Volcano High

Country: Korea
Genre: Action
Release Year: 2001
Type: Movie

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Volcano High Review
Kim Kyung-Soo, a troublemaking student with extraordinary superpowers, has been expelled from his school for assaulting a teacher. Kim is transferred to Volcano High School, a school that has many youngsters that display martial arts talent. Song Hak-Rim and Jang Ryang, two students at Volcano High, have powerful psychic powers. Kim Kyung-Soo also has incredible powers of his own. It seems everyone at this school is after a sacred manuscript that will grant power to its owner. Only the principal knows where it is, however, he becomes disabled and a hunt for the manuscript ensues among the students and the new teachers at Volcano High.

The movie seems to be inspired from the X-men comic book series; it features a school full of super-powered students, but Volcano High deals with more school-related problems such as bullying, cliques, and hazing. The movie is packed full of special effects, which puts this movie in the vein of such action films as The Matrix. Unfortunately, there's not much real martial arts, as most of the movie is comprised of shooting energy bolts and slow-motion aerial attacks (again, like The Matrix). Still, the action is pretty thrilling, and this movie accomplishes its goal of entertaining the audience.

The storyline is weak and confusing. Not much explanation is given about the secret manuscript that everyone is trying to get a hold of. Song Hak-Rim, a character that should've had more screen time, was barely incorporated into the storyline. Song Hak-Rim, the best fighter at Volcano High, was able to keep the school in peace, but since he was framed and put to jail, the tension between the school's cliques becomes the main drama builder.

The love triangle among Kim Kyung-Soo, Jang Ryang, and Chae-Yi also brings some drama to the table, but the story has very little emphasis on this romantic tension. Jang Ryang lusts after Chae-Yi, who only seems to like Kim, while Kim seems to like Chae-Yi as well as another girl (the sister of the Rugby captain). The movie avoided to develop this love tension and instead focused on the action aspect of the movie. It's a shame because there was potential for some extra character building and romance.

The characters are over-the-top, but they are likeable, especially Kim Kyung-Soo. Jang Hyuk, the actor who played Kim, shows that he is capable of being a dynamic character as Kim makes a believable progression from being the school bully victim to becoming a school hero. The female lead role, Chae-Yi, isn't especially good-looking, but since this movie wasn't made to appeal to romantic fantasies, she is an appropriate character.

Although this movie has similarities to The Matrix, don't expect it to be as good as The Matrix. Volcano High is merely a fun and exciting martial arts film that is loaded with CG and special effects. It's worth watching, but maybe not worth watching twice.

Written by Lance

Rating Meter: 84 %