Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Cartoonishly violent fusion of martial arts and Westerns.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Warrior's Way
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. It pairs 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 entertaining, 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.
Talk to Your Kids 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?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 3, 2010
- On DVD or streaming : June 28, 2011
- Cast : Geoffrey Rush , Jang Dong-gun , Kate Bosworth
- Director : Sngmoo Lee
- Inclusion Information : Asian Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Rogue Pictures
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong bloody violence
- Last updated : September 15, 2022
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