Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War 2004

Erik Lundegaard, Seattle Times: The battle scenes are gripping and horrific, the special effects amazing, and the sentimentality overwhelming. Read more

Robert K. Elder, Chicago Tribune: Writer/director Kang Je-gyu dedicates himself to the human side of a grand tale, to people who've been uprooted by history. Read more

G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle: Epic in scope and violent in a way that every war film has to be since Saving Private Ryan, Taegukgi is a big-time movie that never loses sight of its human story. Read more

Ed Park, Village Voice: In the rare moments when a rifle, grenade, howitzer, bayonet, dagger, fist, land mine, or flamethrower isn't being deployed, the film pushes its melodramatic plotline with soap operatic shamelessness. Read more

Bob Longino, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Even with its overemotional moments, it's more honest than most. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: Successfully combines audience-friendly sentimentality with absolutely grueling combat footage and an unexpected but unmistakable hostility toward the entire notion of war. Read more

Bruce Westbrook, Houston Chronicle: Brutal yet meaningful, agonizing yet touching, The Brotherhood of War is a harrowing but rewarding experience. Read more

Gregory Kirschling, Entertainment Weekly: Thanks to its excess, and even at 140 minutes, Tae Guk Gi always entertains, just like Pearl Harbor and the rest of the best of Hollywood's dumb war movies. Read more

David Chute, L.A. Weekly: While it comes on like a flag-waver, it actually delivers something more nuanced. Read more

Jan Stuart, Newsday: Alternately brutal and schlocky, and occasionally both at the same time. Read more

Andrew Sarris, New York Observer: Worth seeing for its sheer otherness at a time when Americans are forced to look increasingly at the outside world for new information. Read more

Dave Kehr, New York Times: The film does offer Western viewers rare access to another country's innermost anxieties and contradictions, and as such is a fascinating document. Read more

Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune: The battle scenes are amazing in their scope and vehemence. But in the breaks between fighting, the movie reminds us that the costs of war can exceed the loss of life and limb. Read more

Stephen Cole, Globe and Mail: Although flawed, the film is obviously successful in bringing to life what has been called the 20th century's 'forgotten war.' Read more

Peter Howell, Toronto Star: At times the performances seem more akin to the histrionics of old silent movies, when emotions had to be seen because they couldn't be heard. Read more

Derek Adams, Time Out: Read more

Geoff Andrew, Time Out: Read more

Derek Elley, Variety: Kang remains a superb technician, but somewhere the movie forgot to pack any genuine emotion along with its ordnance and K rations. Read more

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: A complex film about the minefield of loyalty and betrayal. Read more

Stephen Hunter, Washington Post: A tough and honest film. Read more