The Warrior's Way

Review

Common Sense Media says

Cartoonishly violent fusion of martial arts and Westerns.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this action-packed movie -- which blends elements of Westerns and Asian martial arts movies -- is brimming with cartoonish violence. There's lots of fighting with swords, knives, and guns, plus spraying blood and plenty of dead bodies -- but it's all done without any real sense of danger. Some of the violence (less bloody but still potentially upsetting) is directed toward a young girl and a woman. The hero and heroine flirt and kiss (and she uses a low-cut dress to help her seduce a bad guy), and one character is presented as a comical town drunk. Language is infrequent and includes a few uses of words like "s--t" and "damn."

  • Positive messages0
    Although the hero starts out killing everyone he can as part of a clan war, his course is eventually changed, and he learns to work with others and to help the townspeople face impossible odds. He also learns friendship and understands that to build and grow things is better than to destroy them. (Unfortunately, this lesson doesn't stick all the way to the end of the story.)
  • Positive role models0
    The hero is a highly trained killer who attempts to lay down his sword and build a new life for himself. He makes friends, starts a business, grows some flowers, and allows himself to love a girl. He even helps organize the townspeople and helps them face terrible odds. Unfortunately, he believes that because of his violent past, everything he loves will eventually be destroyed. And the movie's heroine is mainly bent on revenge.
  • Violence4
    Extreme but cartoonish violence includes many dead bodies, plus spraying blood, swordfighting, gun-fighting, knife-fighting, dynamite, and explosions. A frying pan filled with hot grease is splashed into a character's face. The villain and his henchmen also commit violence against a young girl, dragging her through the streets, kicking her, and eventually shooting her and killing her family. Later, these same villains treat a grown woman roughly, pinning her down on a bed with the suggestion of attempted rape (she's rescued). In some scenes, a baby is present during moments of violence.
  • Sex2
    The hero and the heroine flirt and share one passionate kiss. The hero is seen without his shirt in one shot; later, the heroine wears a frilly dress that reveals cleavage. She uses the dress to seduce the villain, whom she intends to kill, and there's a little bit of "foreplay" (he licks her neck). In one shot, two teen girls are being scrubbed in a tub.
  • Language3
    Language is infrequent but includes "s--t," "goddamn," "damn," and "hell." The bad guys also use a couple of racial slurs against the Chinese (actually South Korean) lead character, including "yellow" and "chink."
  • Consumerism0
    Not applicable.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking2
    One character is portrayed as the town drunk, but his antics are comical; he doesn't really have a drinking problem, and he sobers up when necessary. Minor characters occasionally drink whisky.
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What's the story?

A skilled swordsman succeeds in wiping out the last of his enemies -- almost. The only one remaining is a baby. Invoking the wrath of his own clansmen, he decides to spare the baby and head for "Lode," a Western town where an old friend once lived. There he meets Lynne (Kate Bosworth), who dubs him "Skinny." He also befriends "8 Ball" (Tony Cox) and the town drunk (Geoffrey Rush), opens a laundry, and learns to fit in. Unfortunately, his enemies are still on the hunt for him. Not to mention that Lynne has an enemy of her own, the sadistic Colonel (Danny Huston), who once murdered her entire family. Can "Skinny" keep his violent past from intruding on his newfound, peaceful, happy life?

Is it any good?

 

The American-educated Korean filmmaker Sngmoo Lee makes his directorial debut with THE WARRIOR'S WAY, and it's a great deal of fun, pairing up Korean and American stars, as well as the martial arts and Western genres (though it's definitely better versed in the former than in the latter). The result is slick, brisk, and fun, although some audiences may be unsettled by the presence of a baby in the midst of all the violence, as well as brief violent acts committed against a young girl.

Jang Dong-gun (previously seen in Chen Kaige's The Promise) turns in an appealingly low-key, stoic performance, and he's nicely matched by the high power of his American co-stars, especially the spunky Bosworth, who has never been better. Lee draws from a number of genre conventions, but he does so with cheerful self-awareness and mixes them all together with a kind of infectious glee. His action sequences are clear and snappy, with the ante forever being upped for the unbelievably explosive climax.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about the movie's extreme violence. How did it affect you? Was any of it disturbing? Thrilling? Why do you think violent scenes can provoke both kinds of reaction?

  • What impact does it have on viewers that the movie is presented in such a cartoonish, rather than realistic, way? Does that make any of the action scenes seem less intense?

  • Is the hero correct in thinking that everything close to him will be destroyed? Would it be worth the risk to find out?

This review was written by Jeffrey M. Anderson
Adult
December 10, 2010
AGE
15
 
Extremely dull and poorly written and directed silly flick.
The world's greatest swordsman abandons his warrior clan to start a new life in the American Badlands in THE WARRIOR'S WAY, a visually dazzling modern martial arts adventure with stunningly choreographed fight sequences and gravity-defying stunts. In an original, gorgeously realized journey into a mythical past, writer and director Sngmoo Lee seamlessly marries the cinematic traditions of East and West. Korean superstar Jang Dong Gun, Kate Bosworth, Danny Huston and Academy Award-winner Geoffrey Rush star in this epic story of revenge and redemption. i was not gonna watch this movie but it was available free so i thought i will watch it, a silly entertainer. but when i did it wasn't even silly to entertain i mean totally (sorry to say this but) rubbish. i am a great fan of these Ninja or Kung Fu or those Chinese, Japanese, far east movies with all these flying fighters like Hero or some other movie. they are epic like, visually stunning and great but one totally falls flat not just in writing or directing but in the visual department as well. i was not expecting any thing from this movie so i am not that disappointed. first of all this Ninja meets Western combination was crazy and strange but sounded well. it would have worked too if they have shown a decent place. the visual effects are very dumb and pretty bad. it seems like a C grade movie. which i hate. the fighting scenes are somewhat good though. Direction of this movie is very poor. extremely badly written screenplay. a complete hollow and empty screenplay. many flaws in writing and directing departments. Dong gun Jang looks very handsome and good in his character, though i can't tell about his acting ability that well. but he looks good. Kate Bosworth was good in her character but kind of annoying. Geoffrey Rush is barely in the movie. i missed him in it. he is all that drunk man/shooter. its a complete no brainer and silly Ninja meets western kind of action flick, its very annoying, dull if not boring. the fighting scenes were not that gory which i liked. even visually poor. please Skip it guys.
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Teen, 14 years old
December 17, 2010
AGE
11
 
Fun, but silly and with lots of plot holes
This movie was okay. There were a lot of plot holes, and much wasn't explained. It was also very quirky and silly, which action movies should not be. But, the action sequences were excellent, and the ending was great. This movie has tons of bloody comic book violence, a few swear words and an attempted rape. A fun movie, but if your looking for a serious movie or one with a good story, you will be disappointed.
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Helped me decide (10) | Had useful details (10) | Read my mind (9)
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Kid, 9 years old
March 7, 2011
AGE
15
 
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Helped me decide (9) | Had useful details (8) | Read my mind (9)
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This review was written by Jeffrey M. Anderson
Studio:Rogue Pictures
Director:Sngmoo Lee
Cast:Geoffrey Rush, Jang Dong-gun, Kate Bosworth
Genre:Action/Adventure
Run time:100 minutes
Theatrical release date:December 3, 2010
DVD release date:June 28, 2011
MPAA rating:R
MPAA explanation:strong bloody violence
This review was written by Jeffrey M. Anderson
 

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ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
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FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
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