Imagine - Monstrum

The Joseon dynasty, 16th century Korea. King Jungjong hears rumours of a man-eating monster causing panic. He needs to find out if it is real, or a fabrication by his scheming Prime Minister. He sends disgraced general Yun Kyum to find out the truth, which is more complicated than both men think. Monster meets political intrigue, leading to a baffling finale.

Huh Jong-ho's genre hybrid cleverly deploys the plague, that killed thousands ten years earlier, as a story element that works on different levels. Yun Kyum brings his sworn brother along, and his daughter Myung, who is a strong female character in her own right, but provides a nicely played out romantic subplot as well. There is also a lot of sword fighting going on, but obviously, this really is all about the monster. When it finally appears it doesn”t disappoint. The grand finale is an extended, forty minutes action sequence which must be seen to believed and a suitable climax to a monster movie full of spectacle.