Jeontoo

This is a disgrace to korean movie industry. The story is barely based on true story. Japanese army depicted as a stupid boys playing around in the battlefield. When there is a sniper shooting at them, their first reaction is not to hide and cover, instead they stupidly freeze on the spot and letting the enemy killed them. Ridiculous

Tedious. Another big budget movie overflowing with nationalist, anti-Japanese pride. Japanese are portrayed as one dimensional, evil caricatures.

Lovely cinematography, sets and costumes but I think it could have been a little shorter than 2hours 15 minutes. Lots of testosterone fuelled violence and tension. Nothing graphic except for a couple of fake heads rolling on the ground. No nudity.

I know this is a Korean movie, so it is to be expected that the Japanese will not exactly be the good guys. And that would be perfectly okay. But the level of evilness and sadism with which they are portrayed is so extremely exaggerated, it's comical. You can see them laughing like cartoon villains while committing the most heinous atrocities you can imagine. All characters actually are very cartoonish, the entire film doesn't really seem to know what it wants to be. At times it feels like an action movie that doesn't take itself too seriously, in the next scene it's a serious war movie again. It's a mess.

This is a violent and graphic movie about Koreans fighting against the occupation by Japanese and features atrocities committed by them. The action is well directed. There is a feel good inglorious heroism vibe. Some slow parts but don't give up. The last third has some terrific chases on mountains and epic battles.

It is strange how people criticise and doubt the veracity of movies about Japanese atrocities but movies about WW2 atrocities in Europe by Germans are often universally praised. There are only a few movies about Nanjing and a fewer about the Occupation of Korea. More need to be made and watched by a wider audience lest people forget. Kudos to the Japanese actors who portrayed their own countrymen as villains.

What price freedom? Its an individual as much as a collective question. That's the context "The Battle: Roar to Victory" resides within.

This is an unambiguously patriotic film but its clearly defined reason to be, put it head and shoulders, above films that talk about patriotism but fail to explain its purpose.

In this instance, its the Japanese Empires imperial ambitions. Invading Korea and as this film shows, brutally subjugating its people. An historically accurate representation of, at times, harsh policies, that continued into WWII where often forced Korean recruits, were used, essentially, as canon fodder.

This film is, unsurprisingly, not an easy watch. Its visceral at times and that bloodiness extends to civilians, as well as those who have taken up arms. What it does demonstrate emphatically, is why these people fight and what they are fighting for. Of course, what is asked, is how much are they as individuals and a group, willing to sacrifice?

Military action is non stop, frenetic, brutal, interspersed with moments of deeply felt emotion and courage. Cinematic's are remarkable, bringing the battle scenes, that define this film, to life. I found it at times a mesmerising watch that drew me in and held me till the closing credits.

Another film for South Korea to be proud of. 9/10 from me.