Hollywood director Francis Lawrence had nothing but compliments for the upcoming action horror film The Divine Fury starring Park Seo Joon.
Lawrence is known for his films that showcase spectacular fantasy visuals such as The Hunger Games series and Constantine – a similar genre to The Divine Fury who starred Keanu Reeves. He recently talked about his impressions of The Divine Fury after meeting director Kim Joo Hwan, who has long been a fan of Lawrence and draws inspiration from his works.
The Constantine director states, “I was truly mesmerized by The Divine Fury.. The experience was so powerful that it deeply lingered with me on my way home afterwards.”
He added, “The acting was excellent, the mise-en-scène was beautiful, and the visuals left a strong impression. I think I witnessed the birth of a very charming hero who makes you anticipate the story to come.”
Finally, he shared his thoughts on his meeting with Director Kim. “Director Kim Joo Hwan is maturing as a director in his own right, but it makes me very proud that my work has been able to help. I wish the best for the premiere of The Divine Fury”
Lead actor Park Seo Joon gained popularity in the Philippines because of his various Korean dramas that also aired on local TV stations. His most recent drama What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim ran for months in ABS-CBN. Park is also the current endorser of a major local clothingline, Bench.
Another familiar face appearing in the movie is Train to Busan actor Choi Woo-shik.
The Divine Fury is about MMA champion Yong Hoo (Park Seo Joon) who, despite his lack of faith, is chosen by God and receives the mysterious gift of the stigmata – a sacred wound that unleashes a divine power. Together with an Exorcist priest, they battle the dark forces to destroy the anti-Christ.
Park admitted that the character’s strong physical power was one of the reasons why he said yes to the script. “I wanted to star in a hero film like the ones I see in foreign films,” Park said. “Before I got older, I wanted to try out action film.. It was a new challenge that I was glad to take on.”
He also added, “I had certain expectations after reading the script, and the scenes were much harder to film than I had expected. It made me think, ‘If there was a hell, this would be close to it.’ In the scenes that require computer graphics, it was difficult because I had to use my imagination to fill in the full picture. It was an opportunity for me to grow one step further.”
Anticipation is high as Park Seo Joon filmed one-take scenes to create more dynamic action sequences.
The eternal battle between good and evil, light and darkness, comes to a conclusion on August 14 in cinemas nationwide.
—
Homestream image from SM Cinemas Facebook page.
