Divine? Well, I don't know, but it looks pretty badass all right.

While on TV they're flourishing (at least technically), sageuk on the big screen have mostly met with sour grapes, after a string of adaptations from Kim Tak-Hwan novels were handed the short end of the stick, thanks to the funding problems that are hitting Chungmuro as of late. After last year's underrated, girl power-drenched 궁녀 (Shadows in the Palace), a few other works are shooting or in their pre-production stage right now, including a Sageuk comedy starring Kim Ok-Bin and Lee Jung-Jae directed by Yeo Gyun-Dong, and particularly 절정 (The Summit), a stylish sageuk from Jeong Beom-Shik, one half of the Jung Brothers who brought us the wonderful 기담 (Epitaph). But the one likely to make the biggest noise, at least short term, is director Kim Yoo-Jin's 신기전 (The Divine Weapon).

A quick look at the dialogue displayed on screen, and it's a Kang Woo-Suk production all right. Which means spectacle will be there, but you can bet it will be controversial and quite on the flag-waving side, especially if you look at what Ming-clothed Jung Sung-Mo has to say on behalf of the Emperor ("Insolent Joseon, heed my words. I shall lead an army to destroy you"). I bet Ming historians will have a field day with that. Still, it has a very good cast, a director who can certainly handle this material, the super talents of art director Min Eon-Ok and one of the most interesting periods of Korean history at its core. Film releases on September 4, trailer is below the break.