The Admiral: Roaring Currents 2014

<i><b>The tide was a paid actor 🌊 🌊 🌊 </b></i> This film feels like the ultimate Korean dad movie—it's epic, explosive, thrilling, violent, and rooted in history. At its core, it's about sacrifice, whether for loved ones or for the nation. The movie being made on a budget of $13 million is insane btw. Where it falls short for me is in its over-reliance on exposition. There’s an overwhelming use of text, flashbacks, and characters explaining the plot not to mention the anime level of mustache twirling from the main antagonist. Adding to that, the main character embodies one of my least favorite tropes: the silent hero with a secret plan who refuses to tell anyone, causing his crew to spiral into chaos, thinking they're doomed. Just communicate! That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and it's no surprise it holds the title of Korea's highest-grossing film of all time considering just how cool the story is. Kudos.