War of the Arrows

In 1636 the Manchu army invades Korea. When his sister is taken captive on her wedding day, Nam-yi sets out after them with the only thing left of his family, his father's bow. He follows a column heading north alone, and the finest archer in the Manchu unit begins hunting him. The film is not interested in the war. It is interested in two archers taking each other's measure: it is built almost entirely on pursuit and aiming, and at each encounter the distance, the wind and the cover change. Little dialogue, much calculation. The form is fast: chases through forest, handheld camera, shots that follow the arrow. Among the most technical works in the Korean historical action wave of the period. Kim Han-min directed. Period sources were consulted for the bows and archery technique used, and the advantage of the short, fast-shooting Korean bow over the Manchu one is placed at the centre of the story. The film topped the Korean box office in 2011. Park Hae-il plays Nam-yi and Moon Chae-won his sister. Who it is for: viewers who like historical action and pursuit narratives. Who it is not for: anyone after character development. The story is locked onto one aim, the supporting parts are thin and the emotional passages are hurried through.