I anticipated this a lot but it came a little too short and I have to hold myself from making a dick joke there. This is yet another movie that feels too rushed, all over the place and underdeveloped. I wish they had focused on one thing and done it right as it would have made this far more engaging but different elements prevented it from being so and ultimately it was just preachy. A lot of talk but not much action.
A King trades places with a lowly theatre actor who resembles him. It's not so much trades places as occasionally takes his place. However, the King is met with a predicament and the actor has to take his place for an even longer period that anticipated and he does so for money. The actor who takes his place ends up being loved by all, that's it. When I say that's it, it really is because there's no action. The real king is supposedly a tyrant but we don't really see that. He used to be a good King but the throne made him change somehow. Again, you never see this. We don't really get an in depth view on the burden of being King. The pauper who takes his place ends up being loved for merely giving feel good speeches and receiving almost no opposition. He changes laws just like that... Honestly, he makes being a King look bloody easy. He pretty much does whatever he wants! The men that oppose him aren't really forceful. It feels like he does more in the two weeks as the King than the real King. It would be great if there was an in depth focus on how power is use and what made the real King tyrannical to begin with. I also thought it would have been even more amazing if the pauper began to change somehow and found himself being tyrannical. Then the ending would have been perfect. I feel like the focus should have been on how the throne changes you even if you have the best of intentions. This felt like a waste of a good concept. There were good and funny moments but ultimately this felt a little too loose.
Furthermore, the ending could have been better if the plot was done better. However, the country still ends up with a tyrannical King...
Lee Byung Hun for me did a decent job but I would be lying if I said I was captivated. There were moments it was hard to tell who the real King was. While there was a lighter air about the pauper. It never felt truly challenging as I expected it to be. I ended up liking the supporting cast more...
Overall: This is pretty much the tale of the Pauper and The Prince so I could praise the concept but it's not exactly original but I thought they missed some opportunities to make this amazing. There were too many things I wish were better done. However, my six comes from some good and poignant moments and the few that I thought were good.
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