Korean pop star Rain plays the titular character, who takes on his former clan in a non-stop series of ferocious encounters. What makes this film so unique is the masterful staging of the fights by director James McTeigue (V for Vendetta): lots of devastating blows, severed limbs and blood flying around like exclamations points. There is a plot that spans the space between brawls and includes a detective played by Naomie Harris (most recently seen as the wife in The Third Day and Miss Moneypenny in the James Bond series). Other than several scenes that showcase Rain’s exquisitely-muscled body, everything else takes a back seat to the beautifully-stylized, creatively-staged, over-the-top martial arts sequences.
(4 / 5)