The conscientious war film “Hansan: Rising Dragon” recounts the successes of 16th century Korean national hero Yi Sun-shin, which were previously chronicled in the 2014 film “The Admiral: Roaring Currents.” Directed by Kim Han-min, both films boast of Admiral Yi’s skill and courage in repelling Japanese invaders attempting to conquer the peninsula. This time the main event is the Battle of Hansan Island in 1592, a Korean victory presented as both a strategic and technological feat.
Part of the film traces Yi’s efforts to lay the logistical and diplomatic foundations for a defense, amid infighting and Japanese espionage. (An intimidating number of captions appear onscreen to help identify the military figures involved.) Yi (Park Hae-il) is portrayed as a wise and deliberate leader, though his noble demeanor can easily appear deadpan, and the many military confabs tend to sag.
A recurring topic of debate is the deployment of turtle ships – strong armored ships with cannons on all sides and a dragon-headed battering ram. When the film finally opens with naval warfare, these monstrous ships are worth the wait, roaring through the water in awe-inspiring sequences that alternate between wide shots and zoomed in crashes. There’s also a lot of talk about Yi’s arcing combat formation, but its importance is overshadowed by the sheer spectacle of the collisions.
The film’s dramas are richly costumed but often stuffy and lack the verve of battle dramatization. Even the glories of war can become mind-numbing when you’re shown too many thousand-yard reaction fire from military leaders.
Hansan: Dragon Rising
Unclassified. In Korean, with subtitles. Duration: 2h10. In theaters.