Martial Arts - Director: Yang Yun-Ho - Original Language: Korean - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Masaya Kato, Aya Hirayama, Dong-Kun Yang more
Choi Baedal travels to Japan during the Second World War in the hope of becoming a pilot. Because he is Korean, and therefore deemed a second class citizen, his dreams are dashed.... more
martial artist Choi Bae-dal. Eighteen year old Bae-dal smuggles himself into Japan to enroll in an aviation school but instead finds himself being forced into the ...
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Fighter In The Wind
Choi Bae-Dal, a young Korean Taekwondo competitor arrives in Japan near the end of World ... more
War 2 with hopes of becoming a fighter pilot, but ends up on the streets battling racism, organised crime, occupying American servicemen, and his own fear of failure as a martial artist. Retiring to the wilderness for two years, Bae-Dal trains his body in the art of karate and returns to take on the world.Adapted from the acclaimed Manga comic series by Bang Hak-Ki, Fighter in the Wind offers a supremely stylish re-telling of the real-life Kyokushin karate founder Masutatsu Oyama (known here as Bae-Dal), the man the New York times christened The Toughest Man in the World.Marking his third collaboration with director Yang Yun-Ho, actor Yang Dong-Keun brings both physical strength and emotional intensity to the role of Bae-Dal/Oyama, scything down those that dare challenge his physical superiority with breathtaking brutality. Boasting superb choreography by Jeong Du-Hong (Araham, No Blood No Tears), Fighter in the Wind represents the pinnacle of Korean action cinema.
Production Year: 1981 - Martial Arts - Director: Kenji Misumi, Robert Houston - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Kayo Matsuo, Minoru Ohki, Akiji Kobayashi, Shin Kishida, Masahiro Tomikawa, Tomisaburo Wakayama
Production Year: 2002 - Martial Arts - Director: Yimou Zhang - Original Language: Mandarin - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Ziyi Zhang
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A review by thebluehippo on Fighter In The Wind (Subtitled) (DVD) February 25th, 2006
Author's product rating:
Did you enjoy it?
Liked it
Story
Good
Characters / Performances
Good
Special Effects
Standard
How does it compare to similar films?
Good
Advantages:
Fast paced martial arts .
Disadvantages:
Slow progress in the story
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
This film is based off Kyokushin Karate founder Masutatsu Oyama (or as he's referred to in this film his Korean name Choi Bae-dal) Although on the back cover it claims it's based off the real-life it does craftily use the word 're-telling' as in pretty much saying it's mostly fiction. To find out what's real and what's not you'd need to speak with someone who knows a lot about Kyokushin Karate, which unfortunately I do not. Masutatsu Oyama took on all challenges and was never defeated, the only human to ever defeat 300 black belts in three days and he fought bulls. This sounds an interesting enough story, yet obviously someone felt it needed that bit more for some reason.
The film begins showing what will be the final scene "I am afraid of fighting, I am afraid of being beaten and losing. But I am more afraid of surviving as a cripple than dying in a fight."
We are then taken back to 1939 in the Japanese colony of Seoul. Where Choi Bae-dal first gets the ambition to be a fighter pilot for the Japanese army. Rush forward to 1942, where he has made his way to Japan. We soon see him tied up with other Koreans refusing to do the Kamikaze. Bae-dal is almost beaten to death by the General Kato. It then shoots to after the war, we see Bae-dal and his friend Chun-bae are left with nothing. He compares his courage to his old country (South Korea) as being left in ruins despite being liberated.
This soon leads up to where he meets his old master Beom-su who saves him from the Yakuza. Choi Bae-dal asks for him to show him how to fight. During all this there's this kind of pointless bit where Bae-dal becomes a hero saving Japanese woman from the 'evil' American soldiers (who in the film are described as "Worse than the police and the Yakuza"). The only point of this I feel is to set up the meeting of the 'love interest' Yoko and to give a bit of action to the fight junkies who might be getting a bit bored by now.
Bae-dal's world is then rocked by tragedy. So after an excellent fight scene brawl with the Yakuza he retreats into the mountains where he conditions his body in the most sadistic ways. (Think of the scene in Rocky in which he is punching the meat and running, then you get the idea what this is like). He returns from the Mountains ready to take on any challenger. I'll leave it at that not to spoil it, though I'm pretty sure you can guess what happens.
What I liked about this film is firstly the fights, it shows Choi Bae-dal at the beginning as only human, which I liked and even after he'd been in the mountains, they showed his fights as being quick and brutal. I felt that the fights were quite realistic looking you could almost feel ever kick and chop. Another thing I liked is to be able see a martial arts film where Karate is the focus, as someone who practices karate myself it was great to see moves being used that I practice weekly.
What I disliked was how long the film dragged. This could easily have been 1 hour and 30 minutes, yet it was full of filler. Another thing I disliked was the constant propaganda; there was a lot of hate on the Japanese, which is understandable as it's just after the war. However stuff like the Japanese Martial Arts Association plotting to kill the Korean was a bit much and I felt it ruined the film a little.
---Scenes to look out for--- The brawl with the Yakuza in the rain Training in the mountains First fight from coming down from the mountains (complete with drums and solid kicks to the leg - ouch!) Fight with the Judo expert The Final Fight
---Chapter Select--- You can choose to watch the film from 16 points. Including a few of the fight scenes.
---Extras--- The extras are not really that worth noting first there's the 'Action Diary of a Martial Arts Director' talking about the making of the film. I never like stuff like these things cause I feel they ruin the fantasy of the film. Then there is the usual 'Cast and Crew Interviews' which rather than being one long dragging sequence, is split into four - Director Yang Yoon-ho, Yang Dongguem (Choi Bae-Dal), (Yoko), Masaya Kato (Kato). Followed by a 'Music Video' which is a song accompanied by loads of clips from the film. Then there is the usual trailer, which is usual on all films DVDs. Followed by other releases, which are basically other films released off 'Optimum'. It includes trailers for 'Azumi', Azumi 2', 'Arahan', 'The Doll Master' and 'Sky High'
Running Time: 121 minutes approx Certificate: 15
The film is shot in Korean and Japanese, with no English dub available, so sorry if you can't stand subtitles.
Advantages: rock hard movie, fight scenes are mental. and it's a true story Disadvantages: there are none
Fighter In The Wind- A Review By Addy
Fighter In the Wind is a 2004 Korean film that is based on the true story of Choi Yeung-Eui. Forced by circumstances that come to light in the film he changed his name to Masutatsu Oyama, although his preferred name was Choi Bae-Dal to show his Korean ethnicity. He created his own martial arts called Kyokushinkai karate and successfully challenged and defeated every master Japan had to offer. The film is an ... ...what one single person can achieve against all odds. Rarely have I seen a true story where someone goes from having so little and gaining so much. Masutatsu Oyama
Born 27th July 1923 Gimje, Korea. Died 26th April 1994 (aged 70) Tokyo, Japan.
Film Specs
Director: Yang Yun-Ho
Release date: 12th August 2004 Running time: 120 min. Language Korean/English Subtitles
"Justice without power is empty and power without justice is only violence." ...
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Plot: Choi Baedal travels to Japan during the Second World War in the hope of becoming a pilot. Because he is Korean, and therefore deemed a second class citizen, his dreams are dashed. Spending two years in the mountains training his body and mind, Choi returns to Japan and embarks upon a mission to prove his worth...
Release details
DVD Region: DVD
Studio(s): OPTIMUM HOME ENTERTAINMENT; SONY DADC
Release date: 30/05/2005
No of Discs: 1
Catalogue No: OPTD 0233
Barcode: 5060034572633
Screenwriter: Yun-Ho Yang
DVD Description
Choi Baedal travels to Japan during the Second World War in the hope of becoming a pilot. Because he is Korean, and therefore deemed a second class citizen, his dreams are dashed. Spending two years in the mountains training his body and mind, Choi returns to Japan and embarks upon a mission to prove his worth...
Languages
Main Language: Korean
Subtitle Language: English
Technical information
Special Features: Action Diary Of A Fencing Master Yang Gil Young, Interviews With The Cast, Music Video, Trailer
Aspect Ratio: 1.85 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Dubbing Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Korean
Professional reviews
Review: Rocky meets Bruce Lee... knuckle-shredding biopic. (Neo, )
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Listed on Ciao since : 27/01/2006
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