One of the Best Films About the Korean War

Rating: 9/10 (16 June 2018)

"Tae Guk Gi" is a fine tale of two brothers forced to fight in a war that neither understands. The older, less literate is protective of his younger, college bound sibling, so much so that he makes a deal with his commanding officer: If I perform bravely enough to receive a medal for heroism, then my younger brother shall be free to return home. His daring, and its effects on the younger brother is the driving force of the movie. Additionally, the longing of the older for his fiance is a secondary, yet pivotal storyline in the movie.
The preface to war, were we see the two young brothers, is very wonderfully done. The war brings about an aging to the characters, and they do look older. The action is fun enough for any action fan, but the story of the brothers commands the most attention.
The DVD extras are very nice. One short has interviews with the director, writers and actors, along with real-life survivors of the war. It's interesting to see the South Koreans viewpoint, as opposed to the American view.
For movie making buffs, a comparison of the story board to the filmed action is very interesting. A still photography section gives a nice capture of the film, something I'm usually not very impressed with for most movies.
I would suggest those who don't like subtitles watch the movie a second time in Korean. You'll remember the jest of what they are saying, but get a truer feeling for the actors than in the dubbed version.