The Age of Shadows [Blu-ray] [2017]

This is a review of the 2017 Region B2 Blu-ray from Thunderbird Releasing. It is a first class product, with a beautifully pristine picture quality. It plays in Korean and Japanese, with very occasional English; the English subtitles are excellent.In recent months we have been exploring films made in South Korea, and have been seriously impressed by the overall quality, and range of subjects covered. Watching this film last night has provided another seriously good example, and in many ways, it was the most surprising of all those we have watched. It was made in 2016, and was the South Korean entry at the February 2017 OSCARs, though it was not selected for the short list.The film provides a fascinating insight into a period of history ~ the 1920s and the rise of Japanese military power in Asia ~ which we probably assume we know well through film, and TV documentaries, but which, it turns out, still holds major blind spots for us here in Europe. Apparently, after decades of increasingly intrusive Japanese meddling, the whole peninsular of Korea was annexed by the Empire of Japan in August 1910. It remained part of Japan until the end of WW2. Their army was disbanded, Japanese merchants settled there, arable land came under Japanese ownership and Korean agricultural tenants were forced into destitution. A bitter liberation struggle ensued, involving Confucian scholars, former soldiers, peasants, merchants, fishermen and miners. The film is set in Seoul, and also Shanghai, during the 1920s, at the height of the Korean liberation struggle, which forms the background to the screenplay.We are treated to some excellent performances. Front and centre is the doyen of recent Korean cinema, Song Kang-ho. He is a huge part of the success and ‘enjoyability’ of recent Korean hits ‘The Host’(2006), ‘Snowpiercer’(2013) and OSCAR winner ‘Parasite’(2019). Here, he plays the Captain of Seoul’s pro-Japanese Korean police, a complex role, fraught with ambiguity. Song is magnificent. So too is Gong Yoo, as a leader of the rebels.The production values are superb. Every scene drips with quality; the sets and costumes conjure the era to perfection. Scenes on a train travelling the 540 miles from Shanghai to Seoul are quite brilliant. Everything here looks and feels seriously authentic, though there is also, at the film’s start, a lovely little set piece straight out of a ‘Wuxia’ martial heroes extravaganza!This sets the tone of the film. It is an intoxicating mix of first rate spy drama, full of twists, turns and betrayal; and tense action scenes, with chases, fights and gunfire. It plays out in an atmosphere laden with fear, deception and patriotism. Some of the scenes are quite brutal, and not for the faint-hearted, but this was a brutal time, and a supremely brutal regime. The plot is also quite complex and fast-paced. At 135 minutes, this is a rich and meaty entertainment, a stylish and engrossing thriller, straight out of the John le Carré playbook.

I love Kim Jee-woon as he directed The Good, The Bad and The Weird, one of my first and favourite Korean movies, and A Bitter Sweet Life which is just brilliant. I found A Tale of Two Sisters interesting, and I Saw the Devil profoundly disturbing. This one The Age of Shadows is a tremendously well produced, acted, and directed piece of film making, but I really struggled to get into it. The story at first appears complex but actually turns out to be pretty straightforward, there are some impressive set pieces, but the film as a whole just failed to engage me and although nominated for various awards I would venture is not one of Mr Kim's stand-outs in the way the other aforementioned films were. Worth a watch to appreciate a craftsman at work, but ultimately not completely satisfying.

Korea resistance against Japanese occupation. Ok, a good historical action movie.But what stands out it the quality of the direction, the attention to detail in almost every scene, humanity that transpires in the way the actors play their roles.Despite being spectacular and entertaining that's not the main quality of this movie. There is like an added value, sometimes aesthetic, sometimes simply human values and attitudes.Probably what stands out is the ability of trying and depicting the personalities of those who are supposed to be the heroes of the movie. Especially the main character (let's call it like that, as it will become clear at the end of the film) floats between trying to survive working for the occupants and in the end helping the resistance, helping his people and fighting for them. You are never sure what he is going to do, fight for his country or save his own ass, but everything is depicted (it seems to me) without rhetoric, so that in the end we see a man trying to do what he thinks it's right and not a hero who doesn't know what fear is and never has doubts.This kind of adherence to reality, so to say, is something I found more than a single Korean film, and one of qualities that makes me look for more of them.

A lavishly presented film about resistance fighters in Japanese occupied Korea during the 1920s. Very well made and acted with a good period feel ,the narrative pace was maintained but never frantic and although it was a long film it held my attention throughout. There were some action/fight scenes which were good and didn`t stretch credibility too far which can be a minor flaw in some Korean cinema. I enjoyed this film and would recommend it.

This film will stir a spirit within you, to hold fast to who you are and what you believe in, whatever the price. I loved every second of it.

A slow burner of a film. It is quite slow to begin with, but it gains momentum and is well worth watching as the tension builds to a good climax. Excellent acting, composition and direction. Very atmospheric. Worth buying. RJC.

This Korean movie is not a short film but is worth sticking with i personally think some scenes are to long but stick with it as once it gets going you cant take your eyes of the screen .Recommended

This is by far one of the best korean films ive ever seen.I know its a long movie but its one of those films that you really have to appreciate it.Its very well written and very well acted.A must watch