But even though it has some major flaws, I kind of like it, I would be lying if I told you otherwise. So here’s some reasons why it isn’t an amazing movie, but why it’s still worth the watch.
The first half of the movie feels a bit flat in my opinion. The main character is put through these trials that are somewhat repetitive and don’t really engage you since he feels like a stranger, empty and lacking a clear personality. A problem that persists throughout the whole movie. It’s hard to care about the outcome of the judgments when you can’t really connect with the characters.
Another thing that is off putting with the trials, is the fact that they never get exciting or serious. You never feel nervous for the outcome because of how predictable and silly they are. I still, as I wrote previously, love the concept though.
In the second half of the movie you get to know all the characters a little better, better but not well enough to make them feel like 3-dimensional, full characters. Even though it’s still very predictable, you want to see how the story unfolds and if you are a crier like me, you might even cry a little. I must say though, that the comedy and the tragedy in this movie isn’t that great. They play on your emotions in the most typical ways and often fail.
What I really like about the movie is the CGI. Almost every setting and fight was nicely done, something that is rare for these kinds of movies. The great surroundings truly make the movie come alive.
So all in all, I think that they could’ve made the movie a lot better and way more interesting if they wanted to, but at the same time it is an enjoyable movie and totally worth the watch. At least if you are into things like the afterlife, reincarnation, angels and Gods. I know I am, but are you?
Just because a movie isn’t amazing or flawless, doesn’t mean it’s not worth the ride, so don’t let all the not-so-great stuff prevent you from watching this nice movie.
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However, when you're sitting in your room watching on the small screen of your laptop, you need a strong story-line to keep you interested. And frankly there isn't much plot here. A man who dies a heroic death has to face seven trials in order to be re-incarnated. Each of those trials tell stories of his real life. Interesting, right? Except, the trials are quite ridiculous. He's a washed from holy water angel and all of his sins turn out to be not sins but good deeds with good intentions.
The prime example of a trial from this movie would be something like: A mother is seen not giving chocolate to her child when he's starving. This is her crime and she's taken to Heaven's court but later she's forgiven because it turns out that the child was allergic to chocolate all along. So she, in reality, was saving her child's life. I'm not even kidding, all his trials are of the same magnitude and in similar fashion. The last one is different but it takes a piece from the typical K-Drama melo shebang.
There are some sentimental scenes and if you are someone who cries only because you see another person crying, then it might be touching for you. But if you need to actually feel the emotion yourself to find something poignant then you'll find this simply sappy like I did. The film also tries to be funny but mostly settles at mildly amusing with some meme worthy moments. The acting has its perks but most of the time, it's either mediocre or over the top.
The characters are also a little bit annoying as a whole, especially the female character and the main guy who's on trial. The only person who's fun to watch is Joo Ji Hoon playing the self-preserving and often hilariously cynical Hae Won Maek.
There are some good action scenes though and cameo appearances by some big stars so it was nice recognizing them but over-all the film is sort of boring. I took a billion breaks within its 2hr 20 min duration.
So the best way to enjoy the film is not taking it too seriously and not focusing on the plot, rather just appreciating the cool effects and pretty sceneries.
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This movie offers you figuratively that there's no perfect world, no perfect justice system, no perfect human being. Everyone has flaws. Heroes and nobles are not perfect. Everyone has, at some point in their lives, did something that is not accepted morally or justifiably by the society. But nevertheless, we always have the choice to do what we believe is morally correct and just.
This film also distinctly emphasized that we, people, should know the value of balancing. We should never just look at one perspective. There is always the other side of the coin. We should not judge in a whim but rather must see the whole picture before making any statement or action. A reminder for all of us the consequences of being judgmental. A very clear message that is indeed very timely today where most people don't pause for a while and rethink before clicking, rethink before giving a statement, and rethink before judging.
A very exquisitely, well-thought-out, well-directed and well acted, well-made film of the year.
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VERY SHORT REVIEW
This movie was nothing short of amazing. The acting was on par, the storyline quality, the flow and character development extremely good. I was mostly impressed by actress Kim Hyang Gi that I didn't know at all until I saw her in this production. The entire cast was awesome, but my favorite character was the advocate Hae Won Maek played by Joo Ji Hoon. The movie addresses family matters, hardship of life, the notions of good and evil, the feelings of inadequation and guilt. It reveals our imperfect human nature, and makes us reflect on our own existence. This movie is so filled with emotions. I found the different hells very original visually, however the weakest point for me was the CGI at times, that looked rather cheap and messy. But it was overall very delightful and very well deserves its position as one of the biggest hits in Korea's film history.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
a very short and straight-foward review.im not that experienced in writing reviews so no hate XD
The movie had good cgi, when some things were revealed in the movie it was very interesting and little twists.
there was a emotional twist which hit me hard, i held in the tears cuz my mom was next to me XD anyways back to the review...
edit: no spoilers so this was all i could say
Actors/acting:
Cha tae hyun
His acting was superb here, there were 1 or 2 touching scenes that made me want to cry with him.
Ha Jung Woo
He was charismatic and seemed stiff but his character had a little twist later. His action scenes was dangggggg
Joo Ji Hoon
He was a pretty straightfoward bastard in this but came out to be more softhearted than expected. His actions scenes were good but not as good as ha jung woo's
Kim Hyang Gi
She played her role rly well, idk who she is but she did annoy the fk outta me during the movie, her role was annoying so she did a great job portraying her role.
D.O
There were some bit where he looked unatural but overall he was pretty good
Other:
There were alot of huge actors n actresses that acted in this but omfg kim min jong my bae, i almost died of fangirling in the cinemas, he has returned to the movie scene after 13yrs T_T i need him in a drama or movie soon, his last drama role mrs cop 2 in 2016 he barely had screen time when hes suppose to be a main role
Min jong oppa and ma dong seok in 1 scene, felt like i was dreaming seeing 2 amazing actors in 1 scene!
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During a nightmarish building fire, firefighter Kim Ja-hong (Cha Tae-hyun, from “My Sassy Girl”) finds that he was killed in the line of duty and forced into the afterlife. Faced with three guardians, Haewonmak (Ju Ji-hoon, from “Asura: The City of Madness”) Gang-rim, (Ha Jung-woo, from “The Handmaiden”) and Lee Deok-choon, (Kim Hyang-gi, from “Thread of Lies”), he is soon put through a series of tests in order to determine his worthiness in order to be reincarnated in the next life. As the trials commence and he goes further into the afterlife, a complication emerges that puts the entire ordeal in jeopardy and must be resolved before he can pass to the other side.
Frankly, taking one look at “Among the Gods” reveals many reasons for its popularity. Writer/director Kim Yong-hwa has crafted an ingenious tale that offers plenty of enjoyable elements. The original story, laced with a fine action-based subplot featuring the escaped spirit, offers a fascinating folktale about death and the spirit after we have died. Utilizing the basic framework of a multiple-layered Hell and the spirit going through trials in each said level, the film offers a novel and enjoyable variant on those types of stories. The second storyline, about Gang-rim tracking down the escaped family-member turned renegade spirit interrupting the trial, is a stellar secondary piece.
With the guardians afraid of what it would mean to their process if word got out about the being creating a bad name for the family, this sense of urgency to stop it before the trial is affected is a great bit of suspense throughout in the race to stop it. Likewise, the film itself is simply beautiful to look at. The production design by Lee Mok-won is absolutely stellar, traversing the various places in the Afterlife and creating many memorable and lasting settings. From the sea of volcanoes where they hold a court meeting inside an active lava-flow and a waterfall-based cliff overlooking the giant grounder on the island below, to the meeting being conducted in the middle of a giant forest or overlooking a coliseum composed of jagged, massive rocks, the different locations here are impressive and manage to feature plenty of intriguing locations.
Captured beautifully by cinematographer Kim Byung-seo, ‘Along with the Gods’ features a presentation that rivals mainstream Hollywood fare with the presentation of the different worlds or the epic sense of scale generated by the action within. From massive falls and plunges to swordplay and even full-on battle scenes, this packs in a fine action quotient to manage the fantastical storyline.However, it’s really the cast and acting here that impresses more than anything. Ha Jung-woo is incredible as Gang-rim, the man in charge of Ja-hong’s trial. Initially appearing to be a strict and determined being trying to ensure the process goes smoothly, the more they uncover about his life the more he reverts back to his human persona in terms of recklessness as he tries various tactics to help Ja-hong.
The film, however, still manages to make him likable and sympathetic as they traverse the various stages due to his level-headed charisma and ability to keep his emotions in check. His right-hand man, Haewonmak is played by Ju Ji-hoon as a somewhat more reckless, but still respectful individual who clearly wants the best for Ja-hong but treats this as part of the job. Despite his importance, he doesn’t view Ja-hong as being of the deemed status bestowed upon him and tries to keep his level-headed reserve for the job in check as they continue through the trials.
However, it’s the last two who deserve special mention here. Kim Hyang-gi is phenomenal as Lee Deok-choon, the apprentice-like being to Gang-rim as she is shown the ropes of how to garner souls through the afterlife. Spunky and optimistic, she begins with an infectious attitude that doesn’t denote the ordeal ahead, but gradually becomes invested in the process. She looks genuine in her concern for Ja-hong and the boldness she displays during the latter parts of the trial add to her likability which is what really brings us to the process. Lastly, Cha Tae-hyun works wonders as Kim Ja-hong, the firefighter being shown his life before his eyes. Initially, he appears completely overwhelmed bin what’s going on, but as we get to learn the series of tragedies in his past the more emotionally invested the audience becomes. It’s a testament to his talent that the drama weighs out nicely and the finale almost becomes tear-inducing as we learn the truth about him which is what helps to sell the action so well.
Even with all these elements present, it does have a few minor flaws. The most apparent is the film’s ungodly length as the weighty running time does feel every bit the near two-and-a-half hours. The trials here really take their time, as both the guardians and the prosecutors are given full-reign to speechify in order to give their full arguments before the Superior Beings in charge of each location. These scenes really could’ve been trimmed down to the actual points in order to move the pacing up. Likewise, the secondary subplot about the vengeful spirit potentially-harming the process could’ve been dropped entirely. This injects the film with action, but in doing so also forces the film to halt the action in order to determine the cause of the spirits’ actual death. Despite the rational motivation for the vendetta, the subplot was unneeded until the very end and just adds to the overlong length of the film. There’s not a lot to say about how to integrate it, but it adds a heavy drama that makes the film feel overlong more than anything.
In the end, the film is a stellar and wholly worthwhile Fantasy/Action/Drama epic that really seems to embody what the best of South Korean cinema has to offer. It’s big-budget look and feel offers worthwhile counterpoints to mainstream Hollywood, and yet the regional twist in the storyline and attitude towards its characters, the film emerges as a fine effort for those willing to take a chance on that material or fans of Korean cinema in general, while the running time might be the only aspect that would make others heed caution here.
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1) It's quite funny. So, Kim Jahong died a heroic death and was said to be a saint spirit(?) so, he goes on the afterlife with three guardians of death to go through trials to see whether he has sinned in his life. But the trials are like the normals trials in court in the real world and the prosecutors are quite dumb and funny. Heronmak is also quite rebellious and Jahong doesn't really listen well to the 3 guardians of death.
2) The CGI is great. it's almost game like (which I like) and the fights are epic. I must also point out the outfit designs are on point, especially the 3 guardians of death. Heronmak's weapon is also one of the coolest weapons I've ever seen in movies and games.
3) The actors were great and fit their character well.
4) The story also touches on the hardships of life and relationship between family, which I didn't expect at all but I pleasantly enjoyed it while crying nonetheless. There's also some twist and turns.
This is my review. Maybe I think highly of it because I didn't expect this at all but this is one of those movies that I thoroughly enjoy.
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Great CGI with minimal plot
I found this movie on the award winning section of Netflix and was very happy I stumbled upon it because it was Korean, sci fi and contained an after life plot . 3 ingredients sure to be a worthwhile watch in my book. Suffice to say - I was quite excited .Review Time ...
The story pivots on a man who dies a heroic death and proved to be utterly self sacrificing to the point of abnegation in his life. Outwardly he was a hero who saved lives but inwardly he was also a deserter and a moral coward . On the flip side ,his brother lived a full and wanted life. He was on the path of actualising his dreams . He also profoundly touched people’s lives and led a life of emotional impact which was the opposite of his brother. That’s the human side . Now insert graphics , stunning visuals , matrix outfits and superb sound engineering and you have Along With Gods.
However-The plot supersedes the story in a lot of ways which became rather lazy in the end . There’s not much that can go wrong with an after life plot and sci fi graphics but with no motifs , symbols and powerful character portraits- your winning formula can quickly become lacklustre and that’s exactly what happened in Along With the Gods. It really was supposed to tug at the profound strings as it bases its mantra in Buddhist philosophy but what was served was very minimal plot to go by with. I understand there are sequels so the guardians story line can be fully explored in later titles but still - there was not much plot to stick with.
Humph....
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(Uhh. Where is the action?)
PROS:
+ The overall look of the movie is eye-catching and stylish
+ Fight scenes and weapons are fun, kinetic, and unique
+ The story is mostly interesting and full of intriguing lore in the world in which it's set
CONS:
- Some aspects of the plot are over-used and become predictable
- The action is cool, but not very abundant for an action film
This movie has a lot going well for it, especially the world setting and the character's abilities and weapons. I REALLY wanted to see more of that. This could have been the coolest action movie, but it seemed a bit held back.
Still, check this out. It's cool! I'm looking forward to seeing the sequels.
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Visually, Along with the Gods is pretty. The CGI isn't perfect, but it's good enough. Narratively speaking, it has some pacing problems, but also has some interesting ideas. Overall, it's not the best, but it's highly entertaining.
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Story:
I waited for the big twist. I waited for the plot to develop. Till the last scene, I was still waiting. But there was nothing. Nothing big or surprising really happened. There was nothing to question, to look forward to. There was no plot. thus, there was no plot hole just unanswered questions and random facts never explained.
The story was really the biggest let down because there was so much room for so much stuff to happen but nothing happened. I felt like a documentary moving from 1 trial to the next, one place to the next. the movie explained us the process of the afterlife and it didn't seem as challenging as it sounded.
Characters:
Every single "character" was flat, empty. As a viewer, there was no one you could get attached too. Honestly, I don't even know how to judge the acting as there was no characters to begin with. There were scene where characters were crying but I didn't even understand why they were sad. I felt so detached from the whole thing. There 1 scene I found touching but the building up leading to it was bad so it ended up expected and not so moving. The whole movie, I felt like the directing was more to blame than the acting (I am biased tho).
The trials were inconsequential. Everything was "building up" to the last one but again the building up part was severely lacking.
Overall:
However, one interesting thing is that I managed to finish the movie without feeling too forced. When I think back, the movie had all elements to make it really boring and long but still I watched it till the end without felling too annoyed. If I were to make a comparison, I would say that this movie is like a gift. A gift wrapped inside various layer of boxes. Each boxes is wrapped with a very pretty wrapping paper. As you move from one box to the next, the paper keep getting prettier and you expect a really good gift since the paper is so beautiful. But the last box is actually empty. The background of the movie was really beautiful, there were flashy (and useless) fighting scene but there was no heart, no plot, no characters, no gift.
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