Movie review: Creators of 'Train to Busan' have a new zombie flick

Fred Hawson

Very prominently placed in the poster of &quot;Rampant&quot; is that this new Korean film out in cinemas now came from the makers of &quot;<a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/life/09/05/16/review-train-to-busan-is-more-than-just-a-zombie-flick">Train to Busan</a>&quot; (2016). As unclear a reference as that was, I admit I probably would not have gone out of my way to watch this film if it were not for that association. The combination of Korean imperial history and zombies was too interesting and irresistible to ignore.Trouble was brewing in the Joseon court as King Lee Jo was being manipulated by his Minister of War, Kim Ja-joon, which led to the death of Crown Prince Lee Young. However, the spoiled, womanizing younger prince Lee Chung came back to court from his self-exile in Qing to fulfill the wishes of his departed brother. However, on his return, the countryside was terrorized with &quot;night demons,&quot; zombies hungry for meat and blood, who continue to multiply in number with no end in sight.<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qJi3nYrXtv8" width="560"></iframe></figure>Director Kim Sung-hoon cast Hyun Bin, the same young action star from his previous hit film &quot;Confidential Assignment&quot; (2017), as the reluctant hero Prince Lee Chung. This actor had a certain rascally bad-boy charm about him, just right for his hot-headed, arrogant character. Outstandingly resplendent in his white ceremonial robes, he cut a dashing swashbuckling figure in those breathtaking sword fights that he had against the zombies and other enemies.Jang Dong-gun played the sinister minister Kim Ja-joon in a slow burn manner, starting out as a nondescript bureaucrat later escalating into a full-blown monster. Kim Eui-sung (also in &quot;Train to Busan&quot;) played the befuddled and deluded King Lee Jo.Jo Woo-jin played the most noble character of the film, Park Eul-ryoung, who displayed unwavering loyalty even in the face of death. The beautiful Lee Sun-bin also struck a heroic figure as the skilled archer and Park&#x27;s sister, Deok-hee. Jeong Man-sik served as comic relief in his role of Lee Chung&#x27;s effeminate valet Hak-sooThe telling of the political intrigue took a bit too slow to develop. It can sometimes be confusing at the start because of the unfamiliar names and faces. The zombies had an unclear and random origin, and shared the quality of being afraid of sunlight, once only a quality of vampires. The plot was all cleared up by the time the zombie horde overran the palace during an extravagant cultural show. From that part onwards, I was simply riveted all the way until that emotional patriotic ending (as any good Korean film).As expected the whole film was a visual spectacle, with special effects by Yoo Daewon working so well with the cinematography of Lee Sung-je, the ornate production design of Chae Kyoung-sun and contrasting colorful costumes by Cho Sang-kyung.Kim Taekang’s action choreography really kept the momentum going with Kim Sang-bum&#x27;s editing and Park Inyoung&#x27;s musical score. 8/10This review was originally published in the author&#x27;s blog, &quot;<a href="http://said-fred.blogspot.com/2018/11/review-of-rampant-undead-uprising.html?fbclid=IwAR19sc1oKitmk27tAppuGsklZncf7WMqYROGNLnSodycBrO4yiGMZ5BSJoM">Fred Said</a>.&quot;

The combination of Korean imperial history and zombies was too interesting and irresistible to ignore.

The combination of Korean imperial history and zombies was too interesting and irresistible to ignore.

Movie review: Creators of 'Train to Busan' have a new zombie flick | ABS-CBN

Entertainment

News

Metro.Style

Sports

More

Lifestyle

Movie review: Creators of 'Train to Busan' have a new zombie flick

Movie review: Creators of 'Train to Busan' have a new zombie flick

Fred Hawson

Published Nov 05, 2018 06:25 AM PHT

|

Updated Nov 05, 2018 11:13 AM PHT

Read More:

movie review

Train to Busan

Rampant

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2024 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Advertise with Us

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

© 2024 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.