The Pirates (Korea)
Opening August 6
Adventure, Action. Directed by Lee Seok-hoon
“The Pirates” takes place on a pirate ship, and tells the story of a royal seal that went missing early in the Joseon era (1392-1910). Based on the true story of a missing seal, the movie fuses history and imagination in recounting the search for the artifact. The searches are conducted by a group of bandits headed by Jang Sa-jung (Kim Nam-gil), a group of pirates headed by Yeo-wol (Son Ye-jin), and government officials, all of whom are desperately hunting for the whale that swallowed the seal.
Guardians of the Galaxy (U.S.)
Opened July 31
Action, Adventure, SF. Directed by James Gunn
Adapted from the comic books of the same name published by Marvel Comics, the Guardians of the Galaxy are a group of extraterrestrial superheroes who loosely band together for a single purpose: to prevent a silver orb from falling into the hands of the evil forces led by Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace). The group is headed by an American astronaut, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), known as the Star-Lord, and consists of all types of misfits, including a prisoner, a green-skinned assassin, a raccoon and a tree that can speak only one sentence. As the group fights against Ronan to protect the universe from total destruction, fierce fight scenes are accompanied by zany humor and ’70’s pop music.
Roaring Currents (Korea)
Opened July 30
Action, Drama. Directed by Kim Han-min
“Roaring Currents” is a story about Yi Sun-sin, the most revered admiral in Korean history. The film focuses on the historic 1597 Battle of Myeongnyang during the Japanese invasion of Korea (1592-1598), in which Yi, played by veteran actor Choi Min-sik, uses strategy to destroy 133 Japanese warships with only 12 ships under his command. This battle is regarded as one of Yi’s greatest victories. Director Kim Han-min returns with another historical flick, following his success with the period film “War of the Arrows” in 2011.
Kundo: Age of the Rampant (Korea)
Opened July 23
Action. Directed by Yoon Jong-bin
“Kundo” is set in the 13th year of King Cheoljong’s reign in mid-19th century Joseon, when rampant corruption in the ruling class and its exploitation of the populace pushed the common people over the edge. Dolmuchi (Ha Jung-woo) is a not-so-intelligent but kind-hearted butcher, a typical lower-class job at the time. One day, Dolmuchi makes a dangerous deal with Jo Yoon (Gang Dong-won), a noblemen’s son who was an oppressor of the people, which leads to the death of Dolmuchi’s mother and sister. Deep grief and anger leads Dolmuchi to meet a group of bandits known as Kundo. He joins Kundo and swears to take revenge on Jo. This is the fourth film in which director Yoon Jong-bin and his favorite actor, Ha, have teamed up.
The Divine Move (Korea)
Opened July 3
Crime, Action. Directed by Jo Bum-gu
Professional go player Tae-seok (Jung Woo-sung) watches as his brother is murdered by Sal-su (Lee Bum-soo) during a high-stakes go match. He is even allegedly framed for the crime and locked up in prison. While he serves his time, he resolves to take revenge on the notorious Sal-su and his gang. He gathers professional go players and forms a team to prepare for the final match against Sal-su’s invincible team. His players play one-by-one in the life-or-death, blood-spattered game of go. Tae-seok finally faces Sal-su for their first and final match.
