Plot: What’s it about?
Yang (Dong-Gun Jang) has always been an assassin. Even as a youth, he was put through intense training to hone his skills in all forms of combat. As lethal as he was with a sharp blade, he was just as capable if called on to simply use his hand-to-hand abilities. All the years of training have crafted him into perhaps the most efficient of all of his clan’s assassins, which is proven when his clan all but wipes out a rival. But when the bloodshed of an infant is called for, Yang turns his back on his clan and goes on the run to forge a new life. He winds up in America, where he settles down and instead of using his skills as a warrior, he earns income through more pedestrian jobs. But when not only his former clan, but a group of murderous soldiers arrive to wipe out his new home, can he once again find his warrior spirit within?
This movie has style to burn, from the visual design to the fight sequences to the dialogue. But while all that style is good, it comes at the expense of plot and pace. The filmmakers fail to weave the striking visuals and snappy dialogue into the story, which is a shame. The plot is simple enough, but gets lost between the countless visual design shifts and stylized violence. As cool as some of the fights are at first, they soon wear thin because there is minimal impact. The hero is never in danger, he is always precise and topples his foes with ease. This kind of sucks the wind out of the emotional end of things, since we never believe he might lose. The action is also on the overly staged side, so they’re not visceral at all. Despite all of these flaws, The Warrior’s Way is still a unique movie thanks to the dynamic visuals and sense of showmanship. So while it has a good deal of drawbacks, The Warrior’s Way is still worth a rental for those interested.
Video: How does it look?
The Warrior’s Way is presented in 2.40:1 widescreen. This movie has some remarkable visuals and the image looks incredible in this presentation. The visuals here are razor sharp, with even the smallest details clearly visible. And in a movie with so much emphasis on visual style, that is great news. In addition to the sparkling detail level, the colors look bold and vivid, contrast is spot on, and no artifacts can be seen. This is an excellent transfer and one that really shows what high definition can do.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio is just as potent as the visuals, thanks to this DTS HD 5.1 soundtrack. This track has it all, powerful surround presence, subtle atmospheric touches, and creative directional effects. Even in the more reserved moments, this mix makes sure the audio is dynamic. But even with that all going on, the dialogue is still clear and crisp. The music also sounds excellent and has a lot of depth here. This release also includes a French language track, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This release also includes some deleted scenes, as well as a two minute featurette.
