Song of the Bandits Review: A Series That Carries with It the Most Classic Flair of A Western 도적 칼의소리
Cast: Kim Nam-gil, Kim Nam-gil, Yoo Jae-myung, Lee Hyun-wook, Ho-Jing Lee
Created By: Hwang Jun-hyeok
Streaming Platform: Netflix
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 3.5/5 (three and a half stars) [yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Song of the Bandits (도적 칼의소리) is a South Korean action-drama series that just premiered on Netflix. The series stars Kim Nam-gil as Lee Yoon, the leader of the bandits, Seohyun as Namhee, a mysterious woman with a hidden past, and Yoo Jae-myung as Heo Soo-tae, a Japanese governor who is determined to crush the bandits. Welcome to the frontier, a lawless town, the world of renegades with a dark past where, without justification, we are all guilty. Welcome to a turbulent land in an unstable situation, after a war or on the brink of another. Nothing matters in “Song of the Bandits” but survival.
There is no doubt that Korean series are also gaining a prominent place in the hearts of Western viewers, starting from dramas, both modern and costume, up to shows with a more international appeal, such as the cult Squid Game or works taken from webtoons such as Hellbound, to enrich the streaming giant’s catalog comes this month a TV series whose characteristics make it a product perfect for attracting the interest of a very large audience. As we will see in this review of Song of the Bandits, the plot of this new Korean show combines historical costume drama with a Western setting (what more than the Old West can attract the attention of the Western viewer?) with a story that reminds us of Tarantino’s best films, from Inglourious Basterds and Kill Bill to Django.
Song of the Bandits Review: The Story Plot
We are in the early twenties of the twentieth century, the period is that of the Korean occupation by Japan. A man, Lee Yoon (Kim Nam-Gil), was forced by the dramatic circumstances of his life to fight for the Japanese army, where he rose through the ranks thanks to his incredible skills as a strategist and fighter. After many years, however, he is worn out by remorse: the atrocities committed in the war, against his country, make him want to put an end to it. The sword chosen to die is that of Choi Choons Soo (Yoo Jae-myung), a father who lost his entire family because of him. When he finally finds him and reaches him, however, something hinders his plans: in the isolated region where the man lives, Gando, bandits dominate, aided by the Japanese army and his supporters.
It is here that Lee Yoon finds a new reason for living: to put together a gang of highly skilled bandits, people as desperate and seeking revenge as he is, ready to do anything to free the country from the invaders. Also following the same purpose of freedom and revenge are Nam Hee-shin (Seohyun), a woman who is about to marry a Japanese army commander but who secretly works for the Korean resistance, and Eon-nyeon (Ho-Jing Lee) an unstoppable assassin: the two will meet for a common purpose and will be dragged into a battle that will change their lives forever.
Song of the Bandits Review and Analysis
If you’re looking for a truly good series, with well-defined characters and good storytelling, with a classic construction that also knows how to play with the modern, “Song of the Bandits” offers all of that. It will give you a chance to lose yourself in another world this weekend: with gunslingers, street gangs, and lawless cities. It’s like a Western, but in the land of Gando where a group of people with a turbulent past form a peculiar group made up of outlaw, and that fights to merely survive. “Song of the Bandits” is cinematically well-crafted, especially in terms of aesthetics: a series with dark photography, reminiscent of “Unforgiven”. It is visually enjoyable, with its framing and sequence construction, which counts on a very good editing rhythm. With well-defined characters, each carrying their own stories, and development within the plot.
Now, if there’s one thing that stands out in “Song of the Bandits”, it is the ambiance of a classic western it so well conveys, with a story of outlaws and bandits. It manages to capture that environment, where the “outlaws” rule, and has all the required elements (music, atmosphere, and especially characterizations), bringing about a result that is truly appealing to the viewer. Is it a series not to be missed? I suppose that’s a matter of personal taste. If you don’t like Westerns, it may still convince you based on its cinematic and aesthetic aspects. For lovers of classic cinema, of films from the 60s, it will be a delight, because it is aesthetically well-crafted and knows how to combine the modern infusing with a classic flavor.
As we anticipated at the beginning, Song of the Bandits brings together a series of elements that make it an appreciable show well outside of Korea: it is a costume action series, with excellent in-depth analysis of the characters and well-made reconstructions, which give life to a “ahistorical” Western reality that is particularly successful in its way. The inspiration from Tarantino’s cinematography is evident, on the other hand, the Hollywood director himself has always taken heavily from oriental cinema: the mix created for Song of the Bandits is convincing and well-created, perfect for creating addiction in the international public. The band of outcasts led by Lee Yoon seems to come directly from Inglourious Basterds as well as from many Japanese manga, the dynamics of the group – and the “special abilities” of each of its members – reminded us of stories like that of One Piece which have always been highly appreciated.
There is no doubt that the budget allocated for Song of the Bandits was quite large, which makes this Korean production even more valuable: from the settings to the costumes, to the very rich plethora of primary and secondary characters, we find ourselves faced with an extremely ambitious series, which deserves a prestigious place in the platform’s catalog. What is striking, as we were saying, is the great depth given to the various characters, who are widely characterized: among these, the female ones stand out, the women of this series are strategists, fighters, and assassins, who do not let anyone get in their way, even in the most dangerous situations. Seohyun and Ho-Jing Lee are perfect in their roles, intense and, each in their way, ferocious. Kim Nam-gli is then extremely convincing in the part of Lee Yoon, a protagonist tormented by his past, but charismatic to the point of gathering a band of loyal friends around him.
Song of the Bandits Review: The Last Words
Song of the Bandits is the new Netflix series that combines costume drama and western, in an unexpected but particularly successful mix… Don’t miss it! In conclusion, why do we think no one – both fans of Korean dramas and those who don’t usually approach them – should miss out on this series? Because Song of the Bandits is a compelling action film, in which the (very violent) fight scenes are masterfully created, at the same time the characters are fascinating and well-characterized, the story proceeds at an excellent pace and the settings and costumes demonstrate how is invested in its production. To find a flaw, it is perhaps a series that is a little too long, and at certain points, the narrative inevitably ends up dragging on a bit: however, this does not affect the viewing experience, which is immersive from the first to the last episode.
Song of the Bandits Review: A Series That Carries with It the Most Classic Flair of A Western 도적 칼의소리 - Filmyhype
Director: Hwang Jun-hyeok
Date Created: 2023-09-22 18:21
3.5
