It’s the year 1388, the
Ming Dynasty is on the rise in China and there is much chaos on the Korean
Peninsula, so much so that mercenary pirates and roving gangs of bandits do
what they do in such times … they fill the void.
So when the royal seal — from
the Ming emperor — goes missing on its way to Yi Song-gye, the hard-charging
founder of the forthcoming Chosŏn Dynasty in Korea, a great opportunity awaits for
anyone who can recover the missing trinket.
This is the premise of
Well Go U.S.A.’s Jan. 20 DVD and Blu-ray release of director Lee Seok-hoon’s The
Pirates.
The film is in limited
release in the domestic market and has thus far generated ticket sales of
$415,775 … the ARR comes in at 137 days.
In Korea, The Pirates, pulled in over $64 million at the box office (very
impressive).
With lavish production
values, superb cinematography and an interesting blend of violence and comedy The
Pirates certainly lives up to its billing as the Korean version of Pirates
of the Caribbean. There’s even
a mock version of Jack Sparrow, Jang Sa-jung (Kim Nam-gil — No
Regret, Portrait of a Beauty, etc.), who finds himself in competition
with the beautiful Yeo-wol (Son Ye-jin — A Moment to Remember, Blood
and Ties) to recover the royal seal.
Oh, did we mention that
the object that has caught everyone’s interest just happens to be “residing” in
a very peculiar place … the belly of a whale.
Seriously!
The Pirates is great fun … and a great adventure. Presented in Korean with English subtitles.
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