Joint Security Area

JOINT SECURITY AREA is pretty amazing, but the less said about the plot, the better to insure your full enjoyment, surprise and emotional connection. Another member puts the film down for its sentimentality. I don't know about that: When a country has been as divided as has Korea for the past half-century, a movie like this must have really knocked the socks off of a lot of South Koreans (I doubt it could be shown in the North). I'm trying to think of some equivalently themed American film, but nothing comes to mind. "A Midnight Clear"--or a film about comradeship on either side of, say, America's Civil War-- just couldn't provide the sense of long-term division/separation that Korea has experienced. Beautifully filmed, with flashbacks and varied points-of-view, this puzzle movie eventually comes together, offering some of its best moments toward the end. The last shot is astonishing: simple and reminiscent, but now seen with enough clarity and irony to open mouths and overflow tear ducts.

Chan-wook Park's most politically-charged film tackles the very volatile tension that exists between the North and South Koreans. This could have easily been propagandistic in nature, with this South Korean film portraying the Northerners as mere caricatures of Communistic ideals, but instead the film happily sidesteps this and portrays both the North Koreans and South Koreans as kinsmen.

In the beginning of the picture, both sides have a skewed view of one another, seeing each through the lens of their political temperament - the border between the two thus is interpreted as a wall that filters and jades each one's perspective. However, once that that wall is finally crossed, the two sides realize that no wall really exists, and they begin to see each other as human beings - The soldiers first call one another "enemies", but soon they are calling one another "brothers".

The characters are richly drawn and dynamic to reflect this - each are humans, with their own unique demeanor, and that their national identity is nothing more than a facade. While the soldiers are alone, away from their government infrastructures, both sides cling to one another in fellowship as they find themselves all the same. Only when the absent governmental element is reintroduced are the soldiers forced to revert back behind their facades, and tragedy results.

A powerfully moving and keenly intelligent analysis of the confusing political situation between the two opposing governmental systems. Despite being slightly marred by a few lapses into melodrama and overstatement, that can not take away from its piercing effectiveness.

The highest recommendation possible.

Hands across the void, separated by dogma, briefly reunited, candid, without melodrama. A gulf simply straddled, a divide quickly filled, no malice or distrust, as partnerships re-build.

Leaders seldom lead, people following the bread, on all sides there's mistrust, of what's been spoken and what's been read. Continually replayed, along friction points that burn, when constructs are embellished from pontificating churn.

If only others didn't get in the way, what a great place the world could be, every day, after day, after day.

The Korean peninsula is divided like no other. The two countries are still fighting in a sense the cold war, divided by loyalty to different creeds. Not an easy subject to tackle, but this film takes the subject and smooths off the edges to show us that there is hope and beauty underneath.

The film centres round an investigation over a border-side killing. Unbeknown to the investigators, intertwined into their investigation is a friendship that had developed, behind the back of their superiors, of two sets of border guards on either side of a bridge dividing the countries. The secret friendship seems to concentrate the whole Korean divide issue simply, but minor hostility still pops its head up now and again, nevertheless without needing any kind of over-dramatics the men all respect and begin to ultimately care for each ahead of all else As expected, the whole situation comes to a head, and their is some strong emotional moments but the education to anyone who watches this more than makes up for all else.

I can't think of many more emotive subjects or films that I have seen this year. The acting and direction is perfect, whilst the script is funny and emotional. Korean films are just so far ahead of all else, it just defies belief. Highly recommended, you can't go wrong with this gem of a movie.

Although a native Korean, I've always been skeptical of Korean movies. They tend to overplay emotions and lack realism. Well, this movie changed my whole outlook - it is a grippingly realistic movie that rips through the storyline. I was spellbound. Set in the highly charged Korean demilitarized zone, it is the tale of a shootout gone wrong, but the movie is much more than just a whodunit. It illustrates quite subtly the delicate North-South emotions that transcends ideologies of the 2 regimes; it really is about characters and their situations, rather than actions. The film also features some beautiful cinematography - the scenes I remember are the tall grass (the minefield incident) and the muted cigarette exchange on top of a snow-covered hill. The latter, particularly, is extremely poignant in its silence. Why are they smoking together? And why do they not speak? The answers to these questions, I guess, are the subjects and emotions that the movie tries to convey. The only flaw I can offer is the clear mis-casting of Lee Young-Ae as the neutral major, but her role in the movie is not central enough (although she does take up quite an amount of air time) to drag down the whole movie. IMHO, I would have used a Korean-European new face in the role. I am sure that it appeals to Koreans more than foreigners, although i'm also sure you can enjoy it without prior knowledge. I recommend this very highly. It's a pity that it's still not out on DVD even after 1 year following its release, and I hope it is released soon so that movie lovers everywhere can appreciate it.