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A Study Of War Film Conventions of Arrow, The Ultimate Weapon

Arrow, The Ultimate Weapon, was an unexpected big hit at the South Korean box office during 2011. Most of the media or criticisms dealing with the film tended to regard it as a genre film without suggesting any reasonable grounds, calling it an action film, historical film, blockbuster or a historical-action film and so on. But it seems more like a war film when you see it in the perspective of genre film conventions and character types. For it clearly shows specific features of a certain genre which have historically been established for a long time. Above all, many of the articles or criticisms take it as any other genre other than a war film simply because there is not enough war or battle scenes. According to some preceding studies about war film, they are not essential since they are common only in early classic models in Hollywood. Robert Eberwein insists that more significant features or characteristics of war film are close relationships with history, realism, nationalism, patriotism, individualism, etc.. Realism here, is not the same concept as one as a basic film style. It is much more complicated since it implies contemporary trends or desires as well as an authenticity itself. An individual hero whose priority is definitely put on his own survival or personal goal rather than his nation or community has also been general and solidified since the 1960s. The narrative and action inspired mainly by hard mission-a younger sister captured by enemy forces should be saved safely-seem to underline the male protagonist’s personal aspect but the film ends with a scene supporting nationalism or patriotism as letting his sister and her husband eventually going back to their devastated homeland. Both of the main male characters also fit in the typical categories of Hollywood movies as well as the genre conventions. The Chinese general reflects “an older, experienced leader” type while his Korean opponent does a kind of “ladies man”-especially for his only blood, sister, in this case-displaying “social class difference” as a rebel’s son. So it can be said that it’s closer to a war film rather than any other genre film.