Review of Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War

After seeing this in Asda for less than £10 I was instantly drawn to it due to my unassailable desire to watch every single war film ever made and my love of a cheap DVD. This bargain stuck out like a Commie in a Nazi rally.

After a few minutes of setting the scene with the customary happy home life of the brothers and the habitual flash forward which is almost a guarantee in any mediocre war film since Pearl Harbour, I did not have too greater hope for the usually generic and predictable plot these films almost always offer. However this is where the story started to unfold and as soon as the Brothers are drafted and forced into battle it is clear that this is no two a penny 'shoot em up' making a quick buck from the tragedy of war.

The battle scenes are as bloody and as brutal as some of the best films in the genre, and is as well shot as its more prestigious predecessors. Nothing seems to be done at long range, with most of the butchery done with a bayonet giving the film a ferocity and barbarism that the boys in Hollywood often fail to capture.

On top of the explosions and fervour of battle that is a must have in the modern war film, the human tale is well scripted and not overplayed. Lee Jin-Tae and Lee Jin-Seok are clearly changed by war and the climax of the film reflects this in an awe inspiring weaving of hardcore action and human emotion. The scripting is second to none and gives a genuine emotional attachment to the characters portrayed within what can only be described as a Hellish war and a fantastic story of courage and sacrifice.

10/10