Archery at the movies: Part 1
Bow's resident film correspondent Rick Flick starts the countdown
It's harder to classify an 'archery movie', than it is to classify, say, a submarine movie. Archery is woven differently into different movies; some fundamental, and some trivial. The classic trope is usually to illustrate a character's rugged individualism or rarefied skill. Being the chosen one never gets old.
For the same reason, archery is frequently thrown in as a dumb shorthand for the same thing. Hey, we need something cool and tough... how about we make this guy an archer? To make our list, there has to be something a little more than just durrr, give that guy a bow.
So how were these chosen? On a carefully calibrated and weighted table of: a) how inspiring they are (how much they
might want to make you pick up a bow) b) how much the filmmakers understood
archery (how lazy the director was) c) how integral archery is to the plot d) the straight-out quality of the movie e) sheer, over-the-top kick-ass
entertainment
So this list is based on science, making it literally impossible to argue with.
Note: films as part of a series only get one entry in this list. There are literally dozens of films about Robin Hood, a lot of which aren't that noteworthy, and there definitely wasn't room for all of them, so we've mentioned only a few. If your favourite ain't there, that's just life, isn't it? I hope I've dug out some you might not have heard of, too. So go get some popcorn, and strap in for the ride.
"HEY, WE NEED SOMETHING COOL AND TOUGH... HOW ABOUT WE MAKE THIS GUY AN ARCHER?"
One of the better Chinese wuxia films of the 2000s, this made a star out of Jet Li and was a key stage in moving epic martial arts films out of China and into Western consciousness. At the time, it was the most expensive film ever made in China. It is notable for two unforgettable archery sequences, one involving massed ranks of archers all shooting foot bows; a sharp twist on the usual Agincourt volleys beloved of many directors. A rain of arrows also slices through a school at one point. Archery as brutal artillery is a pretty unique take.
Realism rating: Director: Valerie Weiss
They say: Archery champion goes to reform school, busts out.
"You rely on sights, you rely on something outside of yourself." There is much barebow sage zen pseudowisdom flowing through this curious film of unfair imprisonment, Jane-eyre-on-steroids, and token kick-assing. Archery is presented well, if oh-my-god-no-way, but ultimately, an awful lot of this feels contrived and nothing quite gels. It doesn't really satisfy as an archery movie, or a prison break movie, or a teen movie, or an anything movie. But hey, if you've got 90 mins spare, it's your life.
Realism rating: they tried hard
A film notable for many things: Kevin Costner's disastrous accent and worse hair, the scene-stealing performances of Alan Rickman and Morgan Freeman, some extraordinary anachronisms, and massive commercial success, amongst many others. Flaming arrows! Extraordinary. Supposedly Alan Rickman turned down the role of the Sheriff twice before he was told he could more or less do what he wanted with the character, upgrading the terrible script. But still worth a watch.
Realism rating: original title: Kona fer í stríð (Iceland) Director: Benedikt Erlingsson
They say: Halla becomes a determined environmental activist, but this threatens a longheld hope of hers.
Curious and well-executed Icelandic movie about an activist who takes down power lines with cables by shooting arrows at them, only to face a choice about whether to adopt a child. Probably the only movie ever where you'll see a character pack away a recurve bow. Fanciful, if unpredictable, it keeps you moving through its world with aplomb and style, with an excellent turn from Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir in the lead role as Halla. A mix of action, humour, and dark commentary that will stay with you for a while.
Realism rating: not bad, really
Original title: Ichirei Shite Kiss (Japan)
Director: Takeshi Furusawa
They say: Kishimoto An is a high school student who loves Japanese archery ....
Teen high school romance drama based around a kyudo range, as our heroine shoots with one Mikami Yota, who can't summon up as much enthusiasm for kyudo as he can for An. Pretty good as these things go, and a few proper nods towards realism. I mean, someone actually bruises their arm. Gotta be a first.
Realism rating: pretty good