Battleground Heroes (Pyeong-yang-seong)

A Lotte Entertainment presentation of the Tiger Pictures, Achim Pictures production. (Worldwide sales: M-Line Distribution, Seoul.) Created by Jo Cheol-hyeon, Oh Seung-hyeon, Lee Jeong-se. Executive producer, Boy Gwang-ik. Directed by Lee Joon-ik. Script, Jo Cheol-hyeon, Oh Seung-hyeon.With: Jeong Jin-yeong, Lee Mun-shik, Ryu Seung-ryong, Yun Je-mun, Seon Woo-seon, Hwang Jeong-min, Lee Weon-jong, Gwang Su, Lee Dae-yeon, Gang '-neul.A mock-heroic follow up to his "Not so long ago inside a Battleground" (2003), Korean helmer Lee Joon-ik's "Battleground Heroes" accumulates the experience (and also the comedy) eight years later in 668 A.D. Lee performs exceptionally well at maintaining a large spectrum of memorable, dramatically delineated figures of various classes, evolving parallel story lines by which nobleman and generals plan and double-mix, adjusting armies like chess pieces, while new conscripted peasants scramble to outlive. After yielding disappointing Korean B.O. returns, "Heroes" triggered the formerly in a commercial sense effective Lee to announce his retirement (since recanted), however the film should shine about the fest circuit. A recently hatched war positions the little southern Korean condition of Shilla inside a harmful alliance with China's Tang empire from the large northern condition of Goguryeo, the film bitterly parodying North/South Korean relations generally and particular terms. One particularly amusing scene sees its northern border Koreans catapulting live chickens, goat's, pigs and cows over their ramparts in to the bewildered South Korean camping in retaliation for that latter's disturbing offer of grain (an absurdist mention of the food relief). About the greatest level, Shilla's sardonic youthful king (Hwang Jeong-min) follows the counsel of his clever old general (Jeong Jin-yeong), who, rightfully distrustful of the superpower ally, withholds his primary forces -- the very first proper relocate a lengthy, cunning game against Tang treachery. About the northern side, Goguryeo's fearsome general (Lee Weon-jong) dies, although not before skipping his oldest, diplomatically inclined boy (Yun Je-mun) in support of his martial second-born (Ryu Seung-ryong), thus setting brother against brother it is the nearest Lee ever involves outright Shakespearean tragedy. However the helmer grants or loans no inner conflict or humanity towards the cold, villainous Tangs, u . s . within single autocratic general (Lee Dae-yeon). One of the groundlings, the pic finds it is true antic hero in Thingy (Lee Mun-shik), a peasant so poor he does not own a title. An experienced from the earlier war chronicled in "Not so long ago inside a Battleground," Thingy instructs his countrymen within the art work of remaining alive -- by marching in position when other medication is evolving, for example. Accidentally skyrocketed in to the enemy stronghold, Thingy is convinced to broadcast a sincere propaganda message towards the southern military, expounding about the futility of war and also the treachery from the Tangs as a swap, he demands the hands of the feisty female warrior (Seon Woo-seon) inside a subplot that plays just like a coy feudal romantic comedy. All of this transpires throughout sweeping epic battles by which mysterious secret weapons rain deadly projectiles upon formations of luckless soldiers. Lee produces superbly stratified story lines, each using its own degree of satire, slapstick or tragedy, and sustains them via a convoluted mixture of action and sophistication distinctions. The fixed character from the siege dictates the two sides deploy more and more devious, desperate measures as rocks, fire, creatures, veggies and humans are skyrocketed backwards and forwards. Regardless of the huge cast, each character is immediately identifiable, his role within the overall drama never minimal within the ingenious script by producers Jo Cheol-hyeon and Oh Seung-hyeon. Sa Gong-heui's production design combines historic scope having a way of measuring medieval whimsy.Camera (color, widescreen), Jeong Jeong-hun editor, Kim Sang-beom, Kim Jae-beom music, Kim Jun-seok production designer, Sa Gong-heui art director, Gang Seung-yong costume designer, Shim Hyeon-seob seem (Dolby SRD), Im Hyeong-geun supervisory seem editor, Choi Tae-youthful action director, Choi Tae-hwan effects, Hong Jang-pyo visual effects, Boy Seung-hyeon. Examined at New You are able to Asian Film Festival, This summer 14, 2011. Running time: 118 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com