ARAHAN (Korea, 2004)
Directed by: Ryu Seung-Wan
Starring: Ryu Seung-Beom, Yoon So-Yi, Ahn Sung-Ki

A modern-day version of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, this Korean action-comedy jettisons the earnest self-importance of CT,HD in favor of sending up the dusty cliches of the martial arts movie. Yu Sang-Hwan (played by Ryu Seung-Beom, the director's brother) is a nerdy, pencil-necked cop who spends all day giving tickets and whining about how he wants to do more in life. Meanwhile, on the other side of Seoul, the Seven Masters, led by Ja-Un (Korean film icon, Ahn Sung-Ki from Nowhere to Hide), sit around whining about the state of the world and how the flow of universal ch'i has become impure and corrupt. When a palm blast from Ja-Un's daughter goes awry, Yu crosses paths with the Seven Masters and they offer to train him to reach his full martial arts potential. Wouldn't you know it — at almost that exact same moment, the ultimate evil is unearthed by a construction crew on the other side of town.

Anchoring all the talk about Palm Blasts, Dragon Ch'i, and tao disciples with details of daily life in modern day Seoul, Arahan wrings maximum comedy and action mileage out of its kung fu concepts. A big-budget crowd-pleaser overflowing with summer blockbuster vibes, Arahan pits gormless dorks against pitiless killers in an unstoppable avalanche of action setpieces. Forget about what Hollywood’s offering you this season – Arahan is the summer blockbuster to watch.