Netflix's Black Knight has been discussed primarily in how it relates to the Mad Max franchise. It's a fair comparison, but the series has much more in common with a post-apocalyptic anime like Desert Punk or even Gurren Lagann. Its action is spectacular, its story is messy, and its characters are charmingly familiar. Black Knight isn't the next Squid Game or anything, but it is a lot of fun.
Writer/director Cho Ui-seok has been a popular filmmaker in South Korea for over two decades. His fourth film, Master, was a star-studded detective caper that earned a worldwide release and more than $50 million. Black Knight marks his introduction to the world of streaming television.
Black Knight takes place in the year 2071, long after a meteor struck the Earth and killed 99% of the human population. The remaining population is forced to wear masks outside and rely on oxygen tanks indoors to survive the consistently polluted air. Those who live on the Korean peninsula are isolated and heavily stratified. The wealthy live comfortably in walled cities, and the poor are refugees who can barely afford to breathe. O2 is the most valuable resource in the world, and so the task of transporting it is dedicated only to the most capable couriers. These long-haul truckers travel through dangerous conditions and battle armed bandits to get their packages to their destinations. In the grand tradition of anime, these titular Knights are almost hilariously competent in every skill set.
The finest of the Knights is 5-8, portrayed fabulously by former model Kim Woo-bin. 5-8 is the kind of guy who smokes cigarettes outdoors during an apocalyptic oxygen shortage. The show is somewhat conflicted on whether he's the main character. 5-8 is the Kamina-esque mentor figure who is so capable, cool, and handsome that he feels out of place in a live-action world. 5-8 is approached by a refugee named Sa-Wol, who lost his sister and memory in an altercation with the corrupt police. After multiple requests, 5-8 agrees to train Sa-Wol to achieve his dream of becoming a Knight. Luckily, the government is holding a brutal tournament to decide the newest member of the elite group of couriers. Around half of this six-episode season is classic anime material, in which a legendary pro teaches a newcomer how to become a hero. However, even as they prepare for Sa-Wol's new life, there's a sinister undercurrent that occasionally rears its head.
A skilled editor could turn this season of streaming TV into two solid films. There's not a 100% clean break, but it does feel like two separate stories. Sal-Wol training for a fighting tournament that he competes in is fun and charming, for all of its violence. Meanwhile, the wealthy and the governing bodies plot the destruction of the lower classes, and 5-8 leads an armed rebellion to dismantle the system. It's a very strange mix of tones. Though all the parts work separately, it can be jarring when cartoonish comedy breaks into a scene out of Black Hawk Down. The action is stellar from the beginning to the end, but it's also affected by the shift in meaning. Part of this is due to the weaponry. When everyone stops throwing down in excellently-choreographed hand-to-hand brawls and starts lighting each other up with machine guns, it's still engaging, but the stakes have changed. The special effects aren't always perfect, but the imagery is striking enough to sell the scenes. Neither part is bad, but they feel like separate shows.
Black Knight won't appeal to everyone, but it's an absolute joy for a certain audience. Live-action adaptations of manga, or webtoons in this case, frequently either completely abandon the source material or fail to make it feel special. This series is a rare case of capturing a story perfectly. It maintains the feel of the source material while changing key details of the story. It's smart, fun, charming, fast-paced, and complete. Thankfully, fans won't be wondering whether Netflix is going to pull the rug out from under their favorite show. This show tells a complete story with a satisfying ending. There's more to be made if necessary, but it's finally a solid Netflix series that won't end on an unresolved cliffhanger.
Black Knight is reminiscent of a lot of other projects, but it manages to stand on its own. Mad Max leaves its mark on the show, as does decades of anime, but the series has a unique personality of its own. The premise is just crazy enough to work, the cast is game for the absurd antics, and the action is shockingly well-executed from the beginning to the end. It never gets too dour or too silly for its own good. Black Knight delivers an excellent six-episode live-action anime series. Fans of anything in that unique cultural niche will love this strange series.
Black Knight
Black Knight is an action sci-fi series that premiered on Netflix in May 2023. The show is based on a webtoon series of the same name by Lee Yun-kyun. The show is set in a post-apocalyptic South Korea, where only 1% of its population is still alive after air pollution turned the Korean peninsula into a wasteland.