La Bataille de Jangsari

It's not the out of this world, the best movie war-themed ever. But clearly, it has more sentimental aspect that conveyed better than some movies with this kind. Not many battle or shoot killing scenes that you may have expected and rather it focus on the narrative of the protagonists which for me it's quite enough to gained my empathy towards them. It's cinematography was far from good whereas some scenes appeared so artificial and some scenes like where George and Megan had conversations were totally unnecessary. but I can still enjoy the whole experience watching this. Not forget to mention how the actors were well acted and conveyed their emotion well that I immersed into them instantly. And the story showed how the system is merciless towards the weak and the sacrifice of the soldiers are worth to remember.

The Korean scenes are very gripping, and makes you feel how desperate the soldiers are. The English scenes unfortunately add nothing to the film, but in fact distracts from the main story and decreases tension of the film.

It's 1950 Korea. The South and their allies have retreated to the Nakoong River. Under General MacArthur's plan, the allies are to retake Incheon to drive the North back. A ship carrying 772 student soldiers head for the beaches of Jangsari a day before the Incheon landing in a diversionary attack.

The movie starts with a reasonable amount of war action. There is actual tension. It's a promising start but two things immediately becomes noticeable. The section with Megan Fox and George Eads is utterly unnecessary. By the end, they are cringeworthy. Megan has never been a great actress but the dialogue is impossible. Even Meryl Streep wouldn't be able to deliver it. It is some of the worst writing ever. They're probably there to sell the movie to the west. It's a fool's errand. The second thing is the injection of bad action and melodrama. This one happens slowly. At first, it's the soldiers bunching up. It's a classic mistake. Filmmakers think that more people equal bigger action. If they're bunched up in a tiny space, it looks like a cheap production trying to maximize its budget. Then the melodrama starts happening. The characters' stories starts getting more outlandish. There is a Mulan. There is a cousin killing which requires a bad character making illogical reasoning. There is bad attempts at humor which destroys the tension. This has elements which worked but the stuff that doesn't work really doesn't work.

There's a real sense of tragedy and loss inherent in Korean made war films. Like their Russian counterparts, they don't glorify war but show it for what it is, the senseless and wasteful loss of mostly, young life.

Battle of Jangsari is no exception. Its genuinely hard watching bright, young, hopeful lives, wiped away by the efficient industrialised ugliness, of modern warfare. What is also to this films credit is its treatment of soldiers on both sides of the conflict, as human beings. Ordinary people, afraid to die, who only want to return home to their parents and loved ones.

The acting is, in short, mostly excellent, the cinematography outstanding and the approach to telling the story of these young people heartfelt, honest and reverential.

10/10 from me.

South Korean Students abducted from North ones and dressed in North Korean army uniforms...Forced to fight against their own A very touching moment at the end of the movie, from an old Man now,ex soldier, calling out his dead partner soldiers by their names...