Monday, July 31, 2017

The Age of Shadows 2016


     The setting of this film is the late 1920’s in Japan.  A group of resistance fighters are trying to bring in explosives from Shanghai to eliminate key Japanese facilities in Seoul, Korea.  The Japanese agents are trying to stop them.  A Korean-born Japanese police officer is leading the battle with the resistance fighters.  He tries to take the fighters in alive so they can be questioned.  Previously, this police officer was in the independence movement.
     Usually a film like this would have subtitles but it has been dubbed in English.  I think this one thing takes away a LOT from the movie.  I couldn’t keep interested and this would be required with subtitles to be able understand anything about the movie!!  It does make it easier to watch with English but it seems watered down and unimpressive.  I didn’t feel drawn by any of the characters and the run time is too long?  2* (I didn’t like this movie)

140 min, Action directed by Jee-woon Kim with Byung-hun Lee, Yoo gong, Kang-ho Song, Ji-min Han, Hee-soon Park, Seong-rok Sin, Shingo Tsurumi.
Note:  Imdb 7.2 out of 10, 100% critic 82% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 3*, Amazon 4.4* out of 5* with 14 reviews, Metacritic 78 out of 100 with 14 critics no user score as yet.
Special Note:  Filmed in Seoul, South Korea.  This film was the official submission of South Korea for Best Foreign Language film for the 2017 Academy Awards.  The winner was The Salesman submitted by Iran.  This is the first Korean production by Warner Bros.

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