A Korean fusion Western set in the 1930s, against the backdrop of the Manchurian plains, weaving a tangled tale of three men vying for a treasure map. It's considered to be part of the lineage of classic Korean films known as Manchurian Westerns, alongside "The Train to Busan" from the 1950s to the 1970s.
The characters are:
1. Park Do-won (The Good), played by Jung Woo-sung, who appears as a bounty hunter with superior marksmanship.
2. Park Chang-yi (The Bad), portrayed by Lee Byung-hun, who leads a band of outlaws and harbors past complexes.
3. Yoon Tae-goo (The Weird), played by Song Kangho, who may seem lacking but exhibits a naive charm and a knack for physical comedy.
Director Kim Jee-woon's signature mise-en-scène and the climactic showdown in the final plains chase are notable. The chase scene features not only Park Do-won and Yoon Tae-goo but also a brutal gang led by Park Chang-yi, a large-scale multinational criminal organization, and even the formidable Japanese army, boasting superior firepower and manpower.
Although set in the backdrop of the Japanese colonial era of the 1930s, this film features minimal nationalist scenes. This was intentionally done by the director to set the stage more as a borderless narrative rather than incorporating patriotic codes. Moreover, the filming locations were near Dalian, and the actual Manchurian landscape comprises plains and mountains rather than deserts.
It is considered the lightest among director Kim Jee-woon's works, blending the Western genre with his stylish flair to create a well-crafted piece. Unlike his other films such as "A Bittersweet Life," "I Saw the Devil," or "The Age of Shadows," which delve deeper into various themes, this one strictly adheres to the entertainment genre. The diverse personalities of the characters are vividly portrayed, and it's quite enjoyable to compare their different styles and values.
Director Kim Jee-woon's military background shines through, with the overall weapon authenticity being well-maintained aside from the directing aspects. Moreover, many action scenes are performed directly by the lead actors themselves, resulting in high-quality action sequences.
This film stands out as a popcorn movie and is regarded as a masterpiece among numerous critics.
Screen monopoly was heavily utilized for this film's release. To avoid competition with other highly anticipated foreign films like "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" and "The Dark Knight," which were already immensely popular overseas regardless of reviews, the decision was made to delay the release intentionally. Extensive marketing campaigns flooded the media, and exclusive theater distribution was employed, all with the aim of attracting a projected audience of over 10 million viewers.
This approach not only targeted audiences specifically interested in "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" but also those who were simply looking for entertainment at the theaters. Despite this, the final box office performance reached only 6.69 million viewers, ranking it ninth among Korean films released in 2008. While it managed to break even, some criticized the aggressive marketing tactics employed, suggesting that it was overhyped. Given the struggling box office performance of Korean films at the time and the influx of Hollywood blockbusters, there was a sense of crisis within the Korean film industry. Consequently, film critics and journalists voluntarily praised the film to counteract negative perceptions. It's rare for a Korean film to receive such unanimous praise across all media outlets months before its release.
Despite its success, there were controversies surrounding the film's production and distribution. While it was well-received by audiences and critics alike, some criticized the film for excessive promotion and questioned whether it warranted such aggressive marketing tactics. Director Kim Jee-woon himself admitted that the film did not generate as much profit as expected, revealing in an interview with Hankyoreh that some staff members did not receive their full wages. There was even controversy surrounding allegations made by a former staff member on a blog hosted on Naver's Egloos platform, claiming that not all employees were fully compensated.
The purpose of the treasure map turns out to lead to a location with oil, not gold and silver. During a conversation about the map, the term "drilling" is mentioned, hinting at this.
In the film, oil is depicted as Japan's historical source of funds, as the United States gradually pressured Japan's resource supply from Southeast Asia during the Pacific War. However, in a deleted scene, this is portrayed as a Japanese deception.
A twist is revealed at the end: the character known as the "Finger Ghost" is actually Yoon Tae-goo, not Park Chang-yi, and he had a showdown with Park Chang-yi five years ago in Wonsan, resulting in Yoon Taegoo losing his finger. At that time, Yoon Tae-goo displayed a demeanor closer to ruthless than clownish. Park Chang-yi's fixation on Yoon Tae-goo stemmed from this incident. Eventually, in the final duel, it becomes clear that Yoon Tae-goo is the primary target, leading to a three-way showdown.
During the showdown, despite Yoon Tae-goo initially holding his ground against being shot, all three characters end up being shot and falling. Notably, Park Chang-yi's resentment towards Yoon Tae-goo leads him to exclusively target him, even after sustaining a fatal injury from Park Do-won. Conversely, Park Do-won, initially observing, turns his gun towards Park Chang-yi, causing Park Changyi to shoot him first. Despite being the least injured, Park Do-won ultimately emerges as the least disadvantaged in the shootout. Yoon Tae-goo survives by secretly wearing a metal plate under his clothes and feigning defeat. He attempts to detonate the explosives with Park Chang-yi's corpse, but accidentally sets fire to them when threatened by Japanese soldiers. Yoon Tae-goo escapes with the diamonds owned by Park Chang-yi.
Years later, with the oil facility destroyed, Yoon Taegoo's bounty increases significantly on wanted posters, while Park Chang-yi's face is marked with the word "dead." Park Do-won continues to search for Yoon Tae-goo, who is last seen speeding through the wilderness on a motorcycle.