This leads to the emergence of a terrorist group named Sect, which opposes the joint government of South and North Korea. Unfortunately the 139 minute lenght is also way too much, hopefully the new cut (soon to be released on Netflix) will make the movie somewhat tighter and more exciting. 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. And, in truth, this was my biggest disappointment with the film. As a live-action anime adaptation, I'd give this a 9/10. A trap is set by the local police forces and the Public Security Division intended to discredit the Special Unit with Kei as bait to catch Fuse, intending to show a terrorist passing a satchel bomb to a member of the Panzers. Due to civil unrest within South Korea (Japan in the original), an elite anti-terror unit is formed. Out of all world cinema I have to say Korea may well be the one I've always had the best relationship with. As more soldiers join in, the girl detonates the bomb in her hands. Illang: The Wolf Brigade. He likes writing about horror despite being the most scary-cat person he knows. However I really enjoyed this movie, yeah the romance part might a bit long but also has some purpose in building the final climax. The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. This time however he disappointed me even if his new feature is not nearly as bad as its initial korean reputation would suggest. The movie tries to go about the ending differently, but I just rolled my eyes at it because it doesn't add anything meaningful. But his greatest enemy proves to be his own pride. He stands up to instructor Jang Jin-tae. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. I am so glad that betraying sonovabitch Henmi ate shit. In-between the action, there is a lot of talk. Hachiroh Tohbe explains to Kei that the Wolf Brigade has used the Public Security Division's plan to flush out those who were most active in trying to eliminate the Kerberos Corps, and eliminate them in turn. Illang: The Wolf Brigade is a 2018 South Korean science fiction action film. Better simply to go with it, trusting that Kim can take whatever situation that arises as an opportunity to stage an exciting fight, chase, standoff or shootout like the one atop Seouls Namsan Tower, where an elaborate plan to capture and/or kill Lim goes awry, leading to a dazzling escape whereby our hero jumps out the window of the observation deck, scales a scarlet red fire hose the 440 feet to the ground, and proceeds to bash his way out of the parking lot in a stolen Mercedes. The following weapons were used in the film Illang: The Wolf Brigade: These are among the scariest non-Nazi soldiers ever to be put on screen. That was satisfying. [1][17] Filming began on August 16, 2017 in Studio Cube, a South Korean filming complex, and completed on March 23, 2018. These Wolf Brigade uniforms are truly terrifying, turning normal cops into what look like nightmarish Nazi cyborgs, at least in silhouette: Beneath German tank helmets, a pair or round red eyes glow inhumanly at any who cross their paths, while their standard-issue peashooters have been replaced with heavy-duty machine guns. Not worth watching. This movie just. 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. For example, after the first 15 minutes, you have to wait about 50 minutes for the next real action sequence. All stories are accompa. Fuse is distraught, but regardless kills Kei. There, it may find a cult following, considering that the sharp-looking film boasts some of the most spectacular set pieces including a stunning climactic showdown in which a steel-clad killing machine blasts his way through sewer tunnels crawling with dirty cops that audiences are likely to find on the streaming service this fall. Some okay action and fighting scenes. 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. I hope he makes a truly great film again, because I was disappointed despite going into it with lowered expectations. I was 100% on-board with this movie until about the last 15 minutes or so. It was not to hard to follow but could have been a bit more solid. Anyone that has seen the original master piece before would find dissapointement in the last 15 min. The end "battle" for me was a bit over the top and needed to be toned down some otherwise the action was all very well done and enjoyable. Also, Illang is based on a Japanese anime " The Wolf Brigade (1999)" of Mamoru Oshii . JOIN NOW This is bright and vibrant action movie, filled with decent special effects and appropriately entertaining fight and chase sequences, mainly utilising super technology in the form of massive shoot-outs and the like. 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. Submissions should be for the purpose of informing or initiating a discussion, not just to entertain readers. Interesting what the Korean Scriptwriters think about Super Powers meddling into Reunification of the Republic of South Korea and the Democratic People's Nation of North Korea. [4], Okiura favored traditional animation, and thus the film was almost completely drawn by hand, requiring 80,000 cels. 2. Lim is ordered to kill Yun-hee for being a Sect member and spy for the state security. After the event, significant opposition to the Special Unit forces the group to utilize their iconic gas masks, to hide their identity as well as provide use in case of bio-hazardous threats. The film follows Kazuki Fuse, a member of a special police unit set during an alternate history of 1950s Japanese riots. (Source: KoBiz). Lacking any creative control on the process, he chose to distance himself from the animation production while looking forward to the final product. You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos. 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. I'm glad I wasn't the only one looking for where North Korea fit into the plot. 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. Pretty good not great. Even $1 helps keeps us afloat. I am a big fan of Korean films and still possess vivid memories of my reaction to Jin-Roh back in college. 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_. Furthermore, Illang is not a direct remake of the animation and is rather an adaptation that borrows heavily from the original. Illang: The Wolf Brigade is a (Korean: ; Hanja: ; RR: Illang; lit. "[29], On the first day of its release, the film attracted 274,525 admissions. A must-watch! [8] It was subsequently shown in Cannes' March du Film, which presumably netted its early French theatrical release on November 17. [9], An early comment on the film was given by Blue Sky animator Andr Mazzone, who was shown the film in May 1999 as part of a delegation from the studio to Production IG's headquarters. I never watched the anime so I can speak on how important those combat suits are other than looking super cool. In particular, the part where he jump-kicks the guy through the car window. Kim Jee-woons script cant handle the mystery without a lot of heavy exposition and needlessly complicated doublecross-on-doublecross. With the help of the Wolf Brigade's battle suit, he manages to kill everyone, including his former friend Han. However, another enemy may be lurking nearby. It is a live-action adaptation of the Japanese animated film Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, with the setting changed from a Japanese one to a Korean one. Think of the T-60 Power Armor from the Fallout series, but make it 100 times scarier and more evil, and add terrifying round red eyes that glow with the intensity of nightmarish soldiers from hell, and you get the Special Unit soldiers. [20], Webtoon writer Yoon Tae-ho penned a prequel titled Illang: Prequel, which took place five years before the events of the film. 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. By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. It was developed by Kakao Pages and Daum Webtoon and was released on June 27, 2018, beginning a weekly run of chapters that led up to the film's release on July 25. Didn't feel anything for the characters or their romance. As interesting as perfectly remaking an old anime into a live action movie might be, I was more intrigued by what changes would be implemented and how the lens of a Korean movie team would affect the narrative. Ive been living in South Korea for near a decade now, and I had a lot of expectations that the movie would feel more Korean than it ended up being. words that have to do with clay P.O. Talk about the film. The film's musical score was composed by Hajime Mizoguchi. Go behind the scenes of Netflix TV programmes and films, see what's coming soon and watch bonus videos on. 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. About the Author Michael Kellichner is writer and poet from Pennsylvania currently living in South Korea. The whole movie takes place in South Korea, and I was wondering when the North would be involved. Overall, though, if you have heartbreaking memories of the original, this one does not deliver the same emotional punch the original possessed. 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 I went into this film not quite sure what to expect, but with a lot of high hopes. That inexplicable something a story (in any medium) can have. They changed huge plot points that destroyed the original theme and made it feel more Hollywood. Aside from the blackouts and the demonstrations at the beginning, I didn't fully get a sense of the effects of the reunification process. Now I never read the Manga, but I did watch the Anime (Jin Roh). I think I prefer the wolf ending over this, but was hoping for something more substantial to tie it all together. A series of eerie events thrusts an unlikely trio (John Boyega, Jamie Foxx and Teyonah Parris) onto the trail of a nefarious government conspiracy. However, the film's "slow, deliberate pace" is criticised. With the appearance of an armed anti-government terrorist group called The Sect which opposes reunification, the President creates a new police division called the Special Unit which amasses significant political power. The film stars Gang Dong-won, Han Hyo-joo, and Jung Woo-sung, and was released on July 15, 2018. Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos. They from experience are consistent in their filmmaking efforts and for the most part this is no different. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. What is the English language plot outline for Illang: The Wolf Brigade (2018)? The show started out fairly slow and then took off with some really fantastic action. 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. Korean director Kim Jee-woon's latest offering is another anime adaptation, this time in the form of ILLANG: THE WOLF BRIGADE. I guess we can just say this movie stories is base in another world or dimension. Well unless you already know the Wolf Brigade because there was a Manga and an Anime. There's certainly a lot going on plot-wise, and the movie doesn't juggle the material well. Like why can't you just flim everything the same as the originals? By In any case, he focuses his style elsewhere, elaborating on the storys Red Riding Hood allegory (which also happens to be Yun-hees choice of wardrobe) in an endlessly complicated loop of whether humans are hiding in wolves clothing or the other way around. To be fair, part of my partial disappointment may be that the movie was more or less advertised as a full-on actioner, and that is what I was expecting. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site. The main male protagonist, Im Joong-Kyung played by Gang Dong-won, is your usual super-competent combatant, and theres never really any tension about whether or not he will succeed in overcoming the obstacles in front of him so much as how he will do it. CA License # A-588676-HAZ / DIR Contractor Registration #1000009744 His short fiction has been previously published in Three Crows Magazine, Black Denim Lit and Trigger Warnings: Short Fiction with Pictures. 2023 GAMESPOT, A FANDOM COMPANY. In the last scene, Yun-hee's brother is seen sitting in a train looking out at a man sitting on a bench. 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 . A good movie if you don't know about Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, Could've been so much better if it wasn't for the convoluted plot. Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Set in the distant future where both North and South Koreas agree to establish a joint government, which has been in preparation for a duration of 7 years, the plot focuses on political upri Set in the distant future where both North and South Koreas agree to establish a joint government, which has been in preparation for a duration of 7 years, the plot focuses on political uprisings on opposing sides which grow fierce when a special police unit is formed to stop the Set in the distant future where both North and South Koreas agree to establish a joint government, which has been in preparation for a duration of 7 years, the plot focuses on political uprisings on opposing sides which grow fierce when a special police unit is formed to stop the chaos. The human weapons who are called wolves, "Illang" (The Wolf Brigade). The Japanese preview of the film took place on June 19 in the Roppongi 20th Century Films theater. Best PS5 Headset In 2023 - Top Options For PlayStation, The design of the Special Unit is the stuff of nightmares, Too many unnecessary factions to keep track of, Convoluted conspiracy that amounts to nothing, Threads and characters get dropped out of nowhere, A central romance with zero emotional depth. 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. 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. Though the plot gets convoluted with interagency disputes, leading to a few slow scenes where people are mostly sitting and talking to ensure we understand what exactly is going on, the aforementioned actions scenes do enough to break this up. 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. The movie looks great, from the cinematography to the locations, so there is some eye candy to savor during the slower moments. Sorry, but you can't access this content! Contents 1 Summary 2 Plot 3 Cast and Characters 4 Awards Amidst this bloody struggle between two ultra-powerful institutions, rumors emerge of a secret "Wolf Brigade" being formed within the Special Unit. Anime adaptations are rarely a good idea in the first place. It seems the movie didn't work well in Korea, and I remember watching the Jin roh anim as a kid and didn't like it that much. She also cannot blame Lim for her death. Its only use is during the prologue to explain why the government would launch a Special Unit force to put an end to Sect. Three Crows Magazine Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine, REVIEW: The Game Weavers by Rebecca Zahabi, Tamsyn Muir Interview: There is a lot of blood on my dance floor., REVIEW: Moon Witch, Spider King by Marlon James, Marvel Presents Northstar Vs the Straight Gaze by O F Cieri, Screenplay: Kim Jee-woon, Jun Chul-hong, Lee Ji-min, Park Jong-dae (based on the oriinal story written by Mamoru Oshii and its animated feature Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade directed by Hiroyuki Okiura), Main cast: Gang Dong-won, Han Hyo-joo, Jung Woo-sung, Kim Mu-yeol, Han Ye-ri, Choi Min-ho, Heo Joon-ho. 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. Fuse confronts his own humanity when he fails to shoot a young terrorist that his unit traps in the storm-water tunnels. [10], The following month the film shown in Cannes' March du Film, where Variety's Derek Elley noted it for pushing cel animation to its limits in the action scenes and for Okiura's focus on stillness in between while considering it a less complex work than its predecessor Ghost in the Shell lacking its "stomach-churning, visionary moments". It is a live-action adaptation of the Japanese animated film Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade. They then are not bulletproof when he shoots from the inside. The love story aspect of the movie just doesn't work, so it doesn't have an emotional crutch. The Wolf Brigade is a high powered, deadly force of men whose job it is to crush the sect opposing reunification. Korean director Kim Jee-woon's latest offering is another anime adaptation, this time in the form of ILLANG: THE WOLF BRIGADE. It has been relicensed in North America by Discotek Media, with a DVD released on April 29, 2014 followed by a Blu-Ray on January 27, 2015.[2][3]. Terms of Use and The director of this movie is one of my personal favourites who previously made such modern classics as Tale of two sisters, Bittersweet life and I saw the devil. The setting is moved to near future Korea from an alternate 1950s Japan allows for interesting visuals and some different interactions between characters that were present in the original. 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. That wouldn't be so bad had the dialogue been interesting or thought-provoking, but for the most part it comes across as really dull stuff you've heard in many other movies before. The opening sequence is straight out of the 1999 anime, with a confrontation between the Sect and the Special Unit inside sewer tunnels. The only bright spot is newcomer Kim Moo-Jeol as the villain wearing a badass leather coat who manages to breath some fresh air into the mean economics of the movie. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. Having just watched this, I can say that it's a relatively faithful adaptation of Oshii's source material, improving in some ways and worsening in others. 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. This page was last edited on 28 January 2023, at 21:03. In the end, everyone remains alive. I felt like the new happy ending didn't match up to the original ending in the anime movie. Even though there are some modifications to the overall story, and one significant diversion, the characters, and story beats are heavily inspired by the original. [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. The action scenes themselves are decent for what they are. Kim and lead actor Gang Dong-won were set to attend the event. The director shines in these scenes. 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. 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. Rafael Motamayor (@RafaelMotamayor) is a recovering cinephile and freelance writer from Venezuela currently freezing his ass off in cold, grey, Norway. That being said, there were some big changes that made the film more enjoyable for me. [4][5], The film is set in 2029 where South and North Korea prepare for a unified government after a severe economic depression slams both countries. sorry to be that guy, but does anyone who has seen the movie know what is the origin of the art from the Red riding hood scene, I am fascinated by the artwork and am looking for prints of it and was wondering if they are original to the movie itself or from an outside source? 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. Both are able to escape and are instructed by the special forces instructor Jang Jin-tae to go into hiding. The premise was funny in the beginning about reunification. Summary: In 2029, an elite police force combats a terrorist group opposing Korean reunification. Ironically, that makes Illang a rather ideal project, at least on paper. Certainly, Illang has some random explosions that dont make sense outside of a movie universe, but the fight sequences are mostly easy to follow, while still being dynamic and exciting. That whole movie. 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. Which is where, if you were looking for a movie inspired by, but uniquely different to, Jin-Roh, Illang will let you down. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Get our latest news, giveaways, free subscriptions and more. 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.
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