great action sequences and pulls at heart strings!

Rating: 9/10 (9 October 2008)

I cried from beginning to end. There were few protracted scenes that could have been left on the editing floor, but the positives far outweigh the negatives for me to recollect now. Acting was superb, the music was poignant, and the action sequences were very realistic.
This film also very well demonstrates the depth and breadth of sentiments and values that govern a conventional Korean family, and in a larger scale, Korean society.
The Korean War is not the focal point of this film; rather, it is the reagent that serves to show the evolution of the individual's morale, social structure, and familial piety.
The ending was particularly touching to me because Jin-Tae serves his duty as a "Hyung" ("Older brother" in informal Korean, young male perspective) until the end. He switches sides one last time, shooting at his own Communist Flag Unit, to ensure the safe passage of his younger brother, a non-Communist soldier, to safer ground.
I think it's important for the world to know that for Koreans, this war was not about North Koreans vs. South Koreans. Rather it was a war between Communist-aligned and unaligned civilians. Ideology affiliation among Koreans did not fall in clear geographic areas as Western historians preach.
As for the comments on certain dialogue and acting being "over dramatic" or "too melodramatic"; well, I don't think it was Won Bin's overacting. Hyper-sentimentality is an aspect of Korean culture of which many obviously were not aware. The dynamics between the family members and brothers accurately depicted the closeness that is evident in Korean culture.
I would recommend this to everyone, and I think it should be re-rated to PG-13.