Great battle scenes, underwhelming otherwise

Rating: 5/10 (22 May 2006)

What we have here is a thoroughly captivating movie with noticeable flaws. Despite the great battle scenes, there were just too many battle scenes. We only need to see a bayonet go through someone so many times. Also, there are preposterous Superman worthy combat heroics that detracts from an otherwise gruesome and very realistic wartime setting that surpasses even that of Saving Private Ryan.
Besides the action sequences, the other parts seem overly melodramatic, playing loosely like a Bollywood movie (without the crappy dance interludes, for which I'll give it credit). This movie tries, really hard, to make you cry, really hard. Manipulative music that wrestles you to submit to your emotions is played not once or twice, but all the way through. An alternative would be soft notes or even total silence in the crucial scenes. That would have really hit the message home harder.
Lastly, the character shifts occur too whimsically. There is no reason for the two brothers to take on such a fast array of different behavioral costumes. One moment they feud, and the next moment they forget all about it. The older brother's reckless insanity was way over the top.
That might seem to indicate that I hated this movie, but I don't. It was done very well within the scope it provides itself. It is rewarding, touching, and insightful for anyone, more so those unfamiliar with the Korean War. Just don't expect a real accurate history lesson, but the general gist is provided along with heavy feel-good (or is it feel-bad?) factor. The film-makers understood this film's formulaic purpose and really weren't too interested in pushing the envelope.