The Warrior's Way 2010 Sngmoo Lee

Have you ever seen a movie that seems like it was made just for you?  It has everything you like in movies - all in the same movie - so it's a lot easier to overlook it's flaws and imperfections.  That's what this movie was like for me.  There's just no way to be objective about it.  That's also another way of saying I'm slightly embarrased that I liked it as much as I did.

First of all, it's a green-screen movie.  It's all hyper-real and super fake.  I don't love all green-screen movies ( I'm looking at you, 300 ) but I do like a fair amount of them.  Sin City, Casshern, Goemon - I love you all.  Now I can add The Warrior's Way to that list.

Secondly, it mixes martial arts (this time it's swordplay) with a western.  And the western town is popluated by members of a derelict circus!  With a half built Ferris Wheel in the background!  Now I know this isn't the first Western with martial arts ( Red Sun and The Fighting Fists of Shanghai Joe ) or a circus ( Boot Hill ) involved, but c'mon!  How could the fire breather or jugglers not use their combined circus talents to fight the invading ninjas and marauding soldiers?  How can anyone not think this movie is awesome?!

Thirdly, there are some pretty good actors that were roped into making this film.  Korean star Dong-gun Jang ( Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War) is the star, but let's be real.  Nobody in America knows who he is.  Geoffrey Rush ( The King's Speech ) is the town drunk with a secret.  Kate Bosworth (Superman Returns) is the novice knife thrower with a secret.  Tony Cox ( Bad Santa ) is the Ringmaster of the circus.  Danny Huston ( The Bad Guy in Everything) is the bad guy leader of the local band of marauders.  As the man who taught The Warrior everything he knows, the producers got Shaw Brothers legend Ti Lung (Almost Every Shaw Brothers Movie Ever Made). 

So to recap:  Swordfights, gunfights, circuses, Ferris Wheels, ninjas, child endangerment, laundry, sharpshooting, horrible scarring, opera, and incredibly stylized colors and backgrounds all come together in one of the more entertaining movies I've seen all year.  Give it a chance.  I dare you to be bored.