The docile war film Hansan: The Rising Dragon tells the story of the successes of 16th-century Korean national hero Yi Sun-shin, previously chronicled in the 2014 film Admiral: Roaring Currents. Directed by Kim Han Min, both films use the trumpet to portray the wit and courage of Admiral Lee as he repels Japanese invaders trying to conquer the Korean Peninsula. The main event this time is the Battle of Hansan Island in 1592, which marks the Korean victory as a feat of both strategy and technology.
Portions of the film follow Yi’s efforts to lay the logistical and diplomatic foundations for defense amidst infighting and Japanese espionage. (A daunting series of captions appears on screen to help identify the military personnel involved.) Yee (Park Hae Il) is portrayed as a wise and thoughtful leader, His noble demeanor can easily come off as cool, and many military meetings tend to do so. Sagging.
Turtle ship placement is a recurring topic. This is a sturdy armored ship with cannons on all sides and battering rams of her dragon head. When the film finally cuts to naval battle, these massive ships are worth the wait, roaring through the water in a striking sequence of wide shots of her and zooming in on the flaca. Yi’s arced crane-wing combat formations are also often made, but their significance is overshadowed by the sheer spectacle of the clash.
The drama of the film is ornately costumed, but is often lofty and lacks the vibrancy of combat staging. If you show it over and over again, it can become meaningless.
Hansan: Rising Dragon
Unrated. Korean with subtitles. Running time: 2 hours 10 minutes. at the theater.