If it's well done enough even the most predictable drama can work and this is a prime example. From the start you know the outcome and the surprises are mild but it's so ruthlessly effective in the execution that it got to me completely. The other part is the war film which is relentlessly brutal and effective at showing the horror and tragedy of war.

A very watchable film. Just too damn long to make its point.

Over the top, overacted, overly pretentious, overly everything. I find this movie's plot hardly believable and twists are insulting my intelligence. Oh yes, absolutely overrated. If you wanna watch something about the Korean war that actually makes sense and has a human touch, I'd recommend JSA

A good war movie overall but the dramatic "Hollywood" scenes were too much after one point. They kept crying and crying and tried to make us cry which got kinda' boring after a while. War scenes were extremely good, except the last one where it was really hard to understand who, what and when..

An interesting look at The Korean War told from the perspective of South Koreans. An interesting story and decent action that reminded me of battle sequences in Windtalkers; A little over done and polished possibly the result of editing. The plot is also a tad far fetched at times. However, my assesment may be a little too harsh.

Overly melodramatic (like most asian cinema), but still a decent, simple story at its core, and well-presented, at that.

Crap. With all due respect to the South Korean's nationalist pride, this film would've been a whole lot better if it actually had been about South Koreans fighting the good fight instead of solely focusing on just 2 brothers, one of which you actually wish a couple of times would step on a mine and the other who, in the course of just one battle, takes out half the opposing army and rest of the time plays chicken with machine guns and jets without usually getting a scratch. Avoid.

Big budget, sure...but corny as hell. Just because this is foreign doesn't mean its good. The amount of fist fights on large battle fields was ridiculous.

an epic scale

A powerful moving addition to the cannon of great (anti-)war movies.This is one of the most brutal and unrelenting depictions of war I've seen.It really drives home the fact that war is a horrific affair for the participants.The way the brothers relationship change over the course of the film is done very well.The final 50 minutes of this film is very emotional and brings this film to a satisfying close.Two Thumbs Up.

Amazing except the blood pieces on the camera

Bad A. I saw this around the same time as Oldboy, and if Korea keeps it up, I one day may take the time to find where they are on a map.

Freaking stupid.

Blows Saving private Ryan out of the water. Equally stunning and shocking battle sequences combined with far more powerful story.

Slightly derivative film about the Korean War, and a pair of brothers who end up fighting on opposite sides, but the action is awesome and the acting is all pretty good. Solid entertainment if somewhat melodramatic.