On the tail end of a busy sword and sorcery
decade D-War
could be the worst of the lot.
As
a CG promotional video entitled Bang For Your Buck it's passable, but
putting lipstick on a bull doesn't make it sexy. It was written and
directed by Shim Hyung-rae, a former Korean comedian who spent the last
several years putting together this story of a 21st century American
journalist bound to protect his love from the celestial ambitions of an
Imugi dragon.
The abridged version: mythological creature throws a hissy fit in L.A.
When
Ethan Kendrick (Jason Behr) comes across a dragon scale while on a news
assignment he gets dreamy and takes us back to a pivotal moment he had
as a child. Here, while in a Gremlins-style antique shop, an elaborate
Korean chest opens itself to Ethan and zaps him with computer graphics.
It's an overcooked way to let us know that Ethan has a special destiny.
As the shop owner Jack (Robert Forster) explains via
flashbacks, he is the modern incarnation of a 500 year old Korean
warrior, while Ethan is the latest version of his apprentice, Haram. A
long time ago they fought together to protect the beautiful Narin from
the bad Imugi, Buraki, and a too futuristic evil army, fashions care of
Judge
Dread. Haram gets tired of fighting and jumps of a cliff
with his love.
Flashforward. Buraki, is back on the 500th anniversary of their last
encounter, to do something nasty to Ethan's reincarnated love Sarah
(formerly Narin). What that is...is unknown. What we do know is that
she is the key to the Imugi's ascention to greatness, a dragon's higher
state of being if you will.
Fine. Avoid the monster. Jack
helps out them from time to time, by using otherworldly powers, but
insists above all that Ethan take her to "the cave." Protect her in the
meantime, but only in the cave will fulfill her destiny. Ethan refuses
to believe that sacrificing Sarah is the only way. He grits his teeth,
grows some stubble, and plays Ring Around the Rosie with the big snakey
for the better part of the film.
While the early Korean battle scenes using both troops and creatures
will look familiar to Phantom
Menace and Return
of the King fans, other details bear a strong resemblance
to the Terminator
series. The blonde haired Sarah is pursued by an almost unstoppable
force, somehow ushered out of one close scrape after another by a
handsome young buck with nothing special to offer in terms of
abilities, just a sense of purpose.
Sounds familiar,
though at least when Sarah (Conner) and Reese avoided the Terminator it
was believable. How Twiddle Dee and companion consistently escape an
army from hell and a serpent that can wrap itself around buildings is
the real mystery. But they do for a good while, mostly due to last
minute police and military invention. It gets old quickly. When they're
not running Ethan and Sarah look at the sky and each other and give
dramatic pause to their situation.
Historical descriptions of the Imugi make use of expressions like "is
thought to have" or "is said to have. D-War
at least stays loyal to one or another of these descriptions and
presents the creature as one that which lives in water or caves,
aspiring to become a wingless dragon. Another detail which made its way
into the film was the importance of the orb to Asian dragons. The
Yeo-ui-ju or dragon orb is given to the nice Imugi during the film's
climax, granting it omnipotent powers and transformation into a
full-fledged dragon.
Variety called the film "visually
entertaining," which is accurate. But if motherly advice like "if you
can't say something nice..." held any sway, it would probably end
there.
One problem is the film's attempt at incorporating mythology and dragon
lore into a modern setting. Reign
of Fire
did it far more believably, but that film also limited the fantasy
element to the dragon itself. As such the focus was clear, man versus
beast.
The clunky costumes and Masters
of the Universe miltantcy that D-War
adds in comes off like a groundbeef ice cream cone: it doesn't mix
well. But beyond this, characterization may be the bigger problem. Shim
Hyung-rae's interpretation of Americans is pure stock, like something
taken from a beginner ESL essay, "What are American's Like?".
The
news station Ethan works for is CGNN, written in obvious CNN script,
and his best bud Bruce is a punning, gun toatling African American
decked out in gold jewelry. As a Westerner, there's no offense taken.
Shim may have written the film with more concern with how Korean
audiences needed to interpret America than how a western audience
would. Still, the generalizations never go any deeper.
Security
guards are obese, federal agents are hard headed, and best friends must
die. In one scene, after Bruce fails to dent the evil army commander
with a speeding SUV, he decides to take him on outside. Even Terminator's
tough guys had the sense to run when a fist went through their buddy's
ribcage. Bruce is round-housed to the pavement while Ethan and Sarah
grab some wheels and escape. The next morning the couple is walking on
the beach, getting their bearings, when Sarah asks about Bruce. Ethan's
not worried. His friend is resourceful. He'll be fine. The next day,
Bruce is back at this desk with a band-aid on his forehead. It's not
meant to be a joke.
At this point there's no reason to take D-War
seriously. If the writer doesn't consider his characters, why should
the viewer. Sit tight, enjoy the squealing monsters, and call it a day.
1 out
of 5
D-War USA release: 14th September,
2007
Cast:Jason
Behr, Amanda Brooks, Craig Robinson, Elizabeth Pena, Robert Forster,
Geoffrey Pierson, Michael Shamus Wiles, Chris Mulkey, Billy Gardell,
Aimee Garcia Director: Hyung-rae Shim
Website:Click
here.
