Operation Chromite

This is a little hidden gem of a film, you probably won't find it running anywhere as it has a limited budget and almost zero media behind it. But you SEE every dollar on the screen and it looks like it cost twice the sum, so stick with it. Very much a war film, behind enemy lines and a plot that, while based in Korea, is one we know very well. French resistance type of action. Liam Neeson makes a very good MacArthur (much better than Tommy Lee Jones and Sir Laurence some time back), at times catching even the face quite right. (Greg Peck has the high honor). But here we have a straightforward story of brave men doing brave deeds with honor. We should remember such men, and this film gives their heroism a chance to shine. BTW this may be a fictionalized plot but it is based on true events. All told, well worth the time.

As is the law when it comes to war movies America always wins, and saves the world. And that is of course the case with this movie, but with a twist. Operation Chromite is the previously untold story of a group of South Korean spies sent behind enemy lines to pave the way for the allied sorry American beach landing at Inchean South Korea. I have no idea how accurate this movie is but there is plenty of action to keep the viewer entertained. Of course we have to put up with heroic death after heroic death as each one of our heroes meets there brave but inevitable end. Not the best war movie I've ever seen but by no means the worse.

Korean Entertainment Industry is a reality. It evolved over the years and now it may count on a wide choice of good Actors, Authors, Musicians, Producers and Technicians. The results are professional TV and Movie productions, with an overall good artistic level.

The present title is a War Movie that recalls of old American productions of the same genre. Just as in the 50s and the 60s, when World War II was too fresh a memory and war stories were rhetorical and unrealistic, this movie is biased by a mono dimensional description of the UN/US counter offensive in the Korean War (which easily may be too fresh a memory for people from ROK…).

This is a pity of course, because almost nothing is left of the real events (which by the way are much more interesting than the fictional ones) and the movie is not instructive at all. Unfortunately men are the same everywhere and Communists are not the only ones who cannot resist the charm of propaganda

In 1950, the North Korean army has invaded and defeated South Korea. The UN coalition, under the command of General Douglas MacArthur (Liam Neeson), plots a bold plan called "Operation Chromite" to invade the South Korean peninsula, disembarking the troops through the Incheon port. However there are mines in the water and he needs to know the location of the defense first. MacArthur sends an eight- man military unit from the Korean Liaison Office in a secret operation called X- Ray under the command of South Korean Navy Lieutenant Jang Hak-soo (Jung-jae Lee) to find the location of the North Korean defenses. They disguise as a North Korean inspection unit to infiltrate the enemy headquarter. However, North Korean Senior Colonel Lim Gye-jin (Beom- su Lee) suspects of Hak-soo and does not provide the mine location to him. What will the spies do?

"In-cheon sang-ryuk jak-jeon", a.k.a. "Operation Chromite", is a magnificent South Korean war film based on a true story. The dramatic story is full of action and supported by excellent screenplay, direction and performances. The conclusion is melodramatic like in many other South Korean movies, but perfect to the great story of heroism and patriotism. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): Not available

Part spy thriller, and part action film this is a weird mix film. The spy aspect is done well, with good tension, and the framing scenes about the preparation around Macarthur are well done, but also largely irrelevant to the main story. But then things go wrong, the film becomes an over the top action film, with bullets flying everywhere. If it had been one or the other it would have been better, but the two aspects make for strange changes in pace which don't really gell well.