Heaven's Soldiers
Encyclopedia
Heaven's Soldiers is a 2005
film from South Korea
, directed by Min Joon Gi. It is an action and humorous movie shifting back and forth between high tension and comedy, and combining elements of many genres such as war film
s, time travel
and historical drama.
and South Korea
discussing the surrender of a North Korean 50 MT nuclear warhead (BiGeokJinCheonRyoe, Korean 비격진천뢰) in a secret underground development bunker near the DMZ. The warhead was secretly jointly-designed, but international pressure has forced North and South Korea to hand over the device and close the facility. North Korean officer Major Kang, displeased with the conciliation of the Koreas, rebels and steals the warhead with the help of several of his loyal soldiers, even killing some North Korean guards in the process. Due to the top-secret nature of the meeting, the leaders of both sides cannot request reinforcements to apprehend the officer, and instead dispatch a South Korean special forces platoon under the leadership of Major Jung-Woo Park, who was present at the meeting.
The platoon intercepts the rebellious Kang and his squad by boat and begin a firefight in the dead of night. However, in the middle of the conflict, a comet travels dangerously close to Earth - and this causes a "time rift" linking the present with other points in the comet's 433-year cycle of close approaches to the Earth. Three modern Korean men from each side (and one woman scientist, Dr. Kim, kidnapped along with the warhead) unintentionally and to their surprise find themselves time traveling back from 2005 to 1572, and wind up in the middle of a skirmish between Joseon
-era Koreans and Jurchen invaders. After some confusion, a grenade blast routs the Jurchens, and the soldiers immediately wind up with the nickname "Heavenly Soldiers".
While in 1572, they also meet with a regional foreigner who turns out to be none other than the young version of Yi Sun-sin
, the legendary admiral who later becomes instrumental in the defeat of the Japanese invasion some 20 years later. However, this "General" Yi acts like nothing like either of the modern Korean histories illustrate him: he is a petty thief and ginseng
smuggler who just failed his military Gwageo
exam, and seeing no sense in an orderly society, has turned to crime in order to survive. Yi also stole and hid the group's smallarms shortly after their arrival. Unfortunately, a little peasant girl caught him burying the weapons and later retrieves one of the handguns, whereupon she is caught by two Jurchen spies sent to look for the "Heavenly Soldiers".
With nothing better to do other than try to fix history, Major Park attempts to train Yi in the military skills he was so known for, while Major Kang and his men relentlessly search the area for the nuclear device, which has gone missing during their transit. Not understanding what this is all about, Yi is highly resistant to the modern Koreans' attempt to change his lowly lifestyle until he ends up captured by the Jurchens, who are aware of his association with the "Heavenly Soldiers" and now force him to lead the Jurchens to them by killing the peasant girl. The North Koreans, who are still looking for the warhead, stumble upon Yi and free him, and also find the nuclear warhead in the tent of one of the war leaders. However, Kang is forced to kill the son of a war leader sleeping in the same tent, and in retaliation, the Jurchens initiate movement into the local Korean village to violently root out the modern Koreans.
With the warhead back in their possession, and the timing and location of the comet's overhead passing accurately calculated by Dr. Kim, the Heavenly Soldiers prepare to leave the past as it currently stands. Yi, incensed by the barbarians' cruelty and determined to seek revenge, returns to the modern Koreans with their weapons and the elders of the girl's village, who plead with the Heavenly Soldiers to help them, and the modern Koreans relent. When Majors Park and Kang debate over the strategy that would work best for the villagers, Yi, beginning to find his legendary tactical competence, successfully argues for a combination of ambushes and a last stand.
That night, before the arrival of the Jurchens, the modern Koreans prepare to leave the past, as the comet would unexpectedly perigee later the next day. When Park advises Yi to save his life as well, Yi protests but is knocked out and carried off. Major Kang, who knows he will be hunted down as soon as he returns to the present, goes back to the village to help defend it from the Jurchens; the other modern Koreans stay behind for their own reasons as well. Meanwhile, the stubborn Yi manages to escape his confinement and joins the Heavenly Soldiers and the villagers in their battle against the Jurchens. The invaders are defeated after a long and bloody battle, but only Park and North Korean sergeant Choi survive the engagement alongside Yi; Dr. Kim and the warhead make it back to the present, where she reports their experiences to the disbelieving Korean generals.
In the final scene, Dr. Kim visits a local memorial to the still-venerated Admiral Yi, and the scene switches to the opening sequence of the Battle of Myeongnyang Strait
, the legendary sea battle where Yi and only 13 Korean ships successfully destroyed an over 300-strong Japanese armada. Yi makes a rousing speech of encouragement to his men and then gives the order to charge into battle, with Park and Choi by his side as his staff officers.
.
2005 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005...
film from South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, directed by Min Joon Gi. It is an action and humorous movie shifting back and forth between high tension and comedy, and combining elements of many genres such as war film
War film
War films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles...
s, time travel
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
and historical drama.
Plot
The film begins with high-level military leaders from both NorthNorth Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
and South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
discussing the surrender of a North Korean 50 MT nuclear warhead (BiGeokJinCheonRyoe, Korean 비격진천뢰) in a secret underground development bunker near the DMZ. The warhead was secretly jointly-designed, but international pressure has forced North and South Korea to hand over the device and close the facility. North Korean officer Major Kang, displeased with the conciliation of the Koreas, rebels and steals the warhead with the help of several of his loyal soldiers, even killing some North Korean guards in the process. Due to the top-secret nature of the meeting, the leaders of both sides cannot request reinforcements to apprehend the officer, and instead dispatch a South Korean special forces platoon under the leadership of Major Jung-Woo Park, who was present at the meeting.
The platoon intercepts the rebellious Kang and his squad by boat and begin a firefight in the dead of night. However, in the middle of the conflict, a comet travels dangerously close to Earth - and this causes a "time rift" linking the present with other points in the comet's 433-year cycle of close approaches to the Earth. Three modern Korean men from each side (and one woman scientist, Dr. Kim, kidnapped along with the warhead) unintentionally and to their surprise find themselves time traveling back from 2005 to 1572, and wind up in the middle of a skirmish between Joseon
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
-era Koreans and Jurchen invaders. After some confusion, a grenade blast routs the Jurchens, and the soldiers immediately wind up with the nickname "Heavenly Soldiers".
While in 1572, they also meet with a regional foreigner who turns out to be none other than the young version of Yi Sun-sin
Yi Sun-sin
Yi Sun-shin was a Korean naval commander, famed for his victories against the Japanese navy during the Imjin war in the Joseon Dynasty, and is well-respected for his exemplary conduct on and off the battlefield not only by Koreans, but by Japanese Admirals as well...
, the legendary admiral who later becomes instrumental in the defeat of the Japanese invasion some 20 years later. However, this "General" Yi acts like nothing like either of the modern Korean histories illustrate him: he is a petty thief and ginseng
Ginseng
Ginseng is any one of eleven species of slow-growing perennial plants with fleshy roots, belonging to the genus Panax of the family Araliaceae....
smuggler who just failed his military Gwageo
Gwageo
The gwageo were the national civil service examinations under the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties of Korea. Typically quite demanding, these tests measured candidates' knowledge of the Chinese classics, and sometimes also of technical subjects...
exam, and seeing no sense in an orderly society, has turned to crime in order to survive. Yi also stole and hid the group's smallarms shortly after their arrival. Unfortunately, a little peasant girl caught him burying the weapons and later retrieves one of the handguns, whereupon she is caught by two Jurchen spies sent to look for the "Heavenly Soldiers".
With nothing better to do other than try to fix history, Major Park attempts to train Yi in the military skills he was so known for, while Major Kang and his men relentlessly search the area for the nuclear device, which has gone missing during their transit. Not understanding what this is all about, Yi is highly resistant to the modern Koreans' attempt to change his lowly lifestyle until he ends up captured by the Jurchens, who are aware of his association with the "Heavenly Soldiers" and now force him to lead the Jurchens to them by killing the peasant girl. The North Koreans, who are still looking for the warhead, stumble upon Yi and free him, and also find the nuclear warhead in the tent of one of the war leaders. However, Kang is forced to kill the son of a war leader sleeping in the same tent, and in retaliation, the Jurchens initiate movement into the local Korean village to violently root out the modern Koreans.
With the warhead back in their possession, and the timing and location of the comet's overhead passing accurately calculated by Dr. Kim, the Heavenly Soldiers prepare to leave the past as it currently stands. Yi, incensed by the barbarians' cruelty and determined to seek revenge, returns to the modern Koreans with their weapons and the elders of the girl's village, who plead with the Heavenly Soldiers to help them, and the modern Koreans relent. When Majors Park and Kang debate over the strategy that would work best for the villagers, Yi, beginning to find his legendary tactical competence, successfully argues for a combination of ambushes and a last stand.
That night, before the arrival of the Jurchens, the modern Koreans prepare to leave the past, as the comet would unexpectedly perigee later the next day. When Park advises Yi to save his life as well, Yi protests but is knocked out and carried off. Major Kang, who knows he will be hunted down as soon as he returns to the present, goes back to the village to help defend it from the Jurchens; the other modern Koreans stay behind for their own reasons as well. Meanwhile, the stubborn Yi manages to escape his confinement and joins the Heavenly Soldiers and the villagers in their battle against the Jurchens. The invaders are defeated after a long and bloody battle, but only Park and North Korean sergeant Choi survive the engagement alongside Yi; Dr. Kim and the warhead make it back to the present, where she reports their experiences to the disbelieving Korean generals.
In the final scene, Dr. Kim visits a local memorial to the still-venerated Admiral Yi, and the scene switches to the opening sequence of the Battle of Myeongnyang Strait
Battle of Myeongnyang
In the Battle of Myeongnyang, on October 26, 1597, the Joseon admiral Yi Sun-sin fought the Japanese navy in the Myeongnyang Strait, near Jindo Island. With only the 13 ships remaining from Won Gyun's disastrous defeat at the Battle of Chilchonryang, Admiral Yi Sunsin held the strait against a...
, the legendary sea battle where Yi and only 13 Korean ships successfully destroyed an over 300-strong Japanese armada. Yi makes a rousing speech of encouragement to his men and then gives the order to charge into battle, with Park and Choi by his side as his staff officers.
Reception
Financed with a comfortable budget by South Korean standards ($7-8 million), the film was a relative commercial success in 2005. Its theme - where North and South Koreans are forced into alliance under the leadership of a hero venerated in both parts of contemporary Korea - is clearly intended as a plea for Korean reunificationKorean reunification
Korean reunification refers to the hypothetical future reunification of North Korea and South Korea under a single government...
.