NYAFF 2008: Action Boys

When we think of Asian action films images of Jackie Chan
and Jet Li putting a hurting on waves of nameless, faceless foes come to mind. In
Action Boys stuntman turned documentary filmmaker Byung-gil Jung pulls back the
curtain, exposing the harsh realities behind stunt work in the Korean film
industry. The doc follows a group of stuntmen from the classroom to the film
set as they each try to make a living (and their mark) getting their asses
whooped by movie stars and unsympathetic directors alike. Along the way many of
the classmates give up, others tough it out for marginal gains, and our
fearless director claws his way to the top of the industry (in spite of his
physical and emotional shortcomings). The picture strikes an interesting
balance between humor and reality, with director Jung unafraid to highlight
both his and his colleagues’ silly quirks. Even the narrator injects herself as
a character in the proceedings, providing comedically slanted commentary to the
struggles and triumphs of the stuntmen. What the doc may lack in technique it
more than makes up for in sheer energy. While obviously shot by amateurs on a
shoestring, the film’s stripped down presentation is one of its virtues. Though
it runs a bit too long and is unfocused to a fault, you’ll be damned not to get
caught up in the lives these men. Action Boys is a get-well letter to stuntmen
the world over who take a licking and keep on ticking so we can enjoy a good
ass kicking.