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Rating: 10/10 (16 January 2006)

"In the powerful tradition of Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers comes this box-office hit from Korea." Don't let the opening comments on the back of the DVD case fool you; there's no comparing Tae Guk Gi to either of the aforementioned productions. Tae Guk Gi is far more potent and moving.
Tae Guk Gi is the story of two brothers who were drafted to fight in the Korean War. The plot centers on the relationship between the two, as well as the evolution of an individual under the conditions of war. Jin-tae, the older brother, has one focus in life: to make sure his younger and often sickly brother, Jin-seok, can further his education. Jin-seok is viewed as the future of their family and Jin-tae will do anything to ensure his brother's safety.
Throughout the movie, of course, characters and motives change. People are torn apart, reunited, etc. Emotions run high and we're shown that bonds of blood and family can survive anything.
It sounds like your average war movie, and it probably would be if Tae Guk Gi wasn't so well-crafted. Everything from the cinematography to the execution of the plot itself is simply fantastic. As can be expected, the movie has its fair share of violence and bloodshed. However, it is done in as tasteful a manner as any war movie can be done. The director, Je-gyu Kang, does a fantastic job of showing the actions of both the North and South forces in fairly equal light- which is ironic considering that for one character, Jin-tae, the enemy is simply anyone who poses a threat to his family rather than an intruding army. And for anyone who is a twentieth-century history buff, the accurateness of army attitudes and events won't disappoint.
There isn't much else to say except that I highly recommend Tae Guk Gi to everyone- even people who aren't fond of war movies. I do have one warning, however: even the most cold-hearted bastard might need a box of tissues on hand. It normally takes something like divine action to make me cry and this movie had me sobbing like I would if I'd just watched my dogs get hit by a car.