The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014) (DVD) (Taiwan Version) DVD Region 3

The film is set in 1597 during the Joeson Dynasty, with Korea facing a Japanese invasion by land and sea. Having been imprisoned and tortured as part of a military disciplinary, Admiral Yi Sun Shin is recalled to lead the country's fleet, being pitted against the ruthless Japanese pirate captain Kurushima (Ryu Seung-ryong). Disobeying orders to lend his strength to the ground attack, Yi commits to a desperate gamble, leading a fleet of just twelve ships against hundreds of Japanese warships, planning to face them in the treacherous Myeongnyang Straits.

The Admiral: Roaring Currents is very much a logical step up for director Kim Han-min, as it basically sees him applying the same pleasingly economic and pared-down approach that he did with War of the Arrows, this time on a considerably larger scale. This again proves very successful, and the film is an action thriller every bit as much as a historical drama, benefiting from a far faster pace and less bloat than most others of its kind. While its accuracy might be up for discussion this really doesn't matter, as Roaring Currents is a huge juggernaut of a film which powers forwards with muscular intent, a tense first half building towards what is essentially one gigantic hour long set piece. Tense and increasingly gruelling, the film keeps the viewer both gripped and in awe, a textbook example of how to structure and orchestrate bombastic carnage.

Crucially, the film's special effects and production design are able to deliver on its ambitions, and it stands as one of the best looking and most visually impressive Korean blockbusters to date. Its sea battles brought to life through a seamless mic of computer effects and real physical models, the film's set pieces have genuine impact, underlined by a violent and bloody streak which helps to up its sense of threat and danger. There's similarly a great attention to period detail outside of the naval scenes, some great costumes and sets allowing Kim to create a believable historical backdrop, and the film having a suitably gritty and grimy air.

The film's only real problem comes with its characters, all of whom are fairly one note. Despite a fittingly stoic and determined performance from Choi Min-sik in the lead, the viewer never really learns much about Admiral Yi or his backstory, and anyone without prior awareness of him and his place in Korean history is likely to feel a little distanced. Unsurprisingly, it's all very macho, with lots of shouting, gritted teeth and soldiers pushing on despite terrible wounds, and there's little in the way of depth or the kind of emotional involvement that might have given the film and its triumphant conclusion even more of a kick.

This appears to have been a sacrifice that Kim Han-min was willing to make, and certainly as a couple of hours of military spectacle, The Admiral: Roaring Currents is hard to fault. Nationalistic and thrilling to a fault, it's easy to see why it proved so popular in Korea, and though a lack of knowledge about the historical context might reduce its effectiveness with western viewers, the film is still highly entertaining and should be enjoyed on the biggest screen possible.

by James Mudge - EasternKicks.com