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The storyline of five women may lead the viewer to believe that there's feminine themes. While there is a bit of that, it's largely the most brutal war footage I've seen in my life and that's saying something. While women are the main protagonists, the men around them are compelling. Some fantastic character actor performances including one of the most vile war villains disguised as an intellectual.

It's a student film and there are cracks, but perhaps that's helpful for the pacing because who can handle 2 whole hours of Omaha Beach battles? Some of the war scenes are epic including one involving a multiple layer freeway clover overpass under bombardment. This isn't action like a video game or a regular movie, you feel for every one of the ordinary people who suddenly find their world utterly destroyed and the deaths come at such a fast pace I lost the ability to remotely process them which is a neat allegory for how European warfare is. It's not paced for entertainment but rather comes at you whether you can handle it or not. It should not be described as a "women's story" film. I'd describe it more as the reality of a 21st century modern industrial European war conducted with WWII brutality. I could see some people around me got PTSD watching it. I woke up in the middle of last night.

So why watch it? To respect the dead and survivors and the gallant bravery of those whose lives were snuffed out in some scenes faster than you could conduct a body count with each one mattering. I had read about these stories before and the filmmaker says that they are all based upon actual events making it all even more horrific and compelling. These stories deserve to be remembered.

I wondered if those who went through something like this could ever enjoy "war films" again in the same way regular people do. I certainly know my perception has been altered. If you thought Private Ryan and Schinder's List wasn't such a big deal, see if you can handle this.

Perhaps it's also a good thing that those who play video games or read memes don't take this as seriously as they should. I can't say if it's good for someone, or not, to see this but you should understand going into it because, if there's a theme to this film from beginning to end is that the people in this film didn't know what they were in for either making it all that much more grueling.

I didn't live in the GDR, but I have experienced similar crisis of consciousness and it's difficult particularly when the system is designed to make it impossible to resist. The film has many tropes, but they are all excellently done: The spy master, the amoral boss, the noble, handsome playwright, and the pretty actress. The cinematography is first rate. I still struggle to digest the film emotionally, which is a good thing. The cold war, like WWII, was a time of tremendous upheaval and after generations, there's a fear that we'll forget out what happened and how significant it all was particularly as this generation undergoes their own crisis of conscience. When the right thing needs to be done, will you do it? Can you live with yourself?

Regarding entertainment: For the most part, the film delivers. A bit slow in the middle, it happens, but this is necessary for the plot. The characters are all relatable although deliberately obvious, which is actually a good thing and adds to the layering of their actions. There's details abound including the various actions of EVERY character in the film, no matter minor. A wonderful film I could watch again.

I have a dear friend from the GDR who is about to pass away. She might enjoy the film before she moves on.

There are probably some people who are shocked that this isn't what they expected but that's what I like about it. It has a distinct Korean flavor with unique sets and costumes throughout the story that tell a tale by themselves. I watched so intently I realized little nuances in later episodes. From the point of view of the characters, there are emotional twists that we, as the audience, can go through if we are willing. Plot holes and contradictions abound, but it's also that way in real life. I know several people who think their thinking is real but from another point of view, they're transparent.

What I'm saying is that if you want to see Hunger Games, there's a film for that but much of this show focuses on character development and emotional journeys.

Why 9 stars? The ending basically trashed the whole journey we, and the main characters, went through. I'd have preferred they just leave the end as is and let our imagination fill in the blanks (or leave for season 2).

A film such as this immerses you in its own universe including Korean life, the strange games, and the creative "business" that the Squid Games themselves comprise including the workers. Did you ever wonder what James Bond's villain's henchmen's lives were like? That ALONE was quite amusing.