In Netflix’s Uprising, directed by Kim Sang-man and produced/co-written by Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, Decision to Leave), two guys whose bond extends beyond the structures of rank and class are united and driven apart amid the unrest of 16th century Korea. The big and bloody warfare setpieces in Uprising go toe-to-toe with the personal battle between nobleman Yi Jong-ryeo (Park Jeong-min) and commoner Cheon Yeong (Gang Dong-won), which plays out across a period of years. And as Japan’s invasion of Korea introduces another formidable foe in Genshin Kikkawa (Jung Sung-il), Jong-ryeo and Cheon Yeong’s struggle mirrors the peasant class’s perennial wish for simple dignity. Uprising also stars Cha Seung-won, Kim Shin-rok, and Jin Seon-kyu.
The Gist: During the middle period of the 500-year Joseon Dynasty, it was unheard of for anyone to step out of line. The nobles were the nobles, the commoners were the commoners, and the enslaved were the enslaved – if a woman was pregnant while a slave, then her fetus became a slave, too – and the result of any challenges to this system was a round of fresh beheadings. Despite his role as the designated whip-ee for untouchable young royal Jong-ryeo (Park), Cheon Yeong (Gag) remains defiant in the face of these cruelties. But while he is low-born, Cheon Yeong nevertheless bonds with Jong-ryeo as they train in martial arts and swordsmanship.
It’s not a friendship endorsed by the aristocracy. But before it can become a bigger issue, Japan’s invasion of Korea plunges the king and his court into disarray. War breaks out everywhere, and an escaped Cheon Yeong becomes a leader of a ragtag civilian militia made up of common folk, butchers, and town square jesters. With the sword and clothing of his secret pal Jong-ryeo, Cheon Yeong becomes a kind of folk hero for the people. “The Blue-Robed God” even fights fearsome Japanese commander Genshin (Jung) to a swordfight stalemate.
Uprising shuttles between Jong-ryeo and Cheon Yeong as children and young men, showing us their burgeoning friendship on one side and the separation and confusion of wartime on the other. As the palace is destroyed, and the Japanese forces mostly withdraw, nobleman Jong-ryeo must side with the cruel and arrogant Joseon king (Cha), who’d rather punish his subjects for not properly respecting his position, even as they eat the dead to survive. Once Cheon Yeong foments a revolt from his base in the countryside, it’s only a matter of time until their bond is tested directly. They always treated each other like equals, even though it wasn’t allowed. But after all the wartime destruction and continuing rounds of heads getting removed from shoulders, what remains for Jong-ryeo and Cheon Yeong is the only question that matters. Are we still friends?
What Movies Will It Remind You Of? In The Fortress, also on Netflix, Joseon must defend itself against 17th century Qing invaders. And for swashbuckling historical fiction on the high seas with more than a touch of humor, look no further than the rope-swinging and swords-on-the-deck clashing of The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure.
Performance Worth Watching: Kim Shin-rok (Hellbound) is fantastic in Uprising as the brave commoner warrior Beom-dong. Beom-dong will tell anybody who needs to know just how it is. And if they don’t listen, well, then the six-foot-long pyeongon flail she wields will do the talking for her.
Memorable Dialogue: It’s our hope that when Park Jeong-min read his script for Uprising, he agreed on the spot to play courageous royal Yi Jeong-ryeo, because how could anyone starring in a battle sequence not want to say a line so absolutely cold-blooded as this:
“You will never leave here alive. We will chew your flesh, skin you, and sleep in your leather.”
Sex and Skin: None. It’s hard to seek love or romance when you’re too busy either starving to death, leading a militia for seven years followed by a DIY revolt, or being the king of a country so lost in the detachment of your position that you become the real enemy of your subjects.
Our Take: The final tally for double-crosses and even a few triple-crosses in Uprising is roughly equal to the impressive amount of heads that are summarily removed from bodies throughout this rangy historical epic. As its timeline bounces back and forth, following the friendship between Jeong-ryeo and Cheon Yeong as it bears fruit, falls on hard times, and finds its way back to stasis, Uprising can lose itself in trying to establish everything happening around its central twosome. But the battles are stirring – especially with the clash of 16th-century warfighting technology, as matchlock muskets meet long swords and bows and arrows and a host of improvised weapons – and the scenery, costume design, and terrific soundtrack provide structural support for its historical epic qualities.
By the time the film arrives at a fog-laced fight sequence pitting most of its principles against each other – but also in defense of each other; like we said, there’s lots of subterfuge happening – Uprising has had its draggy moments, but those are counteracted especially by the personal story of Jeong-ryeo and Cheon Yeong. This film reaches, and then it reaches again. It spreads itself out across the landscape, incorporating invading armies and a hidden horde of treasure and a Joseon king who’s somehow the most despicable person in war full of unspeakable tragedy. But it always finds its way back to two guys whose friendship could not be recognized in a land with such a rigid class structure.
Our Call: Stream It! Uprising elevates its historical epic game with grand scale battles, courtly deceit, and a satisfyingly roaring soundtrack. But it’s with the forbidden but never-say-die friendship at its center where it remains its most compelling.
Johnny Loftus (@glennganges) is an independent writer and editor living at large in Chicagoland. His work has appeared in The Village Voice, All Music Guide, Pitchfork Media, and Nicki Swift.