Director Kim Jee-Woon's The Good, The Bad, The Weird is one fun movie. This Manchuria-set "Kimchi" Western has action, humor, strong character types and a killer concept. What it doesn't have is a firm grip on reality, plus it's a bit too enamored of its own "wow, we're making an Asian Western" intentions. Those quibbles, however, are incredibly small and pretty much qualify as nitpicking. For fans of Korean cinema, this movie is a must-see, and Asian Cinema genre junkies shouldn't pass it up either. This is a guy's film; there's nothing approximating romance in it - that is, unless you find tough men pursuing other tough men to be your homoerotic cup of tea. The biggest problem with The Good, The Bad, The Weird? That enlarged expectations may result in disappointment.

Song Kang Ho's Dae Goo (a.k.a. the "Weird") is the most entertaining of the title characters; the Host actor plays a two-bit thief who robs a train, only to make off with the film's MacGuffin, a treasure map that's pursued by everyone in Manchuria. On his tail is Lee Byung Hun's Chang Yi (a.k.a. the "Bad"), a menacing bad boy with eyeliner, a perfectly sculpted body and enough smoldering anger for three whole films. Dae Goo lifted the map before Chiang Yi could, but there's another, more personal reason that Chiang Yi is hot for Dae Goo's head. Pursuing both is Jung Woo Sung's Do Won, a super-efficient bounty hunter who's after money - either the treasure or the bounty on Chiang Yi's head will do. There's also a bounty on Dae Goo's head, but it's so small that it's beneath Do Won's notice. Maybe.

They filmmakers spent a lot of money making The Good, The Bad, The Weird, and it shows. The film eschews CGI for practical effects, stuntwork and a grand scale that brings the expanse of 1930's Manchuria to entertaining life. The actors are great in their roles; Song Kang Ho delivers a strong, deceptive comic turn, and Lee Byung Hun's overacting is exceptionally entertaining. By comparison, Jung Woo Sung suffers, but he cuts an appropriate iconic figure as the film's so-called "Good". In the end, his character really isn't that good, but it's all in keeping with this entertaining genre exercise. Director Kim Jee-Woon seems to be having a grand 'ol time, giving his film a black comic edge and a knowing cinema cool that plays to both the stars and the genre. The lively score by Jang Yeo Gyu seals the deal.

There's one minor caveat: the film's action is entertaining, but ultimately a bit over-the-top. Towards the end of the film, Jung Woo-Sung's "Good" can apparently take on whole armies without getting grazed by a single bullet - which requires a suspension of disbelief that even this exceptionally well-made film can't completely achieve. Also, there are two cuts of the film: a Korean theatrical cut and an International Cut. The Korean cut features an extra subplot for Jung Woo-Sung's character and some extra padding at film's end. The International Cut excises that, going for a leaner film with less star-specific shenanigans. It's a much stronger version of the film, especially for audiences in the west who care more for a solid genre flick than an extra scene of Jung Woo-Sung drinking tea. Thankfully, the CJ Entertainment Korean DVD includes both cuts so you can decide for yourself. Double win.