ive encountered taegukgi loads of times during my many dvd hunts last year but for some unknown reason, i didnt buy a copy. only recently, after seeing its title in top ten lists and reading some good reviews, did i realize how much i had missed. i have a special liking for war flicks and taegukgi just became one of my faves.
taegukgi is mainly about two brothers and the korean war. their simple happy life is suddenly shattered when both of them get drafted as soldiers to fight for their country. jin-tae, the older brother, wants his younger brother, jin-seok, sent home so he braves up and puts himself on the line so he could get a medal of honor and in turn have his brother discharged. as the war progresses, the brothers' relationship gradually crumbles, with jin-seok questioning jin-tae's real intentions.
the movie is magnificent. the drama is subtle but highly emotional and effective that i found myself fighting tears every now and then. the main characters were introduced in such a great way that you immediately feel for them. one strong scene is when the soldiers take jin-seok by force to the train and jin-tae goes in to retrieve him but both of them are taken away instead, much to the heartbreak of their mother and jin-tae's fiancee. at the camp, the brothers and their fellow soldiers could do nothing about the harsh conditions brought upon them. it was jin-tae's iron will that uplifted everyone's morale. he lead them against the north korean forces and prevailed, but with severe consequences. the battles scenes were hard-hitting and brutal, very realistic. but what affected me more was the "side effects" of the war. there's this one part about a handkerchief that got me cringing. king-size kudos to the poeple behind this wonderful film.
touching, thrilling, tragic, terrific. taegukgi. i now feel how lucky we all are...
No comments:
Post a Comment