by America’s OSS suddenly turns up on the island with new prisoners. Park forms a bond with the feisty So-hee and is determined to get her to safety.
The ongoing controversy of Korean women used as comfort women during WWII is subtly highlighted in the movie. Through the realistic portrayal of Lee Jung-hyun’s Mal-nyeon, the audience can imagine the horror these defiant women went through.
Although the plot can get very convoluted at times, this rousing movie is still well-made. Under the sure-handed direction of Ryoo, it’s peppered with lots of realistic action and relatable and effective human emotion, which makes it an absorbing watch.
There’s a little violence and the storytelling is fast-paced. Although it’s a work of fiction, its triumph of the human spirit theme makes it a winner.
Among the A-listers, child actor Kim Su-an stands out the most. Her talent and skill as an actor is impressive.
Having worked on several box office movies such as Train To Busan (opposite ultra-popular South Korean actor Gong Yoo), Kim is a wonder to watch every time she appears onscreen.
She handles her emotional scenes well too. Whenever So-hee is put through hardship, one can’t help but cry for her.
With a polished look, the movie relies on tight spaces and natural lighting to tell the story. There are plenty of aerial shots to make it lively and tracking shots that add intensity to the highly-detailed and intricate production.