War. The word alone can evoke images of bombs, gunfire and broken homes. It’s sad that these images also make for some of the most captivating movies. Jang Hun’s THE FRONT LINE (고지전) should go down on record as one of the most captivating of all. Since it’s the winner of South Korea’s Oscar, the Grand Bell Award, for best picture and South Korea’s 2012 Academy Award submission you better believe I started watching this movie with high expectations. Director Jang Hun has only got three films under his belt as director, including this one, and having seen his previous works I knew that there was only a 50/50 chance of me liking this film. He has now made me a fan.
THE FRONT LINE is set during the Korean War in 1953. Although a ceasefire has been in order since 1951 the North and the South continue to battle over Aerok Hill. The piece of land is a strategic point in marking the border between the North and the South and the battles for it become more and more vicious as the ownership of the hill constantly changes hands between the two countries. Soldier Kang Eun-Pyo, played by Shin Ha-Gyun, is dispatched to the the front line partly as punishment for insubordination and partly to investigate a suspicious case. When he arrives he is reunited with his old friend Kim Soo-Hyeok, popular actor Ko Soo, whom he thought was missing in action for 3 years. While he’s there he gets caught up in the fighting frenzy and sees how it’s changed his once sensitive old friend into a cold war machine.
Director Jang Hun has had incredible success in making films centered around male “frenemies,” so much so that he is often criticized for his lack of female roles. His previous films SECRET REUNION (의형제) and ROUGH CUT (영화는 영화다) were both box office successes centered around the same theme. If it continues for too much longer it will become old but for now it’s his magic charm. It’s not that the formula itself hasn’t been attempted, it’s just that his talent for adding subtle twists and turns keeps his films from becoming too predictable. With this one, it kept me on the edge of my seat. You think you know what’s going to happen. You think you’ve seen it all and got the whole movie figured out. Surprise! You don’t. The way the character’s stories link them to their allies and their enemies is just plain heartbreaking. You see how both sides share the longing to go home and that their fight is purely a duty they have to carry out. They aren’t even fully aware of the reasons. It’s almost like they walk around saying, “It’s nothing personal, but I have to try to kill you today.” I felt as if I was on front line with them, desperately wanting the war to end as much as they did. Outside of the two main characters the cast was a mix of veteran, seasoned, and new actors. All of them did a superb job. Most impressive was up and coming actor Lee Je-Hoon as young, drug addicted Captain Shin Il-Young. The war has taken him to the point of no return and he pulls off both the strength and the vulnerability needed to command under such circumstances.
There’s no way for me to sum up this movie without gushing. I think it deserves all the success it’s getting and I’m anxious to see how it does at the Academy Awards. Regardless of the outcome, it’s a must see. Go rent it today.

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