Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. About that car and the rest of the surrounding production details: Despite all the energy spent establishing how much Korea has changed between now and 2029 (a vision that calls for customized cars and tanks early on), about half an hour in, Kim either forgets that the film takes place in the future, or simply assumes that audiences will just carry on believing that premise, reverting back to what looks indistinguishable from the present day. Of all the Kim Jee-woon films I've seen (The Quiet Family; The Foul King; A Tale of Two Sisters; The Good, the Bad, the Weird; I Saw the Devil; The Last Stand; The Age of Shadows), this is firmly his worst. That inexplicable something a story (in any medium) can have. There is zero emotional depth to the characters (or actors who can convey any emotion), and together they make for a boring and shallow couple. They encounter the fully armored Fuse, who slaughters them all. Public Security agents follow a tracking device in Kei's bag and make their way into the tunnels. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. To take a beloved classic and make it a big budget blockbuster and then add 40 minutes to the runtime is an even worse idea. Box 4666, Ventura, CA 93007 Request a Quote: comelec district 5 quezon city CSDA Santa Barbara County Chapter's General Contractor of the Year 2014! The biggest improvement in this regard is Han Hyo-joos character, Lee Yoon-heeIllang takes Jin-Rohs Kei Amemiya and does a better job of getting into the characters backstory. The production values are top-notch with excellent cinematography and fight coreography but the final product somehow feels like an unremarkable and hollow action movie without that spark that made Bittersweet life such an unforgettable experience. A drama series about the origins of the opioid crisis. Suffice it to say, there is an elaborate conspiracy afoot to disband the Special Unit which is strange, since they seem pretty effectively disbanded 15 minutes into the movie. The original Jin-Roh is a slow movie. Hyo-Joo does a fantastic job bringing her characters confusion, conflict, and desperation to life, and her performance was by far the most enjoyable part of the film for me. The main problem with it is that two and a half hours it's much too overlong and could have done with some judicious cutting, but other than that this is a solid effort. It was originally planned to be the third and final live-action feature film of the Kerberos trilogy, but its production wasn't possible until 1994, while Oshii was already working on Ghost in the Shell. Jin-Roh is the third film in Oshii's Kerberos saga and is primarily based on Oshii's manga Kerberos Panzer Cop. Out of all world cinema I have to say Korea may well be the one I've always had the best relationship with. Action comes easy to Korean director Kim; its actors that he doesnt always know what to do with. Illang tries for a slightly different emotional tug, but it didnt quite take the time to build it up for me the way the slower, more plodding Jin-Roh managed. At one point, I really wanted to find out what's playing behind the scenes politically, as we see the special unit troops storm a building and nothing else after that. The movie is certainly pretty to look at. Her death as she recited the story of little red Riding Hood stuck with me for a long time, and having it altered here didn't sit right. You can change your cookie preferences. It was released on Netflix on July 25, 2018. Lucid Dream. Im late to this, but I just wanted to add my thoughts. It tries to keep that core, though it approaches it from a slightly different angle that, if this movie were an original, would probably work. Did the filmmakers forget, or did nothing new get produced after 2018? Kim Jee-woon knows how to frame an action scene. Space Sweepers. During a large demonstration at Gwanghwamun Square, the sect shows itself by bombing the police. While I am one of the first people to bemoan the seemingly endless cycle of remakes and reboots that seems to have seized the movie industry and would love to see that time, attention, and money diverted to new stories, ideas, and characters, I was still quite excited when I saw the first trailer for Illang: The Wolf Brigade, the live-action remake of the Japanese anime movie Jin-Roh. Starring: Gang Dong-won, Han Hyo-joo, Jung Woo-sung Watch all you want. I do recommend you give it a shot if you're looking for a decent action movie to while away a Friday evening with, but its lack of a real plot makes for a confusing viewing session. Very Stylish ( South korean A+ Movie) My Ratings 10/10, what a piece of work it is a tour de force work from the director (just watched couple hours ago_. He then committed Jin-Roh as a debut film to a trusted young collaborator, Hiroyuki Okiura, who had worked on animation movies such as Ghost in the Shell (character designer) and Patlabor 2: The Movie. The acting is decent, the effects and suits are quite good and the plot flows smootly until the end. From the very beginning the audience is thrown into a plot which is rather vague and confused. [4] [5] South Korean police launches a special unit, known as "Illang" (The Wolf Brigade), in response to the rise of an anti-reunification domestic insurgency called "The Sect". Decades later, he becomes a suspect again but is he still innocent? GitHub export from English Wikipedia. Also, there is so much talk, the movie runs for about 139 minutes, which is way too long for this particular story to be told. 3. It is also the only animated adaptation, the animation done by Production I.G.. Read Jin Roh The Wolf Brigade Blu . It's not their job to care if the people are innocent or should have a voice in their country's future. [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] Press J to jump to the feed. This movie just damn. After reluctantly giving up the directorial role, Oshii originally thought on Patlabor 2: The Movie animation director Kazuchika Kise, but he had no interest in chief direction at the time. The Japanese preview of the film took place on June 19 in the Roppongi 20th Century Films theater. But I found it stylish satisfying and at times genuinely scary! When Lim leaves, Han from State Security seeks out Yun-hee. But his greatest enemy proves to be his own pride. They provide Fuse with a full set of armor and weaponry, before leaving with Kei in tow. Meanwhile, the special unit has already gathered evidence that the sect was financed by the State Security and is planning a coup. As he proposed the project to Bandai Visual at a meeting they instead asked him to direct Ghost in the Shell but green-lit the series for pre-production. Yun-hee is a former member of "The Sect" who is supposed to trap Lim for the State Security. Fuse is horrified at his action, but now having sacrificed his humanity, he has no other choice but to remain part of the pack. Yes, Scream VI Marketing Is Behind the Creepy Ghostface Sightings Causing Scares Across the U.S. David Oyelowo, Taylor Sheridan's 'Bass Reeves' Series at Paramount+ Casts King Richard Star Demi Singleton (EXCLUSIVE), Star Trek: Discovery to End With Season 5, Paramount+ Pushes Premiere to 2024. Fullmetal Alchemist The Final Alchemy. However, Lim sees through the fact that State Security agents are present. From here on out, Illang: The Wolf Brigade devotes much of its remaining runtime to a pointless attempt at inflating the runtime and creating intrigue when you dont care about the mystery. An incident involving the death of innocent teens causes the Special Unit to become ruthless killing machines, hiding their faces--and the last traces of their humanity--behind elaborate steel-plated armor and helmets. This. However, due to negative reviews from both critics and audience members, the film screened for only three weeks, and ended up attracting a total of 897,254 moviegoers, grossing US$6.2 million. Visually, I get that director KIM JI HOON had deliberately or not payed a successful hommage to its Japanese predecessor albeit bit of twist in scenario to make it more Starring: Gang Dong-won, Han Hyo-joo, Jung Woo-sung Watch all you want. [10][11] The film competed in the San Sebastin International Film Festival for the Golden Shell, becoming the second South Korean film to do so.[12]. The animation is good for its time, and while it flirts with interesting ideas, it moves at such a slow pace and features such a dull main character that I found myself frequently bored. First, they get a chance to track down and all-but-eliminate a terrorist group called the Sect (although its never quite clear what these rebels oppose, or whether were supposed to be rooting for or against them), before an incident involving an underage suicide bomber forces the authorities to pull the plug on the program. That concept alone makes for a fascinating science-fiction film, but unfortunately, its all setup that is immediately abandoned. He knows about Yun-hee's true identity and has expected that the state security would lead them to her. The special unit is able to track the fleeing members to the sewers and hunt down some members there. With the exception of Kim Mu-yeol, the cast are about as stiff as boards, and I think it's because they have so little to work with their characters. By As a live-action anime adaptation, I'd give this a 9/10. I am so glad that betraying sonovabitch Henmi ate shit. This generates significant backlash from the region's powers (the U.S, Russia, China, and Japan) who oppose reunification. The story is set in alternate-history Japan in the 1950s following the atomic bombing and subsequent occupation (by a victorious German Reich, rather than the Allies) of the country at the end of World War II and the post-war recovery. Illang the wolf brigade explained | Illang the wolf brigade korean movie#shorts #ending_explained #Illang_the_wolf_brigade #youtubeshorts #korean_drama #act. Haunted by an unsolved murder, brilliant but disgraced London police detective John Luther breaks out of prison to hunt down a sadistic serial killer. In 2024, when "political order in the Korean peninsula is shaken," following territorial disputes between China, Japan, and South Korea. Anyone that has seen the original master piece before would find dissapointement in the last 15 min. Jin-Roh (, Jinr, lit. The original isnt great but the script is thight and know exactly what it is and how to tell it but the new one is just a mess. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. I watched Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade a few months back, and I'm not a fan of it. Jin-Roh was first seen in the early 1999 film festival circuit, including the 49th Berlinale and the 19th Fantasporto in February. The endingwell you will have to watch and decide for yourself. The incident damages the reputation of the unit and Fuse is reprimanded. Indeed, those hulking red-eyed soldier-cops disappear for nearly 90 minutes, until such time that Lim puts his own uniform on again and faces off against corrupt Public Security honcho Han Sang-woo (Kim Moo-yul, the films most charismatic actor), who may also be a Wolf Brigade member. Lim is ordered to kill Yun-hee for being a Sect member and spy for the state security. Even worse, Kim Jee-woons decision to give away with the original films bleak ending in favor of a happy and commercially friendly ending betrays the only interesting themes in this underwhelming Korean sci-fi thriller. As the credits were rolling, I realized what I had really wanted was to see a Korean take the Jin-Roh idea, the extrapolation from the same starting point but divergent from the original in a way that the new film would only make sense to set it in South Korea. Archived post. About the Author Michael Kellichner is writer and poet from Pennsylvania currently living in South Korea. Illang: The Wolf Brigade does have fantastic action sequences, especially the one involving the steel-clad unstoppable soldier killing his way through sewer tunnels filled with corrupt cops. Both are able to escape and are instructed by the special forces instructor Jang Jin-tae to go into hiding. [24][12], A red carpet and showcase event for the film was held on July 18, 2018 at Times Square Mall in Yeongdeungpo-gu with the attendance of the director and cast. Yoon-hee claims a lot of things over the course of the movie, and sooner or later, one would do well to stop believing her, since shes the rebel/spy/love-interest/damsel-in-distress on whom the movies unnecessarily convoluted plot pivots at least three too many times. The film premiered on November 17, 1999, in France, and Bandai Entertainment and Viz Media licensed the film for an English-language release in North America and Europe. A remake of the acclaimed japanese anime Jin-roh this new movie somehow fails to make the impact that one might expect from this director. The state security wants to disband the special unit. Deep. This is a film about political machinations and twists and turns in how people betray each other. It is a live-action adaptation of the Japanese animated film Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade. But thats not the end of the road for Illang, which will next head to Netflix in all other territories. While I do think that this Korean movie does work enough for me to give it a recommendation, at the same time I thought it had some issues, issues that might make some other viewers look on it less kindly than I am. Being a huge Kerberos fan (went as far as spending two whole month salaries to buy a full size set of armor back in the day) my expectations were really high Illang: The Wolf Brigade. Disappointing & Forgettable. The adaptation of Mamoru Oshii's "Jin-Roh" of 1999 is quite good, it retains the essence of the original animation film directed by Hiroyuki Okiura. site . Illang: The Wolf Brigade 2018 | Maturity Rating: 16 | 2h 19m | Action & Adventure In 2029, the elite police squad Illang combats a terrorist group opposing reunification of the two Koreas. (Also in San Sebastian film festival.) Sorry, but you can't access this content! Behind all of this, frequently peeking through to the forefront, is an almost political thriller of two government agencies trying to discredit and overpower the other. That concept alone ought to make for a fascinating science-fiction parable, although its barely dealt with in any practical terms, other than to explain a wave of demonstrations that turn tragic on what comes to be known as Bloody Friday, when peacekeeping forces accidentally murder 15 schoolgirls, mistaking them for terrorists. The sequences are clean, and for the most part, dont fall prey to my biggest pet peeve of actions movies which are when theres a lot happening but I have no idea how to even begin to tell what is going on. Netflix acquired the international distribution rights of the film. The use of light and shadow to build suspense as the sewers suddenly go dark and multiple red eyes start to glow will send chills down your spine. Trying to dip into both pools at the same time ends up with an enjoyable, but flawed, adaptation. Rafael Motamayor (@RafaelMotamayor) is a recovering cinephile and freelance writer from Venezuela currently freezing his ass off in cold, grey, Norway. The music video brings together the best moments from Kim Ji Woon's fantasy action movie "Illang: The Wolf Brigade" (Inrang) of 2018. Learn more about our use of cookies and information. Released October 19th, 2018, 'Illang: The Wolf Brigade' stars Gang Dong-won, Han Hyo-joo, Kim Moo-yul, Jung Woo-sung The R movie has a runtime of about 2 hr 20 min, and received a user score of 63 . Get our latest news, giveaways, free subscriptions and more. Ironically, that makes Illang a rather ideal project, at least on paper. I was very confused regarding the motivation of each main character. In the end, everyone remains alive. Starring: Gang Dong-won, Han Hyo-joo, Jung Woo-sung Watch all you want. Netflix's Maniac: 16 Best Easter Eggs, References, Callbacks And Clues You Missed. Learn more about our use of cookies and information. She detonates a bomb in front of him, but only kills herself. The sci-fi bit of the plot is merely veneer over the very Asian politicking. Reminder: Skip the convoluted plot and jump to 01:05:00 to watch the gunfight scene. He meets a woman claiming to be the girls sister, Lee Yun-hee (singer-turned-wooden-actress Han Hyo-joo), and theyll soon find themselves at the center of a conspiracy to disband the Special Unit--despite them already been disbanded after the opening scene. Entertaining and quite intelligent combat and action sequences throughout the movie; however, remarkably dumb reasons provided by the plot to explain the purpose of this combat. Meanwhile, Yun-hee lures Lim into a trap. The opening sequence is straight out of the 1999 anime, with a confrontation between the Sect and the Special Unit inside sewer tunnels. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site. Kim Jee-woon knows what the hell he's doing when it comes to staging and shooting action, and the action sequences here are fluidly shot and feature some really neat choreography. Contents 1 Summary 2 Plot 3 Cast and Characters 4 Awards Failing to create any sense of intrigue about its futuristic world, The Wolf Brigade is one disappointing mess that carries bits n pieces of brilliance scattered here n there but the overall product is too weak & uninspiring to sustain the interest and leaves the viewers feeling rather indifferent in the end. The main characters, of course, are caught up in, and pivotal to, this inter-agency conflict. A Rare Dud From Kim Jee-woon. [31], The film was made on a US$17.0 million budget and targeted to attract around 6 million moviegoers. However, Fuse sneaks in, seizes Kei, neutralizes the Capitol Police agents and they escape. + : The training part in the building was also lackluster, the action was more over the top but there was no strategy to it, no teamwork and we didn't get to see Fuse (Lim) get re-trained like he did in the original. When I heard this movie was coming out this year, I was very excited since Kim Jee-woon is one of Korea's big-name directors, and I had hoped this would play in U.S. theaters like several Korean movies do (typically at CGV Cinemas). "[28], Jason Bechervaise from Screendaily wrote that the film "contains moments of stylistic brilliance through some compelling set-pieces. By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Anime adaptations are rarely a good idea in the first place. that betraying sonovabitch Henmi ate shit. Netflix and third parties use cookies (why?). This docuseries delves into one of our greatest modern mysteries: Flight MH370. [20], Webtoon writer Yoon Tae-ho penned a prequel titled Illang: Prequel, which took place five years before the events of the film. Yun-hee sits down with her brother as the train departs. However, mostly the change just allows for a more fully rounded explanation of why there are protests and how the anti-terror unit came to be formed in the first place. But another enemy may be lurking nearby. We are told through a 5-minute-long prologue that fears of an impending war over a territorial dispute between Japan and China caused the two Koreas to launch preparations for unification. Why do so many Korean movies feel like they're in slow motion. By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's For example, after the first 15 minutes, you have to wait about 50 minutes for the next real action sequence. Yun-hee tells him how her sister joining "The Sect" destroyed her family. In 2029, the elite police squad Illang combats a terrorist group opposing reunification of the two Koreas. It focuses on Kazuki Fuse, a member of the elite Kerberos Panzer Corps, a metropolitan counter-terrorism unit. CA License # A-588676-HAZ / DIR Contractor Registration #1000009744 Read all Director Jee-woon Kim Writers Film Review: 'Illang: The Wolf Brigade' Reviewed at Busan Film Festival, Oct. 6, 2018. [17][22][23], The film was selected to compete at the 66th San Sebastin International Film Festival, which was held from September 2129, 2018. Also, Illang is based on a Japanese anime " The Wolf Brigade (1999)" of Mamoru Oshii . After that I didn't care who was fighting who. Read our extensive list of rules for more information on other types of posts like fan-art and self-promotion, or message the moderators if you have any questions. Which is where, if you were looking for a movie inspired by, but uniquely different to, Jin-Roh, Illang will let you down. The action in this film is so intense and epic! A really good action movie with an intriguing setup. She also cannot blame Lim for her death. Now I never read the Manga, but I did watch the Anime (Jin Roh). This time however he disappointed me even if his new feature is not nearly as bad as its initial korean reputation would suggest. I was 100% on-board with this movie until about the last 15 minutes or so. At first the new ending started making me think they were going to tie the plot into something regional/macro, but instead it was some happy ending crap. Illang: The Wolf Brigade picks up five years into the unification plans. I felt like the new happy ending didn't match up to the original ending in the anime movie. The film follows Kazuki Fuse, a member of a special police unit set during an alternate history of 1950s Japanese riots. Well unless you already know the Wolf Brigade because there was a Manga and an Anime. I thought all of the fighting and firefights of the movie were incredibly unique and interesting as far as movies go, the setting was also something that I enjoyed. Email news@gamespot.com. The film picks up five years later, as conditions have drastically worsened. Man I wish someone did a writing check on this bad boy film. If you were looking for some scrappy, tense fight scenes, though, Illang probably wont do much for you. A South Korean live-action remake titled Illang: The Wolf Brigade directed by Kim Jee-woon updates the setting from Japan to a dystopian South Korea, where the plot revolves around plans to unite the two Koreas. Submissions should be for the purpose of informing or initiating a discussion, not just to entertain readers. But there's always one guy whose conscience can't be stomped out and Lim is that soldier. I liked the quality of the movie action scene, simple and without CG. Imo, the movie was doing so great as just a double agent action thriller. If they had kept the original ending that preserved the nature of the main quote, I would have easily given it a 9/10. The thing is like a wolf. Failing to follow an order to execute a frightened young girl only to see her commit suicide by detonating an improvised explosive device before his very eyes, Fuse is put on trial and sent back to the training camp for re-evaluation. The balance between the realistic locations and the futuristic technologies like iron armor and diverse guns was very impressive. The film was financed by Union Investment Partners, with production being announced in 2013. (Source: KoBiz) Edit Translation, In 2029, after the governments of North and South Korea announce a 5-year plan to reunify the country, strong sanctions by the world's powerful nations cripple the economy and lead to a hellish period of chaos. Kim knows how to direct and edit frenetic chase sequences but the narrative here is so unconvincing and bland that it is just not enough. Kang Dong Won looks out of place in such an action role. A year after the formation of the Special Unit, an incident known as "Bloody Friday" occurs, in which the special unit mistakenly fires upon young girls in a suspected Sect compound. The plodding pace does it a lot of favors, packing a lot of emotion into a relatively short film, but Illang breaks up some slower moments by adding in extra action scenes and extending others that existed in the original. Yun-hee turns on the tracking device through which the state security can track them. While Illangs additions are generally good, the film chipped at the originals emotional core to make the film have more action. He ultimately still found the experience frustrating both through the tiping ("The moment you write, you want to direct") and after realizing the result would unavoidably be much different from what he pictured in his head. Actually, the meaning of Wolf Brigade changes midway through the movie, by which point audiences will have learned that its best not to spend too much energy attempting to follow the plot. 2. The main plots complexity makes early portions a bit sluggish but sets up for a lot of twists and betrayals later on.