Synopsis
The Battleship Island is an action-drama film released in 2017 and distributed in South Korea, directed by Ryoo Seung-wan. It depicts the story of Koreans who were forcibly made to work in Japan’s Hashima Island, which was shapewise referred to as “Battleship Island” in the later years of World War II.
The narrative begins with Koreans being brought over to the island and getting tricked into what was supposed to be an easy job and in reality, they were being captured to be turned into slave workers. It also features Lee Kang-ok, an orchestra conductor who along with his young daughter So-hee is trying to escape the war stricken Korea, but ends up moving into the shackles of the hardships that await in the island.
Living conditions are grave on the island. Workers are compelled to mine coal in rigorous industries that are infested with diseases. Overcrowded with disease, the mining camps turned from horrid to hell. Korean women, from former celebrities to everyday women, were captured and forced into the role of comfort slaves.
A trained partisan fighter named Park Moo-young arrives with a secret mission to penetrate an island and rescue a Korean independence leader. Parks arrival marks the start of rebellion with the prisoners as they suspect that the world war is coming to an end. Japan would try to erase every piece of evidence of the war crimes.
The fight over freedom to the island takes a new turn as the prisoners try to fight and other mix with the Japanese for a chance to stay alive. Attempts to break free end in chaos and betrayal. The movie highlights a fierce struggle of the Koreans arising against the confines of the island, defeating the oppressors with a rain of escape, where walls of iron meet the fire, resulting in destruction and freedom.
Kim Su-an takes on the role of So-hee paired with Hwang Jung-min as Lee Kang-ok. So-hee being the daughter of Kang-ok who assumed the persona of a light hearted entertainer, tries to shield and embrace the world of a simple child. Hwang holds the role of the lead where he captures the viewers with a blend of devotion and a sprinkle of love. Through the combination of the two the heart and soul of the movie evolves.
Song Joong-ki plays Park Moo-young, a reserved and disciplined resistance fighter. His role adds a subtle and heroic component to the ensemble, depicting quiet determination and steadfast love for his country.
So Ji-sub plays Choi Chil-sung, a hardened and rugged street fighter. Initially presented as a solitary figure, his transformation into a more compassionate character adds texture and weight to the film.
Lee Jung-hyun plays Oh Mal-nyeon, a woman turned into a comfort woman. She is strong and quietly defiant against horrendous oppression, depicting unwavering hardship.
The supporting cast includes different kinds of miners, soldiers, and prisoners who, though some represent the more heroic and some the tragic and morally ambiguous sides of the Korean struggle, add rich complexity to the narrative.
Direction and Production Design
As Ryoo Seung-wan the director merges epic action sequences with deeply personal and human stories, blending the film’s drama with larger considerations. The film’s visual production is breathtaking. To accurately convey the suffocating and maze-like structure of the camp, a full-scale replica of Hashima Island was constructed. The oppressive setting of the barracks, industrial ruins, and confinement tunnels are gruesomely realistic.
The cinematography uses subdued colors to convey hopelessness and despair, while action scenes possess frantic, immersive energy. Explosions, chases, and hand-to-hand combat are done so with life-threatening urgency, plunging the viewer headfirst into the disorder. The juxtaposition of emotionally quiet scenes with highly emotional, explosive scenes plays a central role in the film’s pacing.
The music score adds to the film’s drown tone, being sorrowful and contemplative during emotional scenes while being fierce during action. Costume design and props depict the 1940s seamlessly, deepening immersion into the historical setting.
Themes and Symbolism
Colonial Oppression and Resistance
The central theme is the brutal, inhumane experience of forced labor during the period of Japanese colonialism. Korean workers are captured, and they are systematically deprived of their rights, dignity, and identity. The ruling Japanese government sees them as disposable laborers, serving the imperialistic narrative of savage cruelty.
Survival and Morality
Many characters face the moral dilemma of deciding whether to cooperate and survive, or resist and face certain death. Lee Kang-ok, for instance, chooses to maintain the peace and avoid conflict, but eventually is compelled to act. Other characters are willing to betray their fellow Koreans to gain the approval of Japanese officers, which is a testament to the complexity of human behavior under immense stress.
Fatherhood and Protection
The film revolves around a father who is desperately trying to protect his daughter. Kang-ok and So-hee’s relationship reflects the purity and the optimism of a child. Their relationship balances the roughness of the island and emotionally grounds the viewers.
National Identity and Unity
The Korean prisoners, despite being internally fractured, come together to fight escape. Their rebellion is a metaphor for a national awakening, symbolizing the reclaiming of freedom and identity in the face of systemic oppression.
Reception and Box Office
The film was released, and The Battleship Island became one of the biggest blockbusters in South Korea in 2017. With millions earned in the opening weekend, ticket sales reached over 6.5 million in a matter of weeks. The star-studded cast, along with the large-scale production and patriotic themes, contributed to the film’s commercial success.
Critics offered mixed, but largely favorable reviews. The film’s visuals and the angering and emotional performances received praise, along with the overall production quality. The intensity and cinematic grandeur of the escapes captured the audience’s attention. However, some critics noted the film leaned heavily into melodrama, oversimplifying complex historical issues. The portrayal of the Japanese characters was criticized as one-dimensional, which sparked political debate in both Korea and Japan.
Regardless of the backlash, many viewers were moved emotionally, and several survivors and descendants of the forced labor victims praised the film for highlighting a history that not many are familiar with.
Historical Context
Although The Battleship Island is fictional, it incorporates real historical facts. Numerous Koreans were forcibly conscripted into labor on Hashima Island during World War Two. In 2015, the island was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but there is still contention on whether the history of forced labor is properly recognized.
The film seeks to address these historical wrongs, and while it does not pretend to be a documentary, it aims to honor the memory of those who suffered and fought back. The film incorporates elements of fiction and history to stimulate critical thinking on the subjects of history, memory, and reconciliation.
Conclusion
The Battleship Island is an intense, emotional, and thought-provoking historical action-drama. Through the experiences of people who lived through the horrors of a war and colonization, the film presents the brutal nature of these conflicts, making it a profound action-drama. Intense performances, meticulous production design, and explosive action not only entertain the viewer but also prompt historical contemplation.
Even with some of its flaws, like repetitive parts of the story or its use of stock characters, the film does honor the exceptional resilience of those who went through so much suffering. It applauds dignity, unity, and resistance, which is important and needed during oppression and injustice. The film is notable for its portrayal for people interested in Korean history, as well as those who appreciate wartime dramas and action films, The Battleship Island is simply a must-watch.
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