The Accidental Gangster (2008)

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Fantastic!

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

This is a likable, if rather daft, slapstick comedy, of which about 75% is completely hilarious whilst the remaining 25% is just silly and misses the mark. That the movie is as enjoyable as it is, is entirely down to the central performance of Lee- Jung Jae as Cheon-doong, a street fighter who through a bizarre series of events finds himself leader of a powerful gang with devoted followers. The story involves his rivalry with foppish gang leader Man-deuk (Kim Suk-Hoon) and his slightly underdeveloped romance with courtesan Seol-ji (Kim OK-bin). The period setting of 1724 is pretty nominal since from the clothing and music it could just as easily be set in some modern-day villages. If you're expecting a standard action or oriental historical piece you'll likely come out disappointed, but if you're after a killer off the wall comedy along the lines of Kung Fu Hustle then this film is for you.

The only good thing about this movie is the fight scenes, the comedy is not that good and the plot is in a comic book style but not a good one. The movie tries overly hard to be goofy for it's comedic value, but just gets a bit annoying after a while. The movie did have it's moments sometimes, but most of it got a bit irritating to watch after a while. It isn't a bad movie, but the main highlight of this movie is the CGI fight scenes which is like watching a cool cut scene in a fighting video game. Some kids might enjoy this movie and in some parts the cinematography is well done as well. The trailer makes this movie look more entertaining to watch than it really is.4.8/10

Already from the first scene you will notice that this isn't your typical historic piece. A fighting match (a la Fight Night 3) with Matrix like effects accompanied by a modern hip hop beat. There is no doubt whatsoever this movie is meant as a comedy. But the surprise lies in the fact that "1724 Hero" has room for much more serious drama. The romance scenes for once aren't annoying and gives the movie it's edge. Although a bit melodramatic it can be perceived as sincere. The emotions that are depicted by the main characters are universal and can be felt. Something that certainly will appeal to a larger audience. I must admit that glancing through some scenes that this movie seemed very goofy to me. Only after truly watching the movie I discovered that it was a lot fun. I enjoyed every minute of it. You can see that the actors had a lot of fun making this movie. Action fans also won't be disappointed since there is just enough. Only don't expect too much since it is limited to some brawling. These brawling scenes however are beautifully filmed with some cgi in it. It's like watching a live action anime.