Kingdom (2019) / Kingdom 2: Far and Away (2022) / Kingdom 3: The Flame of Destiny (2023)

[whitesnake]

Japanese film director Sato Shinsuke (I Am A Hero, Gantz, Inuyashiki, Bleach) has a new live action film coming out in 2019.  It is based on the Kingdom manga by Yasuhisa Hara and "centers around the slave boy Xin and his dream of becoming a great general for the State of Qin.  Xin helps Ying Zheng, the young Qin king who shares his desire to unite China, rise to power within the state.  Xin does all he can to become a superior commander of an army capable of defeating the Seven Warring States."  The story takes place before 221 B.C., which marked the beginning of the Qin dynasty in China.  Info from https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-04-07/historical-manga-kingdom-gets-live-action-film-project/.130089    Wikipedia says:  "Li Xin was a general of Qin during the Warring States era.  Li Xin is primarily know for his role in assisting Qin Shi Huang in his conquest of the six Warring States.  Aside from his career in the Warring States campaigns, he is also a fifth generation ancestor of the Han Dynasty 'Flying General' Li Guang.  He by extension, is an ancestor of the Tang Emperors." 

Li Xin is played by Yamazaki Kento (Death Note mini-series).  The cast also includes Hashimoto Kanna (Gintama 1 and 2), Hongo Kanata (Fullmetal Alchemist), Nagasawa Masami (Bleach), and Yoshizawa Ryo (Bleach).  Sony Pictures is producing Kingdom, which opens in Japan on April 19, 2019.  Filming began in China in April 2018.  From IMDB, https://filmcombatsyndicate.com/kingdom-sato-shinsukes-next-big-scale-manga-adaptation-epic-lands-a-first-trailer-and-poster/   and https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-10-09/live-action-kingdom-film-reveals-trailer-videos-visual/.137906  and

Below is (1) a video with film footage and (2) a behind-the-scenes video and  (3) a "3-minute live-action short to celebrate the manga's 10th anniversary in 2016" starring Yamazaki Kento - 

 

 

 

[whitesnake]

Here's the first teaser trailer for Kingdom.  While Kingdom is set in China abou 2200 years ago, the teaser still makes it look like a samurai film. 

 

[whitesnake]

Sony Pictures has released an international trailer for Kingdom -  Info from https://filmcombatsyndicate.com/kingdom-dont-miss-the-international-trailer-sato-shinsukes-explosive-warring-states-period-epic/  

  

 

Edited July 9, 2019 by whitesnake

[whitesnake]

From https://filmcombatsyndicate.com/the-new-kingdom-trailer-teases-a-sweeping-emotional-period-action-epic/ - the latest trailer for Kingdom, the Japanese movie about the rise of the first Chinese emperor and his general, who started as a lowly war orphan.  Below really is the new trailer, even if the image looks like the teaser trailer.  It isn't. 

 

 

Edited February 1, 2019 by whitesnake

[whitesnake]

Latest poster for Kingdom, at https://filmcombatsyndicate.com/sato-shinsukes-kingdom-unveils-its-brand-new-poster/ 

[whitesnake]

The live action Japanese Kingdom movie has a new promo with English subtitles and English narration. If Kingdom does get a U.S. release, the movie may have to change its title, to avoid confusion with the Netflix Korean period zombie series. 

New promo - 

Edited July 9, 2019 by whitesnake

[whitesnake]

Funimation Films announced that it will release the Japanese movie, Kingdom, with English subtitles, this summer in U.S. and Canadian theaters.  Info at https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-05-07/funimation-screens-live-action-kingdom-film-in-n-america-in-summer/.146493

Edited May 8, 2019 by whitesnake

[DrNgor]

Review:

https://www.tohokingdom.com/blog/kingdom-2019-impressions/

[whitesnake]

Funimation gives the Japanese movie, Kingdom, a limited North American theatrical release on August 16, 2019.  The movie "follows a young boy (Kento Yamazaki, Death Note) who dreams of becoming the greatest general of the Qin Kingdom".  It's set in China over 2,200 years ago.  News from https://cityonfire.com/kingdom-hits-u-s-theaters-in-august-from-funimation/   Funimation trailer - 

 

[whitesnake]

http://blog.asianwiki.com/japanese-movies/kento-yamazaki-ryo-yoshizawa-kanna-hashimoto-cast-in-kingdom-2  The 2019 Japanese film, Kingdom, about the rise of the first Chinese emperor, will have a sequel.  Kento Yamazaki (Shin in Kingdom), Ryo Yoshizawa (Eisei in Kingdom), Kanna Hashimoto (Karyouten), and Shinsuke Sato (director of Kingdom) all return for Kingdom 2.  "Story, other cast members, and the release date will be announced at a later date."  Kingdom was released on Blu-ray in the U.S. on Feb 4, 2020 by Funimation.    

[laagi]

Being a fan of the first I couldn't believe that I missed this... Part II!

 

[DrNgor]

I watched this tonight. It's essentially Shi Huangdi: Year One. It tells the story of the young King of Qin, Ying Zheng, who was the previous king's elder son, albeit with a concubine (a dancer). This doesn't sit well with his younger half-brother, who's the son of royalty. He leads a rebellion to oust Ying Zheng, leading Ying to join forces with a former slave, Xin (from whose POV the story is told), and a confederation of mountain tribes to get his throne back. The film focuses on Xin, a slave boy who teaches himself swordplay and who dreams of becoming a great general. His fellow slave and blood brother, Piao, is taken to the palace to be Ying Zheng's shadow. When Piao is killed, Xin joins Ying Zheng on a quest to not only avenge his best friend, but to take his place among the great military men of China.

It is interesting to see a Japanese take on Chinese history. There are some manga-esque art direction choices, some of the swordplay looks more like kenjutsu than wushu, and I don't think people were using the term "China" at that point--maybe they were, but whatever. The action was staged by Yuji Shimomura (Versus) and Koji Kawamoto (John Wick 4), and the for the most part, it feels more Red Cliff than Dynasty Warriors, thankfully (save one brief moment at the very end). There is lots of swordplay, plus wire-assisted jumps (especially from the awesomely-crazy Mountain warriors) and lots of people getting knocked back dozens of feet. Tak Sakaguchi shows up as a general-turned-bodyguard Zuo Ci, who fights with a nigh-invincible "drunken samurai" style (at least that's how it looked). Masami Nagasawa (Shin Ultraman; Shin Kamen Rider) kicks butt as the Mountain Queen Yang Duanhe, who fights with two-fisted scimitars.

My main problem is lead actor Kento Yamazaki, who subscribes too much to the Yelling!!! school of acting. His overacting is a bit too much, especially in the first third.

[DrNgor]

Posted a full-length review at the site:

https://abeautifulfilm.blogspot.com/2023/07/kingdom-2019.html

[Super Ninja]

Perhaps we could make this a joint thread for all three (soon four) Kingdom films?

 

Kingdom 2: Far and Away (2022) - with less focus on the story and more on the action, part 2 easily outshines not just the original, but the third part as well, Kingdom 3: The Flame of Destiny (2023), both overall and action wise. In fact, K2 delivers some of the best battlefield fight action I've seen, compliments of Yûji Shimomura, who looks to prove he's one of the best ADs working in the Japanese movie industry today.

Here is finally a movie that doesn't just copy Tanigaki's swordplay action ideas, it builds upon the Kenshin legacy and offers something fresh. Kento Yamazaki looks great in his duels but is outshined by the lovely Nana Seino, a student of Tak Sakaguchi, as a mysterious Kyoukai from the Tribe of Sorrow, a legendary clan of assassins. Her swordplay in the movie is like a Japanese-style sword fighting with borrowed elements from Chinese swordplay and some attention given to the unique, dance-like footwork. Her killer Priestess Dance sword technique is a joy to watch.

Nana seems to have caught the eye of the audience though this is not the first time she's impressed in action. Patient viewers will be awarded sitting through an art-school teen drama Nowhere Girl (2015) directed by Mamoru Oshii when the bloody finale kicks in, with action in the safe hands of Kensuke Sonomura. Nana will show just how much damage she can do with an AK-47 with a bayonet on and a handgun, facing a bunch of Russian soldiers in a fantastic action sequence. This girl is one to keep an eye on, I'm a fan already!

Japan has proven to be capable of delivering fantastic action whatever type or even genre they tackle. They can do modern hand-to-hand/weapons/MMA (Hydra, Bad City, Re:Born, One Percenter), period swordplay and wires (Kenshin, Kingdom), gunplay and stunts (Fable 1&2), massive gang brawling (High & Low), ninja (Mumon, Kamui Gaiden), and even yakuza films borrow this type of fast, smooth, agile fight action (Hell Dogs). 

I liked K2 and the action in it so much I will most likely be getting the German BR/UHD release.

[DrNgor]

Posted my review of Kingdom II: Far and Away:

https://abeautifulfilm.blogspot.com/2024/07/kingdom-ii-far-and-away-2022.html

[Super Ninja]

My BR finally arrived, had to own a physical copy of K2. In the meantime, I was able to confirm Yuji Shimomura was a member of Donnie Yen's stunt team and found out that he started in Kurata Action Club. He's currently a member of U'Den Flame Works with Kensuke Sonomura and Koji Kawamoto. I'm rewatching this tonight.

[DrNgor]

It is the best of the trilogy.

Watched and reviewed part III - https://abeautifulfilm.blogspot.com/2024/07/kingdom-iii-flame-of-destiny-2023.html

[Drunken Monk]

After hammering through the Hight&Low franchise earlier this year, I aim to binge these soon. I've heard very good things.