Review of film: “A FROZEN FLOWER” [ = REPORT # 08 re CIFF ]

2009, 10-11:

          

Review of film:  “A FROZEN FLOWER”  [ =  REPORT # 08 re 45th CIFF  = Chicago Int'l. Film Festival  ]

      --  A “Budding” problem Blossoms into huge BATTLES.

Director:  Yoo Ha   (in a KOREAN film, originally titled “Ssang-hwa-jeom”).

Screenwriter:  Yoo Ha.

                       Rating:  8.5 of 10 stars. 

Showing 10-11 @ 2:15 PM (= code # EFAFF1) & 10-13 @ 8:30 PM (code # EFAFF2)

Korean films used to be an “after-thought” in world cinema.  But, developments in recent years have let to increased respect & recognition for the increasingly-wide variety, quality & output from there (as shown by the 2009 Jury Prize win at Cannes for the movie “THIRST”).

…  When we think of widely-expansive epic films from Asia, we normally tend to recall various Chinese & some Japanese films.  I think you can now add Korea as deserving to be on that list. This film has sweeping scope, epic battles, great scenery & settings, beautiful costumes & a truly effective & affecting “pot-boiler” that will “stick” with you:

The setting is the Goryeo kingdom in the 13th century (& partly based on a reportedly true story). A young king (JOO JIN-MO) --  the 31st in his line -- has been forced to marry a woman from the powerful Yang kingdom to cement relationships, but the couple has not been able to conceive the needed male successor…

…  Part of that is due to the fact that the king has more of a romantic interest in a young man named Hong (ZO IN-SUNG) whom he’s named to be Chief of his Guards. The talented Hong is deeply devoted to the king, returns his romantic feelings, & the whole situation is a badly-kept non-secret in many quarters (especially those of the Royal Guards).

…  Many nobles are emboldened to try to oust the king for their own ends, & this leads to many finely-done, impressively-choreographed BATTLE scenes with swords, arrows, etc.  While the king & Hong are both accomplished warriors & musicians, it’s apparent that an “heir-line” must be formed to secure the Kingdom…

…  Thus, the king comes up with a plan to utilize the only man he trusts – Hong – to “hook-up” with the queen & try to provide a male heir that can be claimed as the King’s.  This turns out to be a very BAD idea, due to massively unexpected consequences of the reactions by the Queen (SONG JI-HYO) & Hong.

…  The other King’s Guards are unsure who to follow as a proper leader.  There are more PLOTS against the King involving groups from other Kingdoms (including a relative of the Queen), & you thus have a “dim-(rising)-sum” of increasing problems & after-effects…

…  The unusual thing is, the strange-sounding story really “WORKS”--  it’s believable, you grow to have CONCERN about the participants, & the outcome becomes Opera-like in its stunning conclusion. 

… It’s a beautiful, action-filled movie, wonderfully filmed & a real surprise.                       …    

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