Konterr
Brilliant and touching
Comwayon
A Disappointing Continuation
Griff Lees
Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.
Wyatt
There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.
Darren
This is probably one of the most enjoyable martial arts movies I've seen in years. Only Kung Fu Hustle, I think, can really compete with it, and both films share the same manic inventiveness.Korean Film has no concept of bombast as something to avoid, and this film is certainly no exception, but somehow it all works here. Even the thirty minutes of looking over the shoulder and posturing is done tongue-in-cheek enough that you can't help but enjoy it. Kim Su-Ro (Chang Ryang) puts out an incredible, fearless performance. He makes the film, for me. If there is a downside it's Shin Min-A (Yu Chae-Yi), the romantic object, who spends most of the film staring off into space. The film could easily survive without her.
Sune Urth
I felt kinda disappointed when I first saw this, but must admit after seeing it a second (and third) time, that it is actually relatively consistent, in the same way that a manga comic might be utterly confusing, but in the end, after thorough investigation make sense.The argument evolves around this though, whether it is relevant to make an action fling that requires for you to see it two or three times, before grasping the basic content. Hak-rim is falsely accused of poisoning the head-master of the school, but actually it's Jang Ryang and the vice-head-master (is it called that, I haven't got a dictionary here) who conspired to put Hak-Rim and the head-master out of action in a devious and cunning stroke, because they want the scroll for them selves.The entire story evolves around this secret scroll, that will end something by doing something which is never quite clear, but the box for the scroll is empty. Suspense! and then enters the school-fiver, five awesome guys who have real ultimate power. and their leader says: "tell a lion that has never seen a mouse, that the mouse is dangerous, and he will lie sleepless. But it will be a weak lion that scares that easily." So, what he says is that there is no scroll. But then he says that there IS a scroll, and then they all fight. The first 4/5 of the film is great fun. Monumental scenes, for example Jang Ryang getting on his knees for icy jade, to the sound of cheesy '60 rockabilly, will stand till kingdom come, but there are major holes, and basically the storyline is to badly told, though interesting if you take your time. last 5th is too long. like this comment.
mike paines
I can understand why this film splits viewers into those who either love it-to-death or those who despise it. To properly enjoy Volcano High, you will need to relax, loosen up and dig up some old skool memories.Considering this is primarily a fun film, main and periphery characters are well portrayed, and there's a lots of subtle comedy and bombastic drama to keep anyone with a developed sense of humour happy. However, if you love martial arts movies, you will be disappointed - the martial arts is spread pretty thin. Although Volcano High is Korean, it appears to have gone the way of recent Hong Kong kung fu films, in that choreography is either obscured or entirely replaced by CGI effects. However, the special effects and acting are top-notch, Hyuk Jang especially evoking both sniggers and respect. Well made and good fun if you don't take your movie-watching too seriously. If, however, you want something a bit more substantial from Korea, try Musa or Shiri.
ncc1205
VOLCANO HIGH is cool in a way that surpasses cool.Kyeong-su Kim (Hyuk Jang) is a bad student, one who's been shuffled from school to school eight times before as his rebellious nature has forced him to shun any attempt at conformity. However, his ninth school -- Volcano High -- presents a curious dilemma: the teachers have conspired in a pursuit against the principal and the students to acquire the school's Great Manuscript, a document which promises to give its owner the ultimate power in the universe. A scheming vice-principal manages to overpower the principal, but the secrets of the manuscript still elude him. Now, in order to glean the secrets from the pupils -- all of them equipped with their own special gifts -- who know it best, the man brings in a virtual hit squad of teachers: black-leather-trench-coating wearing thugs who'll stop at nothing to instill discipline even at the cost of death.Yes ... Kyeong-su Kim is a bad student, but he's finally found the right school to call 'home.'VOLCANO HIGH owes much to traditional anime as much as it owes to trend-setting films like THE MATRIX. While not completely derivative, it also functions like a kung-fu version of the X-MEN films, assuming that the story focused more on the academy and its students. The special effects -- Kim's unique ability to harness wave energy and manipulate water -- are absolutely top notch, and, arguably, are even better than what comes out of Hollywood for the average science fiction film.Movies like VOLCANO HIGH -- martial arts, action, coming-of-age, supernatural -- are never really about the script. Rather, the story only serves as a vehicle to deliver some reasonably well-founded (or, at least, acceptable) characterizations along with dazzling visual effects. The wire-fu featured in the film (from the opening fight between Kyeong-su and other students all the way until the climactic showdown between right and wrong) is absolutely spectacular, often times encompassing an entire 360-degree effect. Mr. Ma (the most evil teacher) manipulates wave energy, utilizing it to hurl people and objects out of his way, in an entirely convincing fashion. Also, the aforementioned ability of Kyeong-su to capture and control water is nothing short of exceptional.Also, VOLCANO HIGH is the type of motion picture that requires, to a certain extent, leaving your brain at the door. Suspend your disbelief throughout the film, and it's pure visceral fun ... harmless cotton-candy pictures for the young-at-heart. There isn't a deep, meaningful message to the script: this is a battle of good versus evil, and it's fought on terms that the average movie-goer (18 - 35 years old) should revel in.Besides all of that, the last twenty minutes -- a spectacular showdown between Kyeong-su and Mr. Ma hurling energy balls from their fingertips at one another -- will blow your mind.