This movie is definitely not a saga. It captures just an episode of Gwanghae-gun life and dramatizes it. Tho it includes action and war, the focus of this movie is how the soft-hearted prince turns to be strong leader who embraces his task.
The beginning is fast, and it becomes slower before the climax. It left enough impression for me to think about the story throughout the night after watching it.
It based on real event but this movie works more on personal relationship between the characters. At the end, if you ask for historical reference movie, then this is not for you.
I, personally, like this kind of movie. It is interesting how they potrayed war in 3 points of view. The king and his courts who supposed to become frontliners but ended running away, the Prince who never knew about anything outside the palace, and the group of people who supposed to be protected but becomes the guards of borders. And when they all meet, it becomes idealism vs reality.