Tae Guk Gi - The Brotherhood of War

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A big, bruising epic of the Korean War, Tae Guk Gi smashed box-office records when it played in South Korea in 2004, almost as though the country needed to re-live the trauma at a 50-year distance. For the rest of the world, this movie looks like a ground-level reckoning in a melodramatic key, with an authentic feel for battle lines as well as home front. Tae Guk Gi follows two brothers--one uneducated and forceful, the other intellectual and reserved--as they are united and then divided by the conflict. The broadly emotional story has some of the power of tales of the American Civil War, when family members found themselves on opposite sides of a battle. Director Kang Je-gyu , who made the lively female-assassin hit Shiri, takes a blunt approach to the material (including a Saving Private Ryan-style framing device). And at 150 minutes, he has plenty of time for head-splitting, blood-spraying combat. This movie is meant as a punch in the stomach, and it connects. --Robert Horton

Description

In the powerful tradition of Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers comes this box-office hit from Korea.From the director of Shiri comes the epic tale of two brothers. Jin-tae, a shoemaker, has worked tirelessly to provide money for the younger Jin-seok to go to college. But each of their hopes and dreams are shattered when both are forced to join the army against their will. Torn away from home and family, Jin-tae vows to protect Jin-seok despite the dangers-and the cost. In the searing crucible of battle, fate intervenes, forcing their bonds of faith, love and trust to be tested time and again in this suspense-filled, action-packed war drama.

Customer Reviews:

One of the Best Films About the Korean War .......2007-07-30

"Tae Guk Gi" centers around the story of two close-knit brothers who are conscripted into the South Korean army at the start of the Korean War. After enduring numerous battles and personal hardships that severely strain their relationship, the brothers find themselves on opposite sides of a battlefield, and are forced to fight each other, as well as the enemy, in order to survive.

Although "Tae Guk Gi" has often been compared to "Saving Private Ryan," its storyline also contains elements of "Flags of our Fathers" (issues surrounding the "war hero") and "Letters from Iwo Jima" (intensely close-up and personal nature of combat). The most memorable scene of this film, however, was when the brothers were literally torn from their family, dragged onto a train, and sent to the front. No draft card or induction ceremony (and we dont see the brothers going through basic training). I think this blending of civilian and soldier distinguishes "Tae Guk Gi" from most American war movies, where a clear break exists between a soldier's civilian and military life. Perhaps the closest resemblance to this blending in America occurred during the first year of the Civil War, when Northern farmboys and factory workers were hastily given a uniform and rifle, organized into regiments, and sent down to Virginia to fight Confederates (this first group was pretty much all volunteers, however).

Like many (recent) American war movies, "Tae Guk Gi" portrays the chaotic, gory, and deeply personal nature of war, experiences that those of us who've never been in combat will never really know. But it also dramatically illustrates the blurring between civilian and soldier that frequently occurs during war. General William Tecumseh Sherman was ultimately referring to this blurred boundary when he said that "War is Hell." General Robert E. Lee's equally profound statement, however, perhaps better sums up the powerful emotional appeal of this film: "It is well that war is so terrible -- lest we should grow too fond of it."

Uneven, but showing the promise of Korean filmaking.......2007-07-25

This film is a mixed bag, with the good (barely) edging out the bad. Many seem to be giving it the benefit of the doubt due to its Korean provenance, and overlooking its flaws at the same time. As I have married into a Korean family, it certainly pleases me to see a film from those parts getting respect here in the U.S. However, as an example of its genre (war films) it's fair at best, and its origins don't make those problems go away.

The film seemed to be quite willing to borrow elements from other films, but not always the sensibility underlying them. For example, the intensity of the on-screen violence is a tacit nod to the gritty realism of Saving Private Ryan, but without showing the flip-side of the attendant grief and costs to the soul for those fighting. The way it portrays the valor and heroism that some achieve in war are reminiscent of older John Wayne era films, but without the veneer which conceals the horror aspects of combat (such as protagonists only ever being hit with a grazing bullet to the shoulder). The film also explores Catch-22 or M.A.S.H. style jabs at the absurdity and arbitrary nature attendant to war, but doesn't have the guts to take a moral stand and say one side had any more legitimacy or was worth supporting more than the other.

That being said, there's no reason to avoid this film just because it's not the next Apocalypse Now. It's very approachable for those with western sensibilities, it would be worthwhile to couple watching this film with others such as "3 Iron" and "The Way Home" to get a more rounded and balanced sense of Korean cultural offerings.

Wow........2007-04-28

I have seen this film twice and it certainly moves. I just don't think it was made for American sensibilities, rather for South Korean ones. Some of it was very implausible (partially in that both brothers survived as long as they did; another in the "side switching" done by one and/or both of the brothers). Very emotional, very vivid, very gripping movie. Killer action.

This is a side of the Korean War I've never seen before.......2007-04-11

The film is technically outstanding. Like "Saving Private Ryan," Taegukgi spares no pains to show that war is hell; the battle scenes look like documentary footage, not a "war movie", and have a ferocity I've seen in no other film. Unfortunately, the movie goes on at such length and with--I wish I could find another word that fits--such zeal that it becomes faintly unpleasant. And not unpleasant in the sense that yes, war is not supposed to be nice, but in the sense that there's a difference between depicting and wallowing. You can only show soldiers from the South angrily gunning down soldiers from the North so many times before it becomes a cliché, and a somewhat repugnant one at that. I'm reminded, unfortunately, of François Truffaut's main contention with war movies: all too often they made war look like fun, not like hell on earth.

If the relationship between the two brothers is what makes the film, it is also what unmakes it, no thanks to the movie's muddled and manipulative plotting. At one point the two come across a cadre of wounded North Korean soldiers in a mine, one of whom was a childhood friend of Jin-tae but was forcibly conscripted into the Northern army. "All I see now is a communist," Jin-tae says (too obvious, and too much too soon, really), and prepares to kill him. Jin-seok then leaps to the boy's defense, and watches over him in when he's kept as a POW. This leads to another, deeply unpleasant scene where the Northern prisoners are forced to fight. Jin-tae takes great pride in demonstrating how they need to beat each other; Jin-seok steps in and starts throwing punches himself, and the movie conveniently forgets about his weak heart to make its point.

Both of these scenes, and a fair deal of the rest of the movie, suffer from the same problem: they are willing to ignore the logic of character and circumstance to make points that could be otherwise delivered every bit as effectively. They also show off the film's general and complete lack of subtlety. But the brothers are convincing--even when the script is marching them off a cliff--and their performances are well worth seeing even when they're surrounded by a story that hasn't been constructed with the same care to attention as the war scenery. It is hard for me to say this movie is not worth seeing, though, because it is: It shows a side of a war that has almost never been seen by an English-speaking audience, even if it isn't everything it could have been.

Gratuitious War, Great Movie.......2007-03-31

"Saving Private Ryan", starting out magnificiently, fizzled out halfway through. "We Were Soldiers", with well-designed battle scenes, had too many characters and may have tried to accomplish too much in too little reel. "WindTalkers", so action-packed, came across as overly fantastic at various points. "Platoon" was great, but lacked the epic feel. "Black Hawk Down", whilst show-casing much of modern urban warfare, was somewhat incoherent and disjointed.

"TaeGukGi" (Brotherhood of War) - one of only two movies directed by Je-gyu Kang -, then, is as close to perfect as war-movie perfection gets.

Jin-Tae and Jin-Seok. Two brothers, the older being Jin-Tae, sent off to defend the Pusan perimeter during the North Korea's invasion of the South in 1950. Big brother turns hero to protect the younger brother and hopefully get him sent home. After numerous split heads, blown-up bodies, cold-blooded killing by both sides, they are split up with Jin-Tae being captured by, and eventually fighting for, the North Koreans. A momentous and heart-felt climax ensues in the midst of some of the most gruesome battle scenes on film ever (let alone from Asian cinema).

Director Je-Gyu Kang is a master at taking you deep into the horror, the loss, the community-ripping character of war.

The love between the brothers is poignantly portrayed. The stronger and weaker, one risking everything to protect the other, both growing apart in their view and determination in the war, both estranged, one hating the other, until both are united in the worst of situations again, pledging their love for each other.

Je-gyu Kang is also an expert of the contrast of before and after. He makes is very clear how the war changed families and hearts. From the start, where the two brothers and their family are shown together in blissful harmony and joy, only for war to intervene and for them to recollect the earlier good life as motivation to keep fighting.

You won't see any computer-generated armies in Brotherhood but this is more than compensated by truckloads of extras which also help in retaining an authentic feel. The gore, explosions, blood, maggots, etc. (all made from good 'ol plastic and red paint, I suspect) are also real and graphic enough to make you wince - proof that CGI isn't a must-have for a great movie, even today.

History students are also privileged by the movie, which shows the back-and-forth character of the Korean War and the fluctuating reaction of its South Korean combatants throughout.

This movie also demonstrates the absolutely crucial role of a powerful original score. Almost everyone who's watched it commented on the part the music played in connecting the audience with the narrative. It throws the movie at the doorstep of your soul and leaves you trembling.

Yet, most importantly, it reflects Je-gyu Kang's anguish as a South Korean, living everyday in the reality of divided Korea, hoping (against hope?) that reunification can reoccur without more bloodshed, despairing over the many families and lives torn apart as the peninsular became the pawn of bigger countries and corrupted egos.

This is a theme also explored in his other big movie, "Shiri" (a film with also much 'contrast', depth and violence), and cannot but stick with you all the way to the end.

Part Korean history (and anguish), part Korean culture (and mindset), part character transformation through conflict, Brotherhood is all a war movie should be.

Tae Guk Gi - The Brotherhood of War/Shiri

Average customer rating:

Korea at its finest on film
Two gems
Must Watch

Tae Guk Gi - The Brotherhood of War/Shiri
Starring: Dong-Kun Jang , Bin Won , Eun-ju Lee (II) , Hyeong-jin Kong , and Yeong-ran Lee
Director: Je-gyu Kang
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006VL1JC
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Customer Reviews:

Korea at its finest on film.......2007-03-08

These two movies show how Korea has grown over the past fifty years. Both are great and recommend them to anyone.

Two gems.......2005-04-20

Both Shiri and Taegukgi are worthy of your money. Plots are intriguing and acting is excellent. Enjoyed both movies tremendously - even my teenagers watched them with me.

Must Watch.......2005-03-03

This is such an intense movie, not only visually but with it's morally ambious themes. The lead actor Jang Don Keon's superb acting heightens the emotional experience of watching this movie. I highly recommend this movie as the must have in your permanent dvd collections.

Silmido: Special Edition DTS 2 Disc Set [Import]

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True Story

Silmido: Special Edition DTS 2 Disc Set [Import]

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ASIN: B000BD13S4

Product Description

Sil Mi Do" reveals bitter facts of the past. Woo Suk Kang's ("Two Cops", "Public Enemy") cold war movie project stars a top cast including Ann Sung Ki ("Chiwaseon", "Musa"), Jung je Young ("No Blood No Tears", "Guns & Talks") and Sul Kyung Ku ("Oasis", "Wish I Had a Wife Too"). The tale revolves around a group of 31 South Korean men originally sentenced to death who received a parole on condition that they would take take part in a suicide retaliation commando in 1968. Later this elite battalion was double crossed by their own government that ordered their death after the secret plan was called off. As a result, the soldiers that were trained for the sole purpose to kill North Korean PresidentKim Il Sung changed their target looking for South Korean President Park Chung-hee to get their revenge ...

Customer Reviews:

True Story.......2006-07-10

This is a VERY true story about a South Korean special forces unit that was drafted and brutally trained for one mission. To kill Kim Il-Song. These men were criminals and other sorts of undesireables. They trained for years, and by the time they were supposed to go on their mission South Korea and the U.N. were trying to broker peace so the unit was called back from their mission. The commander of the unit was given word to "disapear" the unit when the South Korean government and the U.N. were trying to broker peace in fear that if the North found out about the unit the peace would not happen. The soldiers revolted and killed nearly all of their trainers. They had found out that their identities and their past lives had been erased so they wanted the South Korean people to know that they were still people and they were still alive. They got right outside of Seoul (the capital) when they were intercepted by regular army that was sent there to kill them. They went down in an impressive explosion. Subsequintaly the South Korean government is still very sensative about this issue due to the nature of the unit and they way they were dealt with. I worked with an older Korean military man who I later found out was one of the trainers who escaped the Island of Silmido when the soldiers revolted and he confirmed that the movie itself is very accurate, and very well done. I recommend this movie to anyone who is interested in very well done war movies. The story does have such an indepth coverage of the soldiers that even if you don't like war movies to much you can still get into this movie. On a side note if you are ever in South Korea there are trips offered to visit the site of the Silmido incident.

Tae Guk Gi 'The Brotherhood of War' 2 disc set (1 DVD + 1 VCD)

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Brotherhood of War

Tae Guk Gi 'The Brotherhood of War' 2 disc set (1 DVD + 1 VCD)

Manufacturer: PMP Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000G883NC

Product Description

Based on the Korean War between North & South. 1 DVD + 1 (bonus) VCD in a 4 way folded Disc set.

Customer Reviews:

Brotherhood of War.......2006-07-10

I saw this movie in the theater shortly after I returned to the US from a year in the Republic of Korea (ROK) where it had played to great excitement among the Koreans. Although there were some overplayed stereotypes in the movie, I highly recommend it. I had several Koreans (in the ROK) tell me to be sure to go see the movie as they felt it accurately portrayed both the frontline and homefront brutality and complexities of the Korean war. The pain of the division of both their family and their nation surmounts any political agenda - save reunification perhaps. Some of the visuals could come straight from Saving Private Ryan; expect lots of violence.

Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War (Widescreen)

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Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War (Widescreen)

Manufacturer: COLUMBIA
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