YONHAP NEWS

(Movie Review) Rain's charm goes missing in Hollywood ninja movie

By Shin Hae-in
SEOUL, Nov. 7 (Yonhap) -- If you are to enjoy "Ninja Assassin," you must either be a fan of the Wachowski brothers or a martial arts movie lover. Being a fan of South Korean heartthrob Rain won't do.

"Ninja Assassin," a Hollywood-produced Asian martial arts movie, has drawn high expectations from local movie fans since the news broke that the South Korean pop sensation and rising actor would play the lead character.

Produced by Joel Silver and the Wachowski brothers, and directed by James McTeigue of "V for Vendetta (2005)," rumors said the film was shaping up as one of the largest Hollywood blockbuster smashes of the year.

   The final product, however, falls far short of anticipation, especially for fans of Rain, who have seen the actor in some of his best performances in local films and TV dramas.

   The movie features Raizo (Rain), one of the deadliest assassins in the world, who was taken from the streets as a child and transformed into a trained killer by the Ozunu Clan, a secret society whose very existence is considered a myth. Haunted by the merciless execution of his friend by the Clan, Raizo breaks free and vanishes, preparing to exact his revenge.

   In Berlin, Europol agent Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris) stumbles upon a money trail linking several political murders to an underground network of untraceable assassins from the Far East.

   Defying the orders of her superiors, Mika digs into top secret agency files to learn the truth behind the murders. Her investigation makes her a target, and the Ozunu Clan sends a team of killers led by the lethal Takeshi (Rick Yune).

   Saving Mika from her attackers, Raizo emerges from hiding and slowly makes his way toward the elusive camp of the Ozunu Clan.

   Inspired by the ninja scenes featured in the Wachowskis' 2008 film "Speed Racer," in which the actor Rain had impressed the producers with his portrayal as a fighter, filming of the movie began in Berlin, Germany at the end of April 2008.

   "The day Rain did his first scene in 'Speed Racer,' the Wachowski brothers called me and said 'This guy is unbelievable. He's a natural, our dream come true.' We began to plan 'Ninja Assassin' immediately afterward," producer Joel Silver said in an earlier interview.

   Rain's six months of intense training to play the role of the deadly assassin is apparent. Rain flies about the screens wielding katanas and chained-daggers, creating breathtaking action scenes that take up most of the film's 98-minute running time.

   What is missing, however, is a comprehensible plot to back the flashy action scenes and the lead actor's charisma to keep the audience amused.

   Rain's expressionless face and emotionless voice seem strange to viewers used to his wide range of acting skills.

   Rain, 27, is also widely known by his real name, Jung Ji-hoon, in South Korea, which he revealed with his 2003 acting debut to show people he takes acting as seriously as singing. Rain is Jung's stage name as a singer.

   Rain's first film, "I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK," directed by Park Chan-wook, garnered him the Alfred Bauer Prize at the Berlin Film Festival in 2007, proving the young star's versatile potential.

   In his newest film, however, Rain hardly says a few sentences throughout -- perhaps due to his lack of English-speaking ability -- and fails to show off his charm that managed to take the hearts of so many female fans in his homeland.

   Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, "Ninja Assassin" will hit South Korean theaters Nov. 26, a day after its United States and Canada release.

   hayney@yna.co.kr
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