Volcano High: Viewer Comments

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Volcano High
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by RD11706
www.hyphenmovies.com

"Volcano High" is like many live action animes, except I think it's trying to take itself seriously.

The acting isn't bad, particularly on the part of the lead. The director is highly stylized. The plot changes depending on whether you are watching the original Korean version or the English MTV dub. They are essentially the same, but the Korean story is a bit better. The action scenes aren’t too high on martial arts. Most of it’s wirework and anime-style fantasy. However, there are enjoyable bits to it.

The story may not be too interesting, and the film may be low on content, but the visual style makes it entertaining, if nothing else. See the original Korean version, as you'll get more bang for your buck.

by TheDenizen

Flashy wire-fu with CGI and a ridiculous story. The 2-hour Korean version is pretty campy and fun, but the edited down MTV version with rappers dubbing the voices is dreadful.

by LV20740

Wow, what a boring movie! I'll admit that the story is pretty interesting however I just feel that I (a normal person with absolutely no experience making movies let alone write a review about one) could have done it better. The action, the special effects and the "Hip Hop" dubbing [available on the US DVD] all sucked. The original Korean version was worse. It was even longer! Big disappointment.

by Luke J.

You guys wanted someone who liked the movie so here I am ^.^

For those who don't know, VH is about a powerful student (imagine a very dim-witted Goku) who is transferred to Volanco High. unfortunatly for him, his timing couldn't be worse as a student (think of a very over the top Vegeta) and the vice princible plot to overthrow the school's power in order to find the "ultimate power" the princible holds. A war between students and teachers soon begins with excellent visuals.

Volcano High is one of those Asain films you can't and shouldn't ever take seriously. Like Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu hustle, this movie is a comedy with excellt action. The characters are over-the-top and very exageratted and the storyline gets a bit too weird but honesty; this is one of those films you just kick back and watch.

The best parts however revolve around the action scenes. From throwing energy balls to running on the walls; from blasting apart buildings to a very intense battle in the rain at the end; this movie is fantastic for those who crave "DBZ" action. The special effects are very well done and are perfectly in sinque with the actor's actions.

Please give this movie a shot and keep in mind it is not supposed to be a serious film. Once you get that through your head you'll have a blast.

P.S DO NOT GET THE VERSION WITH SNOOP DOG! GET THE ORIGINAL ASIAN VERSION.

4.5/5 ^.^

by DJ LeeZ

Its not trying to be serious in any respects. Its a crazy comedy that the crazy of us find hilarious.

by BR5064

Jang Hyuk is a goofball! This movie had a comic book feel to it, an awesome movie, don't be a nub, buy it.

by Jung

I really thought this was an OK movie.We all couldn't stop laughing, b/c yeah, it was dumb, but funny. Like when Ryang--or whatever his name was--pulls out the wedding ring and kind of does a smile/hiss like a snake. And that break in the movie where Kim is being chased. So funny. Those five teachers were so absurd, it was hilarious. Like, why didn't Kim just drop out? LOL

by John Bolton

One of the best films of the year. I am outstanded that [others] found this film boring, but there's no accounting for taste. Great action scenes and a strong plot ensured everyone left this film exhilarated.

by Jinn

Very Cool effects and overall a good action film. Although the story seems to move a bit slow and the cast can cut down on the overacting. The tough guy image is hard to sell if you are smiling when conducting your dialogues. Can't be funny and serious at the same time, it only works for Jackie Chen.

by jacinto fragoso

This is mindless fun, that's all it is--unlike The Matrix--what more should i say, it sucks!

by thomas mitcham

This is a good fun movie is no for old people and matrix, anime, video game or action movie fan will like it and for those of you that know video games one word Rival Schools.

by thomas mitcham

Ok ok ok ok ok so this movie isn't the greatest thing coming out of Korea. If you watch this movie with an open mind, you might find it enjoyable to watch. However, if you watch it with an attitude of a narrow-minded movie critic you might find this movie boring. I found the movie entertaining. if you think this movie is bad try watching "Uzumaki" or "Naked Killer".

by LY20626

Yes it's true the movie dragged with a lack of storytelling, but the last part had nice special effects although the fights did go sour. They were over too fast not giving any sense of satisfaction. Too bad though they had a good premise to work on.

by christopher todd

NOTE: This review refers to the short version (~100 mins.)released in Hong Kong.

Although lacking in the plot department, it is thuroughly entertaining and is a nice blend of comedy, drama and action. It has been called the "Korean Matrix" for obvious reasons as the cg is incredible. It is in a way the opposite of the "Animatrix" as instead of being an anime version of a movie, it is a movie version of an anime. The critics are wrong.

by Armando Fernand

You guys wanted to know why someone liked this film. Here's why. You have to take it as live action anime for one to like it. I did and enjoyed it. The effects are friggin great. The fight scenes are cool as hell. The overacting that is done by a couple of the actors is just the way the characters should be. I watch this movie as just entertainment. I have a few buddies who have come over knowing that they should see this as eye candy and have really enjoyed it. If you like cool effects and just want entertainment then this is a good movie to watch.

by Jessica

All right so it wasn't a perfect movie, but I really enjoyed this flick. I've watched it like five times this past week or so. It's funny and it doesn't take itself drop-dead serious, which is a nice. It's hilarious, it has a sweet romance, and great action; what more do you need. It's a fun, light-hearted movie, and I think people are taking it too seriously.

by Jerome Spenlehauer

SYNOPSIS:
Kim, A naughty pupil is transferred to Volcano High School. It's a place where boys, girls and teachers have extraordinary powers. They fight each other with force fields coming out from their hands. Kim is going to have a hard time to choose his gang : the kendo club which is made of girls, a guy with orange hair is leading the rugby clan, and the mighty .

REVIEW:
Volcano High could have been a great masterpiece but it doesn't exceed a B-movie flick. There is no real plot and the movie is a mere succession of duels, sometimes visually amazing. It looks like a comic book especially when the actors force themselves to make a funny and exaggerated face. There are also some funny moments that are not actually very funny...Characters are overcaricatured and seem to be coming from a live manga.

But above all, this movie lacks a soul. Its characters are bit too shallow, not as in Shaolin Soccer for example, where all characters are nice and engaging. It's not only the special effects that make the movie works. In Volcano High, the main character is a dumb guy who doesn't really know how to use his super powers. And he never really evolves until the very end of the movie.

The picture has very cold colors which makes it look metallic. The whole movie seems to have been put in the digital machine. Of course, the numerous fights have a lot of composing CGI.

Besides its faults, Volcano High is a nice movie to discover only because it is a true curiosity. It allows us to see the evolution of korean cinema, torn between hollywood spectacle and asian roots.

by b vang

the movie was good. I like the anime/comic book feel to it and the light jokes inserted every now and then. jang hyuk was really funny and acted really well. the bad guys were fairly evil, except the vice principle was really evil (meaning good at acting evil). the cinematography was really good. the picture and color was crisp which gave it an unrealistic (anime/comic book) feel. really good graphics and fighting. the plot was good because it was simple and clear, giving more attention to the action. but I thought that there still should had been more action, more fighting. the movie turned out to be better than I thought. so I recommend it to action lovers or jang hyuk fans.

by Ken

This is a very dissapointing movie. The fight scenes involve no action at all, just power blows. The story, school, and characters are over exaggerated. Don't these kids have a home to go to after school? What about homework?. Clearly it's a sorry movie. I only gave it a 0.5 rating [out of 5] because I was feeling good that day.

by Alex Chan

I'll briefly say what's already been said about this film. If your looking for substance and meaning from this film's plot and characters look somewhere else. If you are looking for some good fight sequences (a la "Matrix" and computer generated stuff) and typical good versus evil plots then you've found the right film.

Of note, the big fight near the end is pretty good. Good use of lighting and colours throughout. Fighting sequences choreographed well. Enjoyable and worthwhile buy for fans of action, "Street Fighter" and "Matrix" films.

by Oscar Steiner

I think that the "HKFlix Says" review of this movie is unfair. This South Korean flick obviously is a lot more inspired by Final Fantasy and anime comics and classic storytelling for children (enter Harry Potter) than the more "serious" Hong Kong flicks.

I rate it as a four [out of 5 stars] since I find the exterior of the film thouroughly appealing, the slapstick and comical mimics (especially from the large guy portraying "Dark oX" entertaining and the cast cool and sexy.

The secondant for the captain of the Kendoteam has just the same hair as Yunna of final fantasy X. Too much of a coincidence to be a... coincidence. Since I really REALLY dig thoise rpg:s from square soft this film makes me happy. Sure it's not altering the world or making you think proufound thoughts after leaving the theatre or turning off the tv. But it's hell of a good entertainment. I also find the showerscene between the two soon to be lovers kind of cute.

by Tou Mua

On a general note, I have yet to see a bad Korean movie. Well, there's a first time for everything. It's like the Matrix meets the worst Korean movie ever.

Cons: Worst story telling in the history of Korean movies. The feeling of the whole movie is dry and boring. The part that gets me is that they try to sneak in some humor but it just eventually got annoying. The storyline continuously got jumbled up and was obviously written by 12-year-old Dragon Ball Z fans. All of the characters are shallow and one sided; not to mention easily forgetable (yes the acting is dreadful). Did I mention the overly drawn out and boring parts in between the action? And when the actions scenes did show up, it was mainly cheesy one hit punches or a lame body slams.

Pros: When the action scenes are not putting you to sleep, they are actually really good. It's all eye candy. The CG in this movie is done really well. Probably the only action scene worth watching is the last one but it's not worth waiting through 2 hours of crap to see it (May I suggest "scene select"?).

Bottom Line: Volcano High is downright boring and hideously bad. There is no entertainment value at all. I'm embarrased for watching this movie right after I watched MUSA and JSA. It's like I degenerated. Stay away from this movie unless the price drops below $10.

by moron

2 out of 5 [stars]? I rented this vid on a questionable recomendation and was expecting to put up with overt amounts of Cheese to get some decent action. I'll be blunt. This movie ripped my head off. This is basically a best of breed mix of "Shaolin Soccer", the aesthetics of "Resident Evil" and the cool, hard flow of "The Matrix" - melodrama, enough action to leave your hands shaking and pushing style like 10,000 Jack Lords on steroids. I honestly can not understand how anyone could not think this movie thoroughly rocked. The editing, production values, soundtrack, performances, string work, just everything was unnervingly slick. The opening credits pretty much make it clear what you are in for and there wasn't a single moment in this entire movie that had me cringing or questioning my rental decision. Calling "Volcano High School" derivative is like calling an Acura NSX derivitave because it's a car. This flick has more sleek lines than a million car commercials and has me wired me up enough to seek it out for my permanent collection. Very, very cool.

by Jason T.

I recommend this movie for people who just want to have a good time. It's all about style over substance in this movie. It has some of the best cinematography, action scenes, and CGI. The color they use in scenes is breathtaking.

Granted the story is sub par. But it totally makes up for it with everything else. The people who made "Legend Of Zu" and "Avenging Fist" should take lessons from these guys. They incorporate CGI in action movies they way it's supposed to be.

Just my take.

by chris durling

Matrix meets Legend of Zu, in this action packed movie. The story could have been a lot better, but this reminds me of an excellent summer movie, lots to look at not much to think about. I thought it was fun.

by Steve Sinister

VOLCANO HIGH SCHOOL: You'll either LOVE or HATE this movie depending on what mood you're in when you watch it. But let's see, what exactly have we got here? This movie is like playing a video game on the hardest difficulty setting. It's just like standing in line for the premiere of a blockbuster motion picture. It's a front row seat at a Korean ROB ZOMBIE concert. It's a shot of whiskey without the chaser. Rough and rowdy, it's fast (oh yes!), it's furious (oh hell yes!), it's THE X-MEN meets THE MATRIX in high school. It's WHASANGO AKA VOLCANO HIGH directed by KIM TAE-GYUN and it doesn't get any better than this! Leave your brain at the ticket booth and kick back for a supernatural Martial Arts CGI assault-fest on your senses for which there may NEVER be an equal to. Yet again, the Korean Cinema kicks the fucking door open to the boundaries of film storytelling with an epic effort that has everything going for it. There's mucho action, wacky punk rock characters, hilarious "foreign" comedy, snazzy computer animated special effects, babe-o-licious Asian teen hotties, and a smack-you-in-the-mouth fight scene finale that borderlines pure unadulterated Kung-Fu Theatre bliss. It tells the tale of the student body of the infamous Volcano High who, after the "student-teacher war" have begun to adjust to a slightly normal education process. Of course, with students running around with extraordinary superhuman powers, it's never easy for the teachers to keep order in the classroom and the fact that whoever "runs" the school becomes the inheritor of the fabled "sacred manual of fighting techniques" means there's trouble brewing all the time. Enter the major cast of characters who are in competition for this award: Kim Kyung Soo (actor JANG HYUK), our main star and newest transfer student. Hak Rim AKA Elegant Crane (actor KWAN SNAG-WOO), the current number one fighting champion. Chae-Yoo aka Icy Jade (actress SHIN MIN-A), the captain of the Kendo Club and Soh Yu (actress KONG HYO-JIN), her supra-sexy second in command. Jang Ryang aka Dark Ox (actor KIM SO-ROH), leader of the Weight Lifting Club. And Shimma (actor KIM HYEONG-JONG), orange haired head of the Rugby Team. This motley crew, together with a zany supporting cast of student followers, teachers, and principals, makes this extreme viewing pleasure all that more enjoyable. There's even a little love story for the chicks. And when things really heat up, the vice-principal calls in "The School 5: Masters of Suppressing School Wrongdoing" to handle the situation. And believe you me, those five can kick some major behind. But does the whole thing make any sense, you ask. NO! Does it have to? NO! It's simply mindless "eye-candy" entertainment for those interested in such fluff and if you think too hard about the actual story or plot, I do believe that your brain just may turn to mush. Everyone will certainly walk away from this film with a different take on it but for me, the benefits of seeing this flick not only satisfied my craving for another fix from the "exaggerated cinema" but gave me the wonderful opportunity to witness the existence of probably the sexiest girl in South Korea, the sultry Soh Yu with her nappy matted hair, permanent angry face, and super "take no shit" saucy attitude. And she can "GO" too. Too bad she didn't have a bigger part (with nude scenes) though. So, with all that being said, what are you still waiting on?! Go see this movie right now! In my opinion, no Asian DVD collection can be complete without it.

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