The Match – Movie Review
First Reaction – The Match excels in sporting rivalry.
Watch The Match on Netflix Now.
Director: Hyeong-ju Kim
Writer: Hyeong-ju Kim (Screenplay)
Cast
- Lee Byung-hun (I Saw the Devil)
- Yo Ah-in (Burning)
- Kim Kang-hoon (Project Wolf Hunting)
- Hyun Bong-sik (Mouse)
- Keisuke Hoashi (Godzilla Minus One)
Plot: The true story of two legendary players of Go (‘baduk’), Cho Hun Hyeon, and his protege and future rival, Lee Chang Ho.
Runtime: 1 Hour 55 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: The Match starts when champion Go player Cho Hun-hyun (Byung-hun) searches for new exceptional Go players. He discovers young Lee Chang-ho (Kan-hoon) with exceptional gifts for reading the game. Cho Hun-hyun offers to teach him even more, with the hopes of turning him into a champion too.
After years of training, Lee Chang-ho (Ah-in) begins to make waves in the competitive Go tournaments. However, Cho Hun-hyun prepares to face him in the biggest tournament to become champion. All while reinventing the belief behind the style of play people have played for years.
Verdict on The Match
Recap
The movie follows a champion Go player who takes a young protégé under his wing. He discovers he has a gift never seen before and begins changing his style. The two become close and they learn from each other, as the game begins to evolve.
Best Parts
The movie uses the sporting rivalry between teacher and apprentice to drive things forward. It is a formula we have seen before, and it is excellent to watch. The performances are wonderful and show the relationship between the two. Meanwhile, the game is interesting to watch different styles clash, evolve and become more testing. This is what makes most sports entertaining, watching players adapt to changes in the style.
Final Thoughts –The Match is a great story about sporting rivalry.
