"Fighter in the Wind" is a breathtaking film based on the true-life story of Korean hero, Choi Baedal (Yang Dong-geun). During WW2, Choi travels to Japan in the hope of becoming a pilot but instead is faced with hardship and prejudice because as a Korean, he is considered a second-class citizen and eventually ends up on the street. Forbidden by the Japanese from learning martial arts, Choi is undeterred, and retreats to the mountains to begin the arduous task of disciplining both mind and body, through some startlingly hard training methods, before returning to take on Japan’s best fighters in some brutal and brilliantly choreographed hand-to-hand combat. The film follows Choi’s progression through the martial arts world as he rises to fame to become the most skilled martial artist in Japan.

Written and directed by Yang Yun-ho, "Fighter in the Wind" was released theatrically in Korea in the Summer 2004 and is the third collaboration between the director and actor Yang Dong-geun. The film also stars top Korean Martial Arts expert Jeong Du-hong (No Blood No Tears) as Choi’s mentor and the beautiful Aya Hirayama.

The story of a man out of place in another country and another culture is not a new one, though we see it from a different perspective in this film. There have been a good number of Korean films dealing with the Japanese occupation of Korea, but fewer dealing with Koreans IN Japan. Fighter in the Wind shows the inherent racism towards Koreans living in Japan, especially towards one person who proves himself the superior martial artist to many Japanese masters. What is most interesting (at least to me) is how those Japanese that don't know Choi show nothing but contempt towards him, while those that get to know him, end up with a certain respect, and almost reverence for him.

One thing I didn't care for was that one part of the story was left abruptly, and another one started very close to the end of the film. It simply felt out of place and was a bit distracting to the flow of the film. I can understand the purpose for this as far as telling Choi's story; however, these situations (directly linked to each other) should have occurred much earlier in the film so as to not make it feel so awkwardly paced.

Of course, you can't tell the entire history of a real person's development in just two hours, so some of the problems with FitW can be explained, but others were just cinematic mistakes and loose ends never being tied off. All in all, however, I really enjoyed it.

Much of "Fighter In The Wind" takes place during World War II and is set in Japan. The first half of the film follows the adventures of a young Choi Bae-dul (Yang Dong-Geun), whose passion to become a pilot takes a side-winding nose dive when death and humiliation destroy his dreams. Ultimately, fate leads him to the world of martial arts where he becomes an unbeatable, but agonized, Karate master.

The second half of the film becomes a Wong Jing production. After all the epic, lavishly produced, World War II shit, we get something of a live action, unlicensed "Street Fighter II: Turbo" movie.

Choi Bae-dul, now in top form, travels all around the country, by foot, to challenge and defeat opponents of different styles and origins. Even his worn out, white Karate Gi looks identical to the one Ryu wears in the "Streetfighter" video game. This cartoon-like transition is strange, but doesn't hurt or strengthen the film in any way.

Yang Dong-Geun, who plays Choi Bae-dul, gives a pretty dull performance; but I doubt he's to blame. I'm sure a silent, depressed and stone-faced portrayal of the main character was what the script called for. But damn, they could have given him at least some personality. It's only during the martial arts scenes where Yang Dong-Geun demonstrates talent, but only in physical form. (If you want to see him in a more charismatic role, check out his police-thriller "Wild Card.")

If there's something I can appreciate about "Fighter In The Wind," it's the film's fight choreography. No CG and no wires. For the most part, the sequences are well-staged, somewhat realistic, and brutal. Not as hard-hitting as say "Ong Bak," but still impressive. I could have done without all that over-cranking shit, though; not to mention some of those music video edits and hard pauses. I hate that crap.

On a minor note, that Japanese chick could have been cuter. Not 100% her fault though. After all, any woman's face becomes crap after seeing a commercial featuring Jeon Ji-Hyun ("My Sassy Girl") that Equinox e-mailed me; and should I even mention the latest batch of Jessica Alba's ass-in-the-air photos floating around google?

On a crucial note, I don't like the band Evanescence. During a "Rocky IV"-inspired training sequence, a song plays loudly in the background and it sounds a lot like that Evanescence shit (you know, a pretty female voice mixed over some Limp Bizkit). I'm sure it wasn't actually Evanescence, but whoever it was sucked; and I blame the director for actually putting the song in the movie.

"Paramui Paito (Fighter in the Wind)" is based on the events in the life of legendary Korean martial artist Choi Bae-dal. Or more precisely, the film is based on the comic book based on the martial artist's life _ a difference that can be felt throughout this entertaining but factually suspect movie.

The first of a handful of local films about famous Koreans who lived during the Japanese occupation period, "Fighter in the Wind" tells of the early part of Choi's life, how he sneaked into Japan in the late 1930s in hopes of becoming a pilot, joined the martial arts community there, and after training by himself in the mountains for 18 months, came down to become the top fighter of that country.

The film offers a seemingly sentimentalized version of the same story, especially playing up the outsider aspect of Choi's experiences, of his being a Korean in Japanese society. Given the story's xenophobic elements, which include evil yakuzas exploiting Koreans, it will be interesting to see how a Japanese audience responds to the film when it gets released there as planned. (The picture painted of U.S. soldiers isn't very pretty either, to say the least.)

"Fighter's" best moments hint at the moral complexity of films like "Raging Bull," Martin Scorcese's boxing masterpiece. At first, Choi's motivation to become Japan's best fighter seems to be connected to righting injustices felt by Koreans in Japan, but as he travels to martial arts schools enduring punishment after punishment, it becomes less clear as to what he is trying to prove.

But such insights are all too brief in the film, which is so heavy on the melodrama and action that it's difficult to take too seriously. By the end, the story resembles a kung fu film from Hong Kong, complete with a geisha girlfriend (Ara Hirayama), who tries to turn Choi into a lover not a fighter, and elder statesmen of the Japanese martial arts community who will go to any lengths to keep a Korean from becoming Japan's best. It's not the most inventive of plots, but the film keeps it entertaining throughout.

Singer and actor Bi (Rain) was initially cast for the lead role of Choi but had to pull out due to schedule conflicts. It's a good thing too, for the rail-thin pop singer wouldn't have been able to take the physical punishment the role required.

Instead, we get Yang Dong-geun, a burly actor who plays the part to near perfection. It's refreshing to see this young and talented actor take on a substantial role for a change, and he brings to "Fighter" the necessary savagery and physical presence to make it work.