The Good the Bad and the Weird

[Ivan Gorchev]

Hey Guys check out this trailer it looks great
it has a strong cast and shows some similarities to
the movie Millionares Express
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vLSiVHlhxRc&feature=related

[venoms5]

This looks good. Much better than Miike's DJANGO movie. Thanks for posting that Ivan.:)

[Cesare]

Yep, the trailer looks quite yummy.

[daisho2004]

Does anyone know when this movie will become available?

[Yakuza954]

Probably won't be seeing a DVD release until around October.

[peringaten]

Oh, this film's great. Massively flawed so far as my general tastes go - overstylised floppy haired moody pop star villain, boring good guy, bad music choices here and there; seriously, what's with the generic hip hop yells over the finale - did not like that at all...

But, it's fucking class for the most part - the action is relentless, and brilliant. Has great humour (courtesy of 'the Weird'; owns this movie, classic character) and the shooting/camerawork is phenomenal - cameras soaring over trains, through carriages, mounted on guns, all over the place through the action - takes it next level.

I need to stress how relentless the action is - massive setpiece after setpiece; proper ride of a movie. Love the train sequence. Stunts galore - some mad, and I mean mad horse stunts going on.

Knife-kancho-ing & the helmet sequence are two highlights to look out for - classic.

Falls apart at the end I think, bad music, draws out a standoff too much, too badly with some cheesy aesthetics, but still, for the most part it's well-paced, suspenseful, yet humourous.

Flawed? Hell Yeah.

Best Korean movie I've seen? Hell yeah. I mean, it's not Oldboy-good, etc. but give me Good Bad Weird anyday; I like big asskicking action setpieces.

You know The Host? And how good that opening monster rampage sequence was, some proper frenetic spectacle, but then the movie just tailed off & failed to rekindle the momentum similarly, just dulled out... Good Bad Weird is like they stretched the momentum of that sequence, for almost an entire film, rather than just an opening, albeit a different type of spectacle, but you know...

The most fun 2008 movie from anywhere I've found.

[Yakuza954]

I agree with your review completely. Flawed film? Sure. But is the film just non-stop entertainment from start to finish? Is the good here overwhelmingly more than the bad? Yeah. I feel like this is the kind of film the latest Indiana Jones wanted to be; the kind of classic epic action/adventure movie that is rarely made any more, much less with any skill or without an overuse of CGI. To put things into perspective, the desert chase sequence here puts the similar chase sequence in the the latest Indiana Jones to shame.

Kim Ji-woon is such a great director. Among the Korean directors, Chan-wook Park gets the most notoriety in the mainstream, and Kim Ki-duk among the arthouse crowd, but for me, Kim Ji-woon is the best. If you look at his complete filmography, with the possible exceptions of his short films, it is flawless. Unlike most directors, there's no one movie you can look at and say, "yeah, you can tell he was learning the ropes here", or go "he was really out of his element in this one. He should go back to doing so and so..." And that's the most impressive thing about him - how he jumps seamlessly from genre to genre, creating a good movie in each. He's done the black comedy thing, ok, check; the feel-good-sports movie, check; then the horror, gangster and now adventure movies, check, check and check.. I mean, just to use one example, the Quiet Family is probably the single greatest Korean black comedy ever made, and most people don't even consider that his best film. He's a director to be admired.

[kaleyboy]

No, don't agree. The end for me spoiled it. They just didn't know how to finish it. Everybody was chasing everybody with the poor viewer lost in the middle.

[daisho2004]

I can't wait to see this movie it looks really good. Been behind in getting some newer stuff.

Here is the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imgdpz_0m-8

[SlothStyleKungFu]

I was very let down by this. Its one of those films where all the elements are there- great premise, solid cast, huge budget, and a decent script. But, man, they really sell the action short, some clunky storytelling and costume/visual design... and, I agree, the ending is a total letdown. You can really tell the director was simply in over his head with the scale of the finale. It needed this big push and then a classic Leone payoff but, from the chase to the face-off, the entire end is a miss.

[Rebornman]

i just wtched the trailer and cant wait to see the entire movie.

[D1 Ma]

I'ts an OK movie. Great opening sequence, some good parts during the last chase, which looks great ( I guess, on a big screen it's even more impressive). But in between it somewhat boring , with long, loud, repetitive and boring shootouts. I meanб how many times can you watch guys firing at each other with little or no effect?! One thing to watch brilliantly choreographed John Woo's gunfights, but in this movie it was nothing original and way overdone...
Not a bad way to kill a couple of hours, but not great overall.
But the opening was superb, I thought
Also, Byung-hun Lee looked a lot like Johny Depp it Pirates, IMO :)

[Yakuza954]

I meanб how many times can you watch guys firing at each other with little or no effect?!
But aren't all "fun" adventure movies like that? A thousand bullets are fired at the good guys but somehow they survive. It's very much in line with older classics like Indiana Jones. A big part of it is also that one of the main characters, the Weird, isn't much of a marksman and survives many times on pure luck or wit alone. Despite that, I remember a lot of people getting shot down in this movie--I bet the body count is very high for a movie where people fire at each other with little or no effect.

I'm surprised about the lukewarm reaction this is getting. A lot of people are mentioning being bored, but the only time I felt even slightly bored was during the brothel scene--and even that didn't go on for very long. Even during the rare occasion that there wasn't a big action/comedy sequence going, the unique group of characters and the great Manchurian setting were enough to keep me entertained. It actually seems like i'm in the minority of people who liked this film, so yeah, I guess I have to just to put this in my "misappreciated films pile," alongside such other notable classics like "Fists of Legend 2," "The Medallion," and "The Karate Kid Part 3."

I kid..

One last thing though.. lack of creativity in the action scenes? The big action sequence in the town during the middle is one of the best set pieces I've seen on film this decade. It felt like every part of that town was used or destroyed. Pure mayhem from start to finish: guys running on rooftops, minions getting shot left and right, bad guy hitting someone with a hammer.. I repeat: one of the bad guys even gets to use a giant hammer he carries around. 'Nuff said.

[kaleyboy]

Nah, this movie didn't do it for me. I felt at each point in the movie that I'd seen it done better before. Too much self-indulgence from the director and no real story spoiled it for me.

[peringaten]

You people are nuts, this film's great. Far surpasses Bittersweet Life for the director imo, even if somewhat dissimilar. Camera work, imagination, suspense, action, humour, etc., Great. Give me a better example of crazed imaginative period action western? Where have we seen all this before?

[kaleyboy]

shouldn't it be an eastern?

[peringaten]

shouldn't it be an eastern?Yeah, but you know what I mean... like The Wild Bunch but with more satisfying horse explosions & knife-kancho-ings.

[Yakuza954]

You want to see a real self-indulgent film that tries the whole Western angle with Asian actors and fails, than watch Sukiyaki Western Django.

[SlothStyleKungFu]

... Give me a better example of crazed imaginative period action western? Where have we seen all this before?

No need to get so specific. A movie that doesn't quite work is a movie that doesn't quite work regardless of genre or sub genre. Just because it plays on rarely trodden ground doesn't mean it plays to its full potential.


I meanб how many times can you watch guys firing at each other with little or no effect?!
But aren't all "fun" adventure movies like that? A thousand bullets are fired at the good guys but somehow they survive.

I think it was just the whole physics of the battle quickly grew tired on me. The whole bullets with PG injury thing is fine, but it was just a seemingly endless chase with one guy in front, a horde behind him, the army behind that, and, for me, dull interaction between them all, especially in how it climaxed.

[D1 Ma]

Yeah, I thought all those shootouts and chases just dragged on, and on and on. Tighter editing would help a lot. Plus, as many people mentioned, gunfights were way beyond believe. Dozens of guys shooting almost point blank and can't hit the target. It wasn't as bad as Ballistic Kiss ;) but pretty close at times.
Visually the film looked good, good soundtrack, some great action bits, but it didn't work overall, IMO

[kaleyboy]

You want to see a real self-indulgent film that tries the whole Western angle with Asian actors and fails, than watch Sukiyaki Western Django.

I did and i'm still regretting it! I admit that next to Sukiyaki western Django, Good The Bad & The Weird is vastly superior.

[Drunken Cat]

I liked it, It's quite a fun film. I know it's no Leone, but what nowadays is? At least it's a more current, stylized and watchable western than the rather horrible Sukiyaki Western Django.

[wayne]

im waiting for the blu-ray release in the UK. Trailer looks fun, cant wait XD

[peringaten]

No need to get so specific. A movie that doesn't quite work is a movie that doesn't quite work regardless of genre or sub genre. Just because it plays on rarely trodden ground doesn't mean it plays to its full potential.Wasn't being specific, was being kind of rhetorical; agreed it definitely doesn't play remotely to its full potential or quite work fully, said this all along, it is flawed, but it kicks some ass. Definitely kicks some horses asses. Climax didn't spoil all the highlights that came before it for me. Did you not get a rise out of at least the helmet scene or some such? I laughed throughout, like a white haired villain; heartily.

[Tantheman]

I really liked this movie. I think some of you guys are too critical. Yeah some of the action was over frenetic, but in the main its really well shot and loads of fun. I shall have to see if it holds up to repeated viewings however. . .

[jmend1]

One of my favorite movies, what a great tribute to Sergio Leone. A korean western, who would have thought? I actually quite liked the ending, I felt that the final shootout was very realistic unlike the rest of the movie xD Even though the rest of the movie was great as well.

[DAJIZZARIZZA]

i LOVED this movie,.. need a sequel or they need to make another great movie with these actors

[Drunken Monk]

I watched this last week and while the movie was thoroughly enjoyable (not a classic), some of the action scenes really dragged on. The final desert chase? Shit, that lasted about an hour.
I still liked it.

[Milkyway]

Watched this (my 1st entry to K cinema) earlier today, loved everything!

[LeRolls]

I've been thinking about watching this movie but my buddy hated it a lot. The Blu-Ray is about to come out so I might get it.

[daisho2004]

I finally got around to seeing this movie and all I can say is I regret not getting it sooner! I thought it was great, yeah it had over the top gun fight scenes that were totally unbelievable but it was still a non stop action movie and it was in the ranks of Sergio Leone's style except with a modern twist and in Korean! I mean come on when was the last good western movie you seen! This movie made me laugh a few times, and I liked the ending, not sure how I liked the oil part that much that was kinda a disappointed part for me. But overall I would loved to have seen a sequel, or atleast a spin-off with the main character Do-Weon ("The Good,") played by Woo Sung Jun (the heroic former slave in "Musa the Warrior: he was awesome.

[daisho2004]

This movie is getting a Theatrical Release in the US on :Apr 9, 2010 Limited

[daisho2004]

OK I watch this movie again the other day, it was better the 2nd. time around. Its getting a legit release on DVD in the middle of August and I will definitely be picking it up, as soon as its out. Still hoping that hey make a sequel to this movie.

[Athena]

OK I watch this movie again the other day, it was better the 2nd. time around. Its getting a legit release on DVD in the middle of August and I will definitely be picking it up, as soon as its out. Still hoping that hey make a sequel to this movie.

Did some "research " after your recommended this one.
Seems like definite MUST HAVE !!

Although I have not seen it yet,I recommend others to look into it too !

Thanks daisho2004, Athena ;)

[GwaiLoMoFo]

Watched it a few weeks ago and thought it was great. One of the most all-around entertaining films Ive seen in a while

[mpm74]

Yep.

Maybe they should get this guy to direct Indiana Jones 5. At least he'll give it the end it's been missing since the first.

[OpiumKungFuCracker]

I've been thinking about watching this movie but my buddy hated it a lot. The Blu-Ray is about to come out so I might get it.

Love your podcast, hope u review this movie on your show!!!

[daisho2004]

OK I'm totally pissed off, I had bought the US Blu-Ray edition of this movie for myself at Christmas, and I just watched this tonight, all I can say is don't buy it! The Fucking US company, cut key scenes out of this movie and even changed the ending! I cannot believe they did this to a great movie like this! What the hell were they thinking it totally ruined this movie!
:khi3c:


Does anyone know if this is available on Blu-Ray from overseas uncut? I went on YesAsia.com and it has the Blu-Ray limited edition but it states: Blu-ray Edition comes with the 129-minute International Cut of the film. Does that mean its cut or what I'm confused that's what all the overseas DVDs state.

[mpm74]

OK I'm totally pissed off, I had bought the US Blu-Ray edition of this movie for myself at Christmas, and I just watched this tonight, all I can say is don't buy it! The Fucking US company, cut key scenes out of this movie and even changed the ending! I cannot believe they did this to a great movie like this! What the hell were they thinking it totally ruined this movie!

What did they cut out and how did it end in the one you saw?

[Yakuza954]

Are you sure the American distributor specifically cut out scenes themselves? There are two different versions of this movie, the Korean and International version. The International version is 7 minutes shorter and perhaps the version you saw.

[One Armed Boxer]

Does anyone know if this is available on Blu-Ray from overseas uncut? I went on YesAsia.com and it has the Blu-Ray limited edition but it states: Blu-ray Edition comes with the 129-minute International Cut of the film. Does that mean its cut or what I'm confused that's what all the overseas DVDs state.

Yes....the only country where you can get the Korean version of the movie on Blu-Ray is from France, with no English subtitles.

The Fucking US company, cut key scenes out of this movie and even changed the ending

I actually have the Korean 3-DVD version of this movie which has both the International and Korean versions. After reading a couple of reviews which stated the Korean version is overlong and only panders to adding a few extra scenes of Jung-Woo Sung for his legions of female fans, I just watched the International version.

However your comment about changing the ending got me curious, and I just now checked out a website that had a comparison between the 2 versions. All I can say is wow, indeed the ending appears to be much more extended than the International version...and also, I`ll keep this spoiler free, makes the final shots of the International version while the credits are rolling make a lot more sense, because on first viewing they seemed like a contradiction when compared to what happens in the finale of the movie.

I`ll be putting the Korean version DVD into my player tonight when I get home for sure!

[daisho2004]

OK here is what is missing: May contain End Spoilers:

1st.) There is the opening scene where the Old Man gives the Map to the courier and is telling him what the plan is for getting back the map he has sold and then showing him handing him the map, it is replaced with the courier cutout but the Old Man is telling the story but noting showing who he is talking to.
2nd.) (The Good) Jung Woo-sung is approached by the Female of the Korean Army to go after the map and tells him about the reward for (The Bad) Lee Byung-hun, that to me was an important scene because that shows how he ended up on the train.
3rd.) This is what totally pissed me off after the big Gun showdown between the 3 main stars it just ends with them all lying on the ground, and you think that everyone has died then the credits start rolling and you see (The Good) Jung Woo-sung watching someone post wanted posters up and him just walking away. That isn't what happened in the Korean verison after he sees the wanted posters he goes into a bar and ask for the whereabouts for (The Weird) Song Kang-ho and guns down about 5 guys at a table and starts asking there leader who is crying like a baby again for where he is, that is a great scene that shoulda never been taken out.
Also before that you see (The Weird) Song Kang-ho lying on the ground after the gun battle taking out a piece of metal plate from inside his shirt that he used as a shield. Then he finds the diamonds on the (The Bad) Lee Byung-hun and then the Japanese army shows up and he takes out the dynamite and they all run away scared. That scene is totally cutout and replaced with him just riding on the motorcycle through the desert.

OAB: Now I'd like to know do you have the Blu-Ray version with the 3 disc's with those scenes left in it. Just checked the scenes I listed and you will see what I'm talking about.

Note: If you didn't see the Korean version then you might be happy with this movie but you'd still feel cheated on how it ends. But the Korean version is great with those few extra minutes it really completes this movie! This is a totally great Western movie and is a must own for your collection. That is before the US Butchered it up, I cannot even understand why they would do such a thing. Its like cutting out some of the best scenes from your favorite movie, and you not even knowing about those missing scenes.

I'm going to sell my Blu-Ray disc and if I find out that the Korean Blu-Ray disc has those scenes left in it, so if anyone knows please let me know.

[Takuma]

I quite liked A Bittersweet Life, but this one I could hardly sit through. Aside the always great Song Kang-ho and a pretty cool desert chase, I couldn't find anything good about it. The Korean Pirates of the Carribian if you ask me - equally dull and plastic (most of the action scenes were terrible, IMO), plus some Korean rap (or was it hip hop) thrown on top. The stand out at the end was so embarrassing, like Leone played for teens.

[daisho2004]

Takuma: That is what made this movie so great was the entire cast of misfits and gangs! And I thought the soundtrack was excellent for this movie as well. But everyone has different tastes for movies.

[Takuma]

But everyone has different tastes for movies.

Yep. Otherwise this world would be a damn boring place, and Roger Ebert's opinion would be right.

[One Armed Boxer]

OAB: Now I'd like to know do you have the Blu-Ray version with the 3 disc's with those scenes left in it. Just checked the scenes I listed and you will see what I'm talking about.

Hi daisho2004, sorry, I don't think I was too clear in my post. I just own original first press edition of the 3-DVD Korean version, it's not Blu-Ray. It respectively contains the Korean version, the International version, and a bunch of extra features.

The Korean Blu-Ray version is just 1 DVD and only contains the International version.

If you didn't see the Korean version then you might be happy with this movie but you'd still feel cheated on how it ends. But the Korean version is great with those few extra minutes it really completes this movie!

I watched the end of the Korean version last night, I agree it gives a sense of completeness to the movie, however only in the sense that as you mentioned, it doesn't make the scenes which play as the credits roll seem so far fetched. I'm actually torn as to which is the better ending to be honest.

That isn't what happened in the Korean verison after he sees the wanted posters he goes into a bar and ask for the whereabouts for (The Weird) Song Kang-ho and guns down about 5 guys at a table and starts asking there leader who is crying like a baby again for where he is, that is a great scene that shoulda never been taken out.

It was good, however I felt that the music which played during it was pretty awful, completely below average in comparison to the rest of the movies amazing score.

That is before the US Butchered it up, I cannot even understand why they would do such a thing.

Actually for once it wasn't the US that butchered it up, the movie always had a Korean and International version from the start, hence why the International version is also included in the Korean release, and is the only version included on the Blu-Ray. The same thing happened with 'Thirst'.

The Korean Pirates of the Carribian if you ask me

Ah! You can't compare somebody as talented as Ji-Woon Kim with Gore Verbinski, the guy responsible the for the atrocious Hollywood remake of 'Ring'!

[daisho2004]

OAB: So is there the Blu-Ray version which has the uncut movie? Which is what I'm looking for? I'm still pissed off about this! The end scene in the bar is a great one!

[One Armed Boxer]

OAB: So is there the Blu-Ray version which has the uncut movie? Which is what I'm looking for? I'm still pissed off about this! The end scene in the bar is a great one!

Yeah....but it's the French DVD, no english subs.

[daisho2004]

That Totally Blows Rice Balls!

:khi4f::khi4f:

[masterofoneinchpunch]

Here is a capsule review I did on the film last year:

The Good, The Bad, The Weird (2008: Kim Ji-woon) Korea ***/****

It has been several years since I have seen a South Korean film. I have concentrated so much on Hong Kong cinema and other various countries and genres that I have put many potentially fine movies on hold (yes I still need to see Oldboy).

This movie belongs to the small genre of American western Asian films (directly not indirectly; there are tons of Japanese period films that are influenced by the western and the same with the Hong Kong kung fu/wuxia genres; but few that I know of that look like a western; Takashi Miike’s Sukiyaki Western Django and Sammo Hung’s Millionaire’s Express are a couple of exceptions).

This film is partially influenced by The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (besides just the title), but maintains a universe that is a cross between Mad Max and a western, but takes place in Manchuria and Korea is in a fight for its independence and, of course, the Japanese are the oppressors. The Good is in a search for a very bad Bad guy who is known as The Finger Chopper well because he chops off the fingers of his foes and does other nasty assorted things to them with his knives and/or gun. The Bad guy is looking for a treasure map which holds un-foretold riches. The Weird just happened to get that map accidently before The Bad while robbing the same train that it happened to be on. And the chase begins.

The action scenes are impressive. There is a bit too much Michael Bay shaky cam influence, but still some very fun scenes of mayhem and violence. Where I think the film has the biggest issues (besides the ending) is the characterization of The Good and The Bad (The Weird is the most interesting character in the film). Those two are somewhat bland with The Good being way too milquetoast in demeanor (doesn’t come across as well as Eastwood does).

The R1 release is the international release. The Korean version has an ending that explains more while this one has a more mysterious tone.

[Karlos]

I don't know if this helps but the UK blu-ray and DVD has a ridiculous amount of extras, including all the deleted scenes.

[Takuma]

I don't know if this helps but the UK blu-ray and DVD has a ridiculous amount of extras, including all the deleted scenes.

The UK release is cut by BBFC (for horsefalls), though.

[daisho2004]

I just don't know why they didn't put both versions on BR! Then you can decide for yourself which version you like better.
So I have to see if the Korean version is on BR which has the ending I want, and really completes this movie.

[Karlos]

The UK release is cut by BBFC (for horsefalls), though.


Damn! Didn't know that!! :tinysmile_angry2_t:

[Morgoth Bauglir]

Holy cow. This movie has enough action for 10 movies. I’m not a big fan of Korean cinema, but this movie is awesome.

[daisho2004]

Holy cow. This movie has enough action for 10 movies. I’m not a big fan of Korean cinema, but this movie is awesome.

Morgoth Bauglir: Yes but if you seen the cut version your really missed a better ending!

[Morgoth Bauglir]

That is probably true. The ending wasn't that great. I'm gonna have to look the other endig up on youtube sometime.