Atfirstglance,itseemslikeanordinarysportsmoviebasedonKendo.Jaewoo,whojoinsthenationalteamselectionprocess,istreatedasasoon-to-beeliminatedplayerfromthefirstday.However,IRONMASKdoesnotsimplyfollowthetypicalsportsmovieformula.Itsetsthetensionhighearlyon,byshowcasinganintenseconfrontationbetweenJaewooandtheunbeatabletop-rankedplayer,Taesu.Fromthere,itgraduallyrevealswhyJaewooisthere,peelingawaythelayersofhisstorylikeanonion.Thus,thefilmexpandsbeyondbeingjustasportsmovieandveersintosharppsychologicaldrama.ThesharpnessofJaewoo’semotionsisvividlyreflectedinhisKendo,whilealsorepresentingthechallengeshemustunravelinhislife.Theendingisquitethought-provoking.ThecaptivatingcinematographyexudestheexcitementofKendomatchesinanelectrifyingway,makingIRONMASKworthyofnote.(RhanaJANG)
