I imagine that
there were a lot of nuances in the humor of The
Pirates that was lost on me due to the language barrier. Subtitles can only
take you so far, and I although I can still infer more meaning from their
actual tone and inflection than the voice-over dubbing, nothing can replace
understanding the language in which the jokes are being told. The other aspect
of this large-budget spectacle picture is the action at sea, which feels best
suited for the big screen. Still, there are effects to be admired which are at
their best in this high definition presentation, not to mention the spectacular
HD surround sound, making you feel at sea.
If you imagine
this film to be a Korean Pirates of the
Caribbean, you would not be far off. Replace the American stars with Korean
ones, and the supernatural storyline with an eco-friendly narrative, and you
would have The Pirates. Despite the
title of the film, they are only one of the groups hunting for the same prize.
After a whale inexplicably swallows the Royal Seal on the eve of the founding
of the Joseon Dynasty, there is a race to be the one to catch the whale, in
order to kill her for the rewards. Among them are the pirates (led by Ye-jin
Son), a group of bandits who have ventured out to sea with the guidance of a
former pirate, and government officials with agendas of their own.
The action never
takes over the film as it often does in Hollywood
blockbusters, but what pirate action there is seems to rival the best of Pirates of the Caribbean. Much of this
is thanks to the sound and cinematography of the film, helping simultaneously
with the immersion into the experience. Some of the plot twists are a bit
unbelievable and contrived, but nothing worse than you would find in an
American counterpart. I also often found myself getting lost in the varied
ensemble cast, especially in understanding who the protagonist was for the
first half, though this also may be partially a result of my unfamiliarity with
the cast.
Entertainment Value:
6.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7/10
Historical
Significance: 5/10
Special Features: 0/10
No comments:
Post a Comment