- Director : Kim Han-min
- Actors : Kim Yun-seok, Baek Yoon-sik, Jung Jae-young, Huh Joon-ho
- Language : Korean (DTS 5.1)
- Studio : Well Go Usa
- MPAA rating : NR (Not Rated)
- Country of Origin : USA
- Number of discs : 1
- Media Format : Widescreen
- Run time : 2 hours and 32 minutes
- Release date : May 14, 2024
As the third and
final film in the trilogy about the nautical battles of Korean admiral and
military general Yi Sun-sin (Kim Yoon-seok), Noryang: Deadly Sea has the
likely benefit of audience familiarity. Not only are most audience members
likely familiar with the historical figure following the first two films, but
they also understand the approach to these narratives taken by director Kim
Han-min. Along with a meticulous dedication to historical accuracy, Noryang:
Deadly Sea follows the structure first established by The Admiral:
Roaring Currents (2014) and the follow-up film, Hansan: Rising Dragon
(2022), dedicating the first half to character development and setting up the
plot before shifting to battles at sea.
While all three
of the films in Kim’s nautical war trilogy take place during the Japanese
invasions of Korea from 1592–1598, the final installment is focused on the Battle
of Noryang, which was the last major battle of the war. This conflict takes up
the second half of the film, though the first half is dedicated to the events
leading up to the battle, starting with the death of the leader of the Japanese
army, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. His last order before dying is for the Japanese army
to retreat from Joseon, and Yi Sun-sin sees this as an opportunity to decimate
the invaders to end the war before they can flee.
As these films
are as much about the politics of war as the battles, there are multiple obstacles
impeding Yi’s goals, including the governor of the Ming Dynasty Chen Lin (Jung
Jae-young) betraying his people for the bribes from the Japanese. While Yi
hopes to hold the Japanese ships from leaving, Lin opens a path for them to
escape. To make matters worse, Yi realizes he must finish the battle before the
arrival of support from the head of the Japanese army, Shimazu (Baek Yoon-sik).
Though the attention to historical detail
is an impressive element to Noryang, as with the past two installments,
it is likely the battles at sea which leave a lasting impression. Kim takes his
time getting to the action, but these sequences have more impact because of the
time spent setting up the historical context and character development. As the
final installment, there is also a sense of completion to this film that was missing
from the first two.
The Blu-ray release of Noryang:
Deadly Sea includes a character history for the main cast, which could be
helpful to those who need a reminder or who missed the first two films. There
is also a trailer.
Entertainment Value:
7/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 8/10
Historical
Significance: 6/10
Special Features: 3/10
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