Musa (2001)

In the annals of cinema, there are gems that transcend cultural boundaries. One such masterpiece is the 2001 Korean epic Musa, a stunning portrayal of honor, camaraderie, and the clash of civilizations.

I’m a big fan of Korean cinema. It’s one of the few places you can find expert craftsmen making movies around big, innovative ideas. It’s a lot like Japanese film, but without the stiffness that tends to plague Japanese acting.

Korean film makers know how to speak the universal language of emotion, and whole gamut of human emotion, from dizzying highs to crushing lows is captured in Musa. Released in 2001, it had a massive budget and achieved towering success to match. Its box office dominance earned it a Western release as The Warrior.

Let’s delve deeper into what makes Musa an unforgettable cinematic experience.

Musa unfolds against the backdrop of Ming Dynasty China, where three empires collide in a battle of ideology and culture. The Korean government sends a diplomatic mission to the Chinese emperor. Instead of a warm welcome, the envoys are arrested in retaliation for a separate political slight. They’re sentenced to exile in the vast northern deserts, only to meet unlikely rescue by a Mongolian cavalry from the Yuan Empire. Their intervention throws our heroes out of the frying pan and into the fire, as they must cross a continent-spanning wasteland torn by warring factions.

So not only must the Korean exiles – led by a headstrong general – contend with a perilous desert, they face the wrath of multiple governments, including their own. They’re offered one chance at redemption: Rescue a princess who’s been kidnapped by the Yuan and return her to the Ming Emperor safe and sound. If they succeed, they’ll snatch a diplomatic coup from the jaws of defeat, mend Sino-Korean relations, and regain their honor back home. If they fail, they’re all dead.

And heads up, this is the kind of story wherein no character is safe.

Which makes this movie quite the emotional rollercoaster since it boasts a stellar ensemble of deep, rich characters.

You’ve got the green yet headstrong general facing his first real test, the strong silent ex-slave who clashes with him for the princess’ affections, the veteran Sergeant whose levelheaded leadership earns him the men’s trust and the General’s unwanted rivalry, the compassionate but indomitable Buddhist priest, and the Princess herself, who learns the hard way that the higher one’s station, the greater and broader the consequences of pursuing one’s desires.

One element this movie nails is showing serious moral dilemmas with unflinching, even brutal, honesty. The desperate situation forces every character to make tough choices, and opting out is not an option. What do you do if you have a 20-day march across the desert but food and water for only 10 days? Do you take on bedraggled refugees when the Mongolians who torched their village are hot on your heels? And if your men come to trust a subordinate more than you, do you stand on rank at the risk of inciting a mutiny?

Musa tackles these questions, and more, without resorting to cheap copouts or deus ex machina solutions. And it lets the characters experience the ramificati0ns of their decisions.

Considering how epic this movie is, I was surprised to learn that it’s considered quite historically accurate. The sets, costumes, and even dialogue are all period-accurate. And there really was a late 14th-century Korean embassy to China that was sent into the desert, never to be heard from again. We don’t know that the events of this movie happened to them. But then again, we don’t know that they didn’t, either.

Mysteries like these make for some of the best historical fiction. And Musa makes the absolute most of its scant source material.

It’s hard to find anything to gripe about in this movie. But if I had to pick one shortcoming, it would be some of the camera work. The action resorts to closeup shaky cam more often than is to my taste. But that cinematography style was all the rage in the early aughts. So I’ll cut the production a little slack.

Otherwise, the arid landscapes serve as a vast canvas the film makers use to devastating effect.

Musa had a Western DVD release. If you can find a copy, snatch it up. You’ll be glad you did.

And for an even more gripping and fantastic odyssey that explores complex moral quandaries and emotional depths, read my acclaimed horror adventure novel: