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Once Upon a Time in High School
A model student transfers to the notorious Jungmoon High School known for its severe corporal punishment by teachers and power struggles between school gangs.
Release : | 2004 |
Rating : | 7.4 |
Studio : | Sidus, CJ Entertainment, |
Crew : | Production Design, Makeup & Hair, |
Cast : | Kwon Sang-woo Lee Jung-jin Han Ga-in Lee Jong-hyuk Park Hyo-joon |
Genre : | Drama Action Romance |
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Excellent, Without a doubt!!
Excellent adaptation.
I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.
When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.
Although I don't have insider information, but you project or guesstimate why there are so many good (and to that end - also bad) S.Korean movies. Freedom to do the final cut is probably one factor. Young directors probably another. Culture synthesis or catharsis probably a third factor.This Once Upon a time in Highschool is as typically good as it gets. It is nostalgic, it is careful, it is sentimental, it is deliberate, it is technically well done. All seems cliché even. But it works. It works as a collective memory because it gets to the heart of the matter, the essentials, the universal experiences of high school. No, not the light hearted, self deprecating, sarcastic rear-view mirror look. But I think the key to this movies is the mixing of a bit more risky, personal - with some fantastical elements.You see, with all the bottled up emotions you see (and feel along with the main character) during the first 90% of the movie, you need an out. And this fantastical element is the ending fight scene, mostly one shot - continuous, exhausting, satisfying - to relief all the tension that was built up. This fulfil some unfinished business - in our minds, in our past experiences, that lifts us the audience. Then the movie stayed true to its times - with the apology ending to ground you back to reality. What a move that is.I think this movies works extremely well psychologically due to the built-up all the way to the final fight scene on the roof. That is, the story understands that most of us has regrets. That we were smaller then we looked inside. Was afraid most of the times, had confidence issues, were betrayed at least once. And did not act out on others. But most of us (at least for the Asians anyhow), didn't fight back.
I felt this movie was awesome.People described it as the experience faced by highscoolers during the military regime days of south Korea but for me it was different.It seemed like a well sketched out story spiced up with some really good and brutally realistic martial art seqences.The transformation undergone by every character is depicted realistically.It is a story of friendship,first love,betrayal and revenge.And the final scene on the roof with nanchakus tops it all...a brilliantly realistic close combat scene...you can watch the entire movie just for that one scene.Excellent performances throughout."spirit of jeet kune do" is a winner all the way.P.S. By the way am i the only non-korean seeing and reviewing all of the great south korean films like taegukgi,marathon,failan etc.I would be happy if this movie gets a broader international release,at least to American audiences.
why? because the movie is about the narrator's youth, part of his memory. some things were left without reconciliation much like how we live our life. One could only wonder what Han Ga-In's character would have said if the bus didn't stop for that was probably the last time he ever saw her in his life. There are many things i love about this movie. It's not just the accurate portrayal of 70's highschool in Korea, but also the way Han Ga-In projects that nice image of first love. Every guys know how it feels to be crushed when the girl who you love is interested in one of your friends. And man, high school really bites when you're the shy guy who didn't get around being "cool"
This movie reminded me a little of highschool actually... well almost anyways. I'm having a hard time figuring out if this movie was suppose to be a love story or a martial arts movie.The story is about a boy who idols Bruce Lee, he ends up going to military school and gets himself into trouble here and there, but also meets a girl he really likes who rides the same bus. Long story short he goes through the teenage years. Girls, dancing, fights, friends and school. I would've probably enjoyed the movie more if the subtitles were properly timed though... One thing that a liked in particular were the fight scenes. I don't know about everyone else, but I get a little tired of our western movies where the hero beats up a hundred people by himself. Good story, good action, and nice music. 7.5/10