Title: The Front Line (2011)

Director: Jang Hoon (Secret Reunion, Rough Cut)

Screenwriter: Park Sang-yeon (JSA: Joint Security Area)

Cast: Shin Ha-kyun, Go Soo, Ryoo Seung-soo, Ko Chang-seok, Kim Ok-Bin, Lee Je-hoon, Jo Jin-woong

Synopsis: A drama centered on the Korean War’s final battle that will determine the border between north and south.

Why This Film is Awesome: I usually avoid war films. Not because I don’t recognize the sacrifices servicemen and women have made over the years, but more because it always reminds me why I hate war as much as I do. I can’t say this film proves anything else, but it does an amazing job of displaying the humanity that many of these characters have been forced to surrender after spending years fighting with fellow Koreans over land and, mainly, other people’s hubris. More importantly they were sacrificing everything for a war they had no idea why they fighting in. It’s sad, but it was balanced with moments in where their humanity would somehow find a way to shine through reminding us that they were just like us before they become whatever the war had made them.

The film a little more than two hours (133 mins.), but you won’t notice. The cast is amazing and the story is so engaging that you may have to remind yourself to breathe. I’ll tell you that once the credits began rolling most of the people I was watching the film with had to remind themselves the film was over and they could finally move.Yeah, it was that good.