The Good, the Bad, the Weird

Genre jumping director Kim Jee-woon is quickly becoming Korea's most exciting and sought after filmmaker. Making big strides into the mainstream with the devilishly scary, and already Hollywood remade, horror "A Tale of Two Sisters" and more recently gaining great acclaim with crime thriller "A Bittersweet Life," it's no surprise for Kim's latest film that he was given the biggest-ever budget for a Korean film to date, at just over $17m. Making strides this time in the Western genre, after finishing "A Bittersweet Life," Kim found inspiration for "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" when travelling the vast lands of the once Manchurian region, wondering what it must have been like for the many Koreans journeying across the region before their nation was divided.

Set across the vast deserts of Manchuria, "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" centers around a map. Hired to steal the document from a wealthy bank owner, bandit leader Chang-yi (Lee) knows little about the target only that there's a hefty pay check in waiting. Tight on his tail is bounty hunter Do-won, losing his long running battle to capture Chang-yi. But before either can get their hands on their target, chance robber Tae-go holds up the banker's train and stumbles across the map, pocketing the package and some stolen cash before making a getaway. Slowly putting the pieces together, Tae-go comes to the conclusion that whatever the map is pointing to must be worth a fortune. With Chang-yi and Do-won never more than one step behind, Tae-go races across Manchuria in search of the treasure, caught in a fair few gun fights along the way before the three meet for a final showdown to capture the prize their heart really desires.

Something of a who's who in modern Korean cinema, the leading men are each perfect in their roles. Lee Byung-hun gives Chang-Yi the outright arrogance any cold blooded gang leader demands. A steely performance from Jung Woo-sung provides the perfect adversary, but bungling criminal Tae-goo remains the most watchable, with a subtly but incredibly effective performance by Song Kang-ho. The trio complements each other in an ensemble cast to match any Hollywood production.

After the remarkable action and fight sequences in "A Bittersweet Life," with a bigger budget, it was never in doubt that "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" would flourish in its showdown clashes. In particular during the shootout in the town, the choreography and action scripting is second to none, as the gunfight closes with Do-won swinging above the rooftops on crane chains while offloading his rifle at any moving target.

Kim Jee-woon's stylistic flair continues throughout the rest of the film, and to suit the 1930s setting with long cuts and deep colors, magnificent cinematography and the stunning Manchurian backdrop make "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" simply breathtaking. Sadly along the crew's 300 day long trek around Korea and the Gobi Desert, there were all too many desert-scapes to be homed in the film, as between the two showdowns the film struggles to develop beyond an epic cross-land footrace. The build-up to the finale drags on a little as Tae-go forever evades his captors, but this is the only downside to the film.

With a surprisingly effective fast-paced, quirky soundtrack and an ironic, funny ending, "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" is the finest film out of Korea, well, since Kim Jee-woon's last effort, as the talented filmmaker builds on his already burgeoning reputation.