Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

I first thought this was going to be another fictitious movie with a lot of shock value. Instead it turned out to be a very endearing and heartfelt movie, but honor and integrity. It touches on the warm and beautiful side of the human heart. This film just kept on building and building and got better and better. Sure, Lee Byung-hun is a deceiver when it comes to girls and doesn't have integrity when it comes to marriage. But he is a actor playing a character. It even has those cute moments driven by integrity, compassion and love which I thoroughly enjoyed. As the story kept building I got more interested. While so many Korean films focus on the bleak side of things, it's nice to see a fictitious and yet realistic movie that focuses on the good of humanity. If that makes any sense. This movie is actually a Korean take on the "The Prince and the Pauper" story. Except "I Am a King" is a more close take on that story. However I liked this film a lot more than "I Am a King". Most of the movie takes place in a palace and there is little to no action scenes. However because the director did such a good job of transcending from dark to bright it meshes together well enough that the a lot of action isn't necessary. It might actually have taken away from this movie. A movie like this shows that it's not by birth that paves the way to greatness as a human being but what you do.8.7/10

"This movie is going to be enjoyed a lot by big fans of Korean cinema but to be completely honest I don't see other more casual movie fans enjoying it as much."I have to disagree with this statement. If you like good cinema and are at home with subtitles I think you will enjoy this. It has to be one of the best period films I have watched in a long time. Much less impenetrable than the usual crop of Asian cinema. This screenplay is carried of with poise and quiet confidence. I felt like I was watching a masterclass in cinematography while I was watching it. It happily fills it's allotted two hour time span without dragging at all.Highly recommended!!!!

I have to say this was a great historical Korean movie. I am an avid watcher of Korean movies and dramas. Byung Hun Lee has been a favorite for the longest and he never disappoints. Byung plays both roles beautifully. As the cold hearted, ruthless more on the crazy and unpredictably King and as the kind hearted street performer. Knowing it is Byung playing both roles, I often forgot and utterly hated the real king and loved the " fake" king. That is how you know one is great in his craft and a superb actor, highly underrated in Hollywood. It would be a waste to type cast him in Hollywood as the bad guy always. He truly in a gem!!

Well this movie is not meant to be hidden! I know enough history to recognize that the two faces of the ancient god Ianós have no relevance to bad or good or prince Gwanghae or the dual role of Byung-hun Lee.But the acting of the latest is surely godlike.Byung-hun Lee plays the part of Gwanghaegun the fifteenth king of the Joseon Dynasty and this movie is a work of fiction created around a quote that I love , "Do not put on record what is meant to be hidden".The plot of the movie is the following.The king, afraid of his life during rumors of assassination attempts, searches for a man that looks like him and can replace him as long as the danger for his life remains.What follows is a masterpiece.Great actors,great direction and great costumes create a drama worth anyone's time.Do not miss it.