Well worth the time

Rating: 8/10 (2 February 2006)

Recap: North Korean forces cross the border into South Korean and the war is a fact. Pushed hard, South Korean forces conscript every available young man, and that's how Jin-tae ends up on a train to the front. Jin-tae, still a student, and the hope of his family, is very close with his big brother, Jin-seok. And when Jin-seok can't break Jin-tae free, he might as well join the army and look after his little brother. Together, they face the horrors of war. But Jin-seok, told that if he perform tasks of bravery, and beyond the call of duty, might ask the commanders to send his brother home. With that in mind, Jin-seok, rushes into mission after mission, soon becoming somewhat of a hero. But war changes men, and Jin-tae aren't sure he likes what his brother is turning into.
Comments: A statement about war. It isn't pretty, in fact it is full of horrors. This movie seems to take the responsibility to depict the war truthfully seriously, hence there are a lot of unpleasant scenes. The backdrop of the Korean war is interesting, though a little confusing sometimes, if you don't keep up when the tide is changing. But it is the story, the connection between the two brothers, that add the sparkles to this movie. The cast do a great job, and the movie had me captured from beginning to end. Though, if you're no fan of war-movies or dislikes pictures of blood and gore, you should probably avoid this. But if you do like war-movies (and don't mind the blood that much) this is a movie well worth seeing.
It did remind me a little of We were soldiers with Mel Gibson. Most because of its sincerity.
8/10