D-War Review

As a young boy, I remember watching the first Godzilla film, the American version with Raymond Burr. That film was a finely-crafted tale of post-war trauma and fears of nuclear proliferation, but as a kid I merely wanted to see a big scaly monster blow things up. This same desire pervades the 2007 Korean giant monster epic "D-War," also known as "Dragon Wars." The prologue begins in 16th-century Korea, where a giant otherworldly serpent is attempting to find a young woman and sacrifice her to attain godhood. It's an intense CG-heavy segment, complete with armored demon soldiers, dinosaurs mounted with what can only be described as magical rocket launchers, flame-spewing drakes, and kung-fu of such potency that it is literally explosive. It's fun to look at, and the viewer is drawn in by the spectacle...for about fifteen minutes. It is at this point that the actual story begins, as we cut to present-day Los Angeles, where television reporter Ethan Kendrick (Jason Behr) seeks a young woman who is somehow connected with the return of the giant serpent. The second act largely consists of poor line delivery in barely-relevant scenes, occasionally punctuated by the appearances of a CGI serpent. It kills the pacing of the film. The actors are unconvincing and add little to the presentation. This is why the viewer is thankful when the third act of the movie arrives and the CG armies of evil invade Los Angeles, culminating in an epic mostly-CG smackdown in what appears to be the fortress of Barad-dur. It's certainly not "Godzilla vs. Destoroyah," but it's also not "Godzilla vs. Megalon." As an example of the recent surge in internationally successful Korean films, it shows a great deal of promise. In summation: better than one would expect, but nothing to write home about.