[Lee Jong-gil's Movie Reading] Pirates with Strong Individuality but Becoming Distracted

Director Kim Jeong-hoon's Film 'Pirates: Dokkaebi Flag'

Released on the 26th, "Pirates: The Goblin's Flag" leaves those who remember the previous film feeling disappointed. The predecessor, "Pirates: The Bandit Goes to the Sea (2014)," contained various conflict structures. For Goryeo military officer Jang Sa-jeong (Kim Nam-gil), Mo Heung-gap (Kim Tae-woo) was a mortal enemy. He betrayed his country and killed Hwang Jung-geun (Park Hae-soo), who was like a brother to him. For Yeowol (Son Ye-jin), Soma (Lee Kyung-young), whom she served as a Danju, was the same. Blinded by greed, he tried to sell out his subordinates, provoking Yeowol's resistance and leading to a relationship where they threatened each other's lives.

The relationship between Jang Sa-jeong and Yeowol was different. From being at each other's throats, they developed into allies who cooperated against a common enemy. Such various tension elements served as the emotional core of the comedy-laden film and provided a platform for the actors to showcase diverse performances. This drew out rich emotions and greatly enhanced the appeal of the adventure genre.

In "Pirates: The Goblin's Flag," it is difficult to find the strengths of the previous film. The bandits and pirates simply embark on an adventure to find the hidden treasure of the Goryeo royal family. The only one who stands in their way, Bu Heung-soo (Kwon Sang-woo), is not as intense as Mo Heung-gap. Even his relationship with the protagonist U-moo-chi (Kang Ha-neul) is shallow, serving a functional role before being discarded. Structural problems lead to the main cast overusing unnecessary elements. Each repeatedly resorts to exaggerated expressions, abandoning nuanced acting. The story resembles a Japanese B-grade fantasy film that pushes forward with character colors rather than story density.

From U-moo-chi, one cannot expect the seriousness of Jang Sa-jeong. He constantly shouts with messy, unkempt hair. This was a setting Kang Ha-neul devised himself to break away from a monotonous flow. He said, "I wanted to instantly convey a reckless feeling and highlight a rough personality." The exaggerated expressions continue throughout the film. With a simplified emotional line, the story's progression cannot gain momentum. Kang Ha-neul said, "This work prioritizes harmony with various characters over U-moo-chi himself," adding, "I thought more about how to respond and react in sync with other actors."

According to his plan, the comedy in this film should shine more than in the previous one. However, the foundation is the coexistence of bandits and pirates already covered in the predecessor. In the previous film, Cheolbong (Yoo Hae-jin) was at the center. He moved between both sides, delivering self-deprecating lines that elicited laughter. Replacing him, Mak-i (Lee Kwang-soo) is more self-centered than blending with other roles. He consistently uses a strong tone to assert his own color, relying heavily on slapstick. Supporting actors like Kim Sung-oh and Park Ji-hwan are no different. They maintain exaggerated speech and actions comparable to the leads, making the overall atmosphere chaotic.

Amidst the rampant overacting, Han Hyo-joo strives to show a new side. She plays Danju Haerang, who commands the pirate ship. Her breathing, vocalization, and speech differ greatly from previous works. She closely follows the performance Son Ye-jin showed in the predecessor, resulting in a strongly artificial feel. Han Hyo-joo said, "Vocalization was my biggest concern." "As a female leader, I had to show charisma. There were many lines, and I had to project my voice loudly, which was a big burden. Although I have appeared in many works, I have never acted while shouting this much. Like practicing martial arts moves, I did vocal training two to three times a week. Even on my way to the set, I tried to find the right voice."

In fact, a bigger problem is Haerang's presence. Unlike Yeowol, there is no character who opposes or conflicts with her. In the treasure hunt journey, she only holds the final decision-making power but has no other significant role. She fights Bu Heung-soo's henchmen and saves the pirate ship swept away by waves. The latter is not depicted dynamically. Her loud shouts are often drowned out by special effects and music. Han Hyo-joo said, "I approached the role thinking of it as a new character rather than connecting it to Yeowol from the previous film." The screenplay for this film was written as a sequel to the predecessor. Casting Kim Nam-gil, Son Ye-jin, Yoo Hae-jin, and others fell through, resulting in a complete cast replacement. The screenplay barely changed, with only two or three scenes added at the beginning.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.