I’m kinda pissed the Netflix algorithm didn’t push Uprising harder. Instead of getting some over hyped mediocre drama from an over the hill actor, I’d gladly watch a historical drama featuring war, martial arts, and epic landscapes. Oh, another minor detail: the movie was written by Park Chan Wook, one of the best filmmakers working today too! Even though Uprising doesn’t get to the highs it could get to with Wook directing it, the film is still much more ambitious than the mediocre Friday releases the streamer provides. Do better, algorithm!
Loosely based on real events, Uprising is taking place some time in medieval South Korea. It’s tough times for King Seonjo (Cha Seung-won), the aging leader of Joseon. Japan has decided it was time to invade, sending an army led by the clever cruel Genshin (Jung Sung-il). Seonjo sends one of his military officials Jong-ryeo (Park Jeong-min) to deal with this invasion…and another big problem. Japan’s attack has also bubbled latent issues in Joseon to the surface, causing rebellions spurred on by people like Kim Ja-ryeong (Jin Seon-kyu) and Cheon Yeong (Gang Dong-won), former military members disillusioned by the system they were serving and protecting.
The story is in line with the last decade or so of South Korea’s content: class conflict. While Japanese soldiers factor into some of this fighting here, the most interesting parts of the tale are the systemic inequalities of Korea’s political system. King Seonjo and Jong-ryeo, entitled upper class society members, find loopholes and rely overly on cunning and charisma to maintain their power. Instead of displaying or promoting talent from within, societal pressure dictates that instead they focus resources on quelling unrest and maintaining the status quo that has been good to them. On the other side are Kim Ja-ryeong, Cheon Yeong, and Beom-dong (Kim Shin-rok), the effects of those political injustices. These 3 contain all the leadership and ruling abilities lacking in the upper class, but because of their challenging of authority, find themselves perpetually on the run or on the verge of assassination. Uprising is at it’s most compelling as our trio of burgeoning leaders break the mental and physical slavery put upon them and start thinking on their own, and believing in themselves, with all the twists and turns Jong-ryeo and the power class have for them. That movie could use Park Chan Wook’s steadier directorial hands, but the screenplay he left has plenty of entertainment on the bone to get excited to Netflix and chill with.
The director of Uprising is Kim Sang-man. His background is more in art departments, which makes a lot of sense when you watch this movie. On the person level, the colors and costumes pop the minute you look at them. They can be menacing (a lot of the Japanese ware), or regal (Jong-ryeo’s costumes Cheon Yeong desires to wear), or badass depending on what the scene needs. We go a little bigger, and see how brutal the fight sequences are. We bounce from location to location, engaging in visceral combat where we feel the slashes, stabs, gunshots, and flow of blood, clashing wonderfully with the pristine clothing in violent exciting ways. Pull out even more, and Sang-man really convinced the streamer to go big or go home on locales and effects. There’s all sorts of epic landscape shooting, with mountain hikes overlooking cities, or city views with mountain ranges behind them. Plus, like the feature picture, we get some incredible use of elemental filmmaking, where fire, earth, wind, and especially water/fog are used to incredible effect to set up confrontations and elevate them to the epic scope they deserve. Uprising’s cinematography, costumes and art design are so good it made me hope for a Kim Sang-man and Park Chan Wook partnership down the line, making that perfect film Wook gets closer to than most filmmakers ever do.
So for the blood thirsty Netflix subscribers pissed that another C minus film is all they got this week, maybe check out Uprising? I guarantee the ending shot of a dead guy is one you’ve never seen before, and while you’re cheering with glee at the epic historical mayhem on display, you might also raise an eyebrow and “Hmmm….” a few times at how cool everything looks onscreen. Plus, as a bonus, your algorithm might start feeding you other great Netfix r rated martial arts mayhem, with more on the way soon.