User reviews

Admittedly not perfect, as it goes quite over the top with the depicted villainy of certain characters, and does a less than stellar job of showing why exactly both main characters are friends. But a very good film overall and one that will be enjoyed moreso by those already invested in the genre.

Great fight choreography, good cinematography, and all-around entertaining. Pacing could use some work for sure, and the plot is coherent if not spectacular. This is a film that leans more towards style than substance at its core. More impressively, it does so without egregious usage of CGI. Two hours well-spent, I'd say.

Uprising delivers a thrilling cinematic experience, particularly with its exceptional fight sequences. Showcasing not only physical prowess but also the emotional stakes of each battle. Each clash is intense, capturing the energy and desperation of the characters fighting for their freedom.

The cinematography during the fight scenes is remarkable, utilizing dynamic angles that heighten the tension.

What sets these fight scenes apart is how they intertwine with the story, highlighting the characters' motivations and the gravity of their struggles. Each skirmish feels earned and significant, rather than just a display of martial arts.

The performances are also compelling, Supporting actors also shine, delivering nuanced portrayals that enhance the overall narrative. Their chemistry adds layers to the relationships depicted on screen.

A Visually Striking but Confused Film

Uprising (2024) delivers stunning visuals and impressive fight choreography, yet it struggles with its identity. The film swings between being an action-packed spectacle and a historical drama, but never fully commits to either. This results in a movie that feels disjointed, with brutal violence often coming across as excessive, more for shock than to drive the story forward.

While the action sequences, especially the sword fights, are captivating, the plot itself is chaotic. It's easy to get lost in the non-linear timeline and convoluted character motivations. The emotional stakes feel underdeveloped, and the complex relationship between the two main characters doesn't receive the depth it deserves.

In the end, Uprising excels in style but falters in storytelling. Those seeking pure action without a deep narrative may enjoy it, but for anyone craving a cohesive plot, the film may leave them unsatisfied.

An evil king cares nothing for his people and even less for the countries slaves, but then comes the Japanese invasion and it is the slaves and peasants who subdue it. You would think the king would be grateful but instead returns to the capital planning to once again exploit the people. The story has two main characters, a lord and a slave who befriend each other but later a misunderstanding leads to conflict. It is an interesting plot with over the top fight scenes but fails to really develop any of the characters and this is its main failing. Having said that it is an ok watch and an interesting death, look for the hand holding the sword.

There are good things to enjoy about this. The action is well realised, the plot provides some pace and the actors make their characters come to life.

So if all that adds up to a film you might enjoy then give this a go.

However, much of it fails to ring true, meaning I never got beyond knowing this was a story made up in an attempt to entertain me. At no point were my emotions engaged in the characters. Their predicaments did not move me. Their actions and reactions carried very little weight.

Nevertheless I did gain some enjoyment from it. Keep your expectations low and you might well too.

"Uprising" is a gripping and intense film that delves into the complexities of rebellion and the fight for freedom. Set against a backdrop of political turmoil, the movie masterfully captures the raw emotions and sacrifices of those who dare to stand up against oppression. The screenplay is well-crafted, weaving together personal stories with larger historical events, making the narrative both engaging and thought-provoking. The protagonist's journey is particularly compelling, showcasing the internal and external struggles faced by someone caught in the crossfire of revolution. Overall I think it's a well watch.

Uprising is an enjoyable movie with a beautiful setting and good acting. The story isn't necessarily unique however works well and is easy to digest. There's some cgi but it's used minimally and isn't completly hard to look at. This film would have probably worked better as a tv series as it's very fast paced. This can cause you to lose elements of the story if not paying full attention. The action is fun, creative and gruesome. The actors are what makes this movie most enjoyable as they are all exceptional at conveying their characters stories. If you're bored and don't know what to watch uprising is good enough to cure that boredom.

The movie is set in late 16th century Korea. The movie has blended various social and political elements into a sword wielding action movie. It does make you think a bit about who is the worst of the worst: the incompetent king, invading Japanese, or the greedy noble class. However, we the audience did not sign up for a history. As mentioned in my title, if you're looking for a history lesson, please trying reading some books. No one went to see the movie "300" hoping to gain historical insights into the Spartans, did they?

Back to the movie itself. The story is very straight forward and action-driven. Is it such a unique and memorable story? No. Are there some plot holes? Sure. Personally, I had a hard time accepting the fact that the "misunderstanding" that separated the two main characters was so easily resolved at the end. Anyways, the final question is was it entertaining? The answer to that is YES! I especially liked the three-way battle in dense fog.

In summary, this movie will provide you with enough entertainment to justify your investment of 2 hours of viewing time. I give this movie a solid 7 stars. I'm also adding 2 stars to offset some of the ridiculously low scores given for reasons that seem unfair.

Another Joseon-era South Korean historical adventure flick, focusing on a real-life storyline from that country's turbulent past. This one follows a couple of childhood friends who become bitter enemies later in life when their society is riven by invasion and revolution. It sounds interesting and it is, but I did find that this overlong production gradually loses steam and becomes a little tedious in the second half. The production values are fine and the action scenes are fun, but the numerous characters in the second part don't really interest the viewer much and it starts feeling more than a little dragged out.

An issue with historical fiction mediums is that they can either bend too far and become so detached from the period that you don't feel connected. The other side is that they can be so rigid, sticking to the history, that it struggles to be a narrative. I find Uprising to be a beautiful blend. Whereas the series Kingdom deals with the Imjin War (the invasion of the late 16th century by Toyotomi Hideyoshi) with a mix of zombies, Uprising looks at the issues of a top-down power structure in human terms. Honestly it helps one to see how and why the top views the people as near less than human -- while also wholely calling it evil.

That aside, I love single-shot action sequences. There are two, looking from either perspective, that are right next to one another. I was squealing with delight. The scenes were absolutely heavy, but I'm also a fan of the Berserk manga by Kentaro Miura, so it's my safe space.

The storytelling, action sequences, choreography, and even the English dub all are great. Highly recommended.

While the script aims to present an intriguing interpretation of the 'Master-Slave' dynamic through an unexpected companionship, it ultimately becomes sidetracked by various other elements, particularly the Japanese invasion and the complexities of post-war politics.

Now I don't intend to criticize the writing, as it responsibly sought to delve into the historical context; however, it could have better focused on the core of the story, the intended theme of the film so to speak, which, to my surprise and disappointment, became overshadowed by a myriad of tangential plotlines.

Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed the sword fights, they were skillfully shot and expertly choreographed.

This film seems like it has a quite high budget, and its therefore very weird that it disappoints so heavily.

The acting is mediocre at the very best.

The plot is all over the place, it is not coherent and the pacing is very off.

The choreography is cheesy, and the music sounds like something that is free from garageband.

Its difficult if not impossible to actually care for the characters, as they have unclear motivations and shallow personalities.

The only thing good about the movie was that it was fun to laugh at the poor quality of it. Truly astounding that it is this bad.

It also suffers from Netflix-colors. The costumes are way to bright and clean, and the colors seems a bit off.

CGI, when used, is not terrible but very very far from good as well.

Can't recommend this to anyone.

This movie follows the story of a slave named Cheon Yeong and his young master, Lee Jong-Ryeo. They grew up as companions, but a series of events turned them into enemies.

Set during the Japanese invasions of the Korean empires, the premise is simple and somewhat clichéd, yet it still holds enough promise to be a solid action movie. The early portion of the film portrays the young Cheon Yeong and Lee Jong-Ryeo well, effectively establishing their bond as they train in swordsmanship together. The shift from friendship to enmity occurs when Cheon Yeong demands his freedom and Lee Jong-Ryeo fails to secure it for him.

The story includes compelling elements, such as the revolt of the slaves, Lee Jong-Ryeo's misunderstandings fueled by rumours about Cheon Yeong, confrontations between Cheon Yeong and a Japanese general, and the conflicts faced by the rebels against the Korean king. However, the execution on screen is mediocre. The first hour flies by with no distractions, while the second hour becomes a slow burn, dragging on with clichéd character portrayals and story arcs. The climax feels unnecessarily prolonged. Nevertheless, the film's action sequences stand out, except for the climax fight.

The actors perform their roles decently, but the lack of character depth and development limits their contribution. The visual effects are impressive, enhancing the film's set pieces. The music is also effectively integrated, adding to the overall experience. If the story and character arcs had been better developed, this could have been a much more engaging action movie.

In conclusion, I appreciate the film mainly for its action scenes rather than its storyline. I would recommend it to those looking for exciting action sequences, but not for those expecting a strong narrative.

All great empires, all the wealth and the shiny palaces have been built on the sweat and suffering of the people oppressed and enslaved by those in power.

Very entertaining and engaging, albeit a tad too long. It uses certain over the top stylings and dramatizations and some typical humour that never lands for me in the beginning, but otherwise it's really good for what it promises to be. The only thing is it ends abruptly, without giving us closure on the fight for liberation from slavery and liberating the land from the corrupt king. Based on a true story but how did that story go? You can't just leave me like that...

South Korean director Kim Sang-man brings us an entertaining film about friendship, war and the history of the Asian country that comes under the auspices of Netflix and that fulfills its role as a pastime full of martial arts, swords, blood and friendship.

The story takes us to Jong Ryeo, son of the highest-ranking warrior family in Joseon, and his servant Cheon Yeong, who grew up together during the chaotic years of the Japanese invasion, and later meet again as adversaries. With this foundation, the director transports us to a story full of symbolism and South Korean culture with all the subtlety of that country's cinema, allowing us to always connect with the spectacular nature that the film displays at times, especially in the recreation of the ancient country.

The director knows how to intelligently and charismatically convey the background of friendship that nourishes the film throughout its entire journey, and his excellent cast also helps a lot in this, with Park Jung-min and Gang Dong-won standing out, who star in the highest moments of the film and in truly fascinating action and combat sequences.

It is worth noting that the film does not hold back and takes violence, cruelty and evil to the maximum, which truly makes everything they give us a visual delight, even though we have a couple of CGIs that do not quite fit, but the director's cunning when placing the camera and leading its path makes the film visually a beautiful poem for a culture and a cinema that is so pleasing to this day.

It is the forbidden but unbreakable friendship that gives it its greatest appeal, with a period drama with a marked modern sensibility that makes an interesting mix, becoming an experience worth watching from beginning to end.

Sequences of luxury, drama about the Joseon dynasty and swords, blunt weapons and hanging heads soak up an entertaining proposal for lovers of Korean cinema and for those looking for martial arts and swords. It is a worthy and successful proposal, which is not completely rounded, but which is effective when it comes to proposing entertainment, it delivers and that is already a great step for the new film by director Kim Sang-man.

1st time see the poster i was mistaken this is a kingdom season 3 :))) give the trailer a look , decide to watch and it a good 2hour movie expirence , this is a nice story about friendship and loyaty

the fighting choreography is okey , not the best i've seen from Korean (kundo 2014 and war of the arrow 2011 is some better example), but this movie have a very good cinematography , some scene can even become a good wallpaper too , the music and fighting sound is on par with the image quality

hope there is a sequel , the lust king is still alive and the main character still have many potential for more discover

this is the 1st time i've review on imdb , and that because the joy i've when watching this movie , give it a watch , you wont regret it , cause i wont :D.

The transition, direction of the scene is an absolute mess. It simply causes multiple confusion as of which scene and timeline or timeframe it supposed to be.

The plot and storyline is fairly straightforward and expected. Characters development is plain annoying and frustrating, fairly due to good acting but in general the script or writing for them is plain annoying that is superficial and lack of depth.

The aspect to attempt to infuse comedic elements to the movie is super confusing and honestly wasn't that funny or entertaining.

Subtle art directions in poking fun of cultural and egoistic character traits are interesting and fun to spot while watching, however, that wasn't conveyed more or accompanied by any further egoistic traits.

All in all I did not enjoy this movie, it was draggy and not entertaining. Annoying and frustrating for my liking.

I blame it on bad direction, like an annoying emperor who does not make any good decision that causes mayhem.

Always fascinated about Chinese and Japanese culture. This movie sets you in the era of slavery and kingdom. It becomes the tone of the movie. Nothing is certain in this movie. I couldn't tell when the next move would be. It is a rollercoaster. It reminds me of Ruruni Kenshin. It is a great movie. The setting is immaculate and I loved it. Will definitely rewatch it and would recommend it to a friend. The best part about it is at the end you are fulfilled and yearn for more. The actors did a great job showcasing both cultures and used martial arts 🥋 to depict this. My only gripe is it ended and would want.

Review of Uprising:

Uprising is a compelling Korean film that beautifully captures the historical tension between Japan and Korea, showcasing a gripping narrative filled with well-developed characters. The plot is engaging, intertwining personal stories with significant historical events, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking. The imagery is striking, effectively illustrating the cultural and emotional struggles faced during this turbulent period. The film's title aptly reflects its central themes of resistance and resilience, enhancing its impact. With its rich storytelling, there's clear potential for a sequel that could further explore this captivating history. Overall, I would rate it 9 out of 10 stars.

The main character, Jong-ryeo, is the son of a powerful military family. He grows up with his fathers slave/servant Cheon-young and becomes good friends after Cheon teaches him how to handle a sword. After a long series of unfortunate misunderstandings Both characters become enemies during Japan's invasion of Korea.

My brother decided to watch this on netflix. I quickly viewed the imdb rating and decided to shut it down before it even started.. I've decided for the future to not allow an imdb rating determine how a series or movie will turn out.. I thought it was outstanding.. Amazing swordmanship fight scenes and an awesome story. Flashbacks can make it a little confusing in the begining, but all in all i thought it was an awesome watch. Excited for part 2.