Although I love action movies, I’m not a big fan of war movies. I do appreciate them mostly only because of the historical contents that I can learn from it. Watching Into The Fire, on the other hand, was something that I greatly anticipated because I’m interested in Korean histories and I never watched a movie based on the Korean war before – I don’t think Hollywood ever made one. Or maybe I’m biased because TOP is in it (and looking mighty fine in that military gear). Nevertheless, here’s the review:
Based on a true story, Into The Fire sets in the 1950 during the start of the Korean War. 71 South Korean student-soldiers were left on their own to hold back the several hundreds of North Korean armies at a strategic post – the Pohang School, while the rest of the real soldiers went to a bigger battlefield at Nakdong River. Being one of the only three student-soldier who survived from the previous battle, Oh Jang Beom (TOP) was appointed as the leader. Despite having a hard time in the beginning, Jang Beom successfully lead the 71 student-soldiers who had no training at all to hold back the advancing North Korean armies. These student-soldiers played an important role in buying time for South Korea and the allies to defend against the somewhat surprise war.
Despite all the actions, Into the Fire is an emotional movie – I’m not usually easy to cry over sad movies or dramas but my eyes got all teary. I pity the student-soldiers for being left all on their own to fight against hundreds of trained soldiers. Jang Beom only wanted the war to end so that he can go back to see his mother. Other than the 3 experienced student-soldiers, the rest of them had never fired a single bullet. I admire their determination and courage to fight until the very end (all of the 71 student-soldiers died in the movie =.= but I think not all in reality because there are survivors?).
TOP is surprisingly a very good actor! He didn’t have many lines and mostly just lets his eyes do the intense staring talking (I’m not complaining 😉 ), but one can really feel all the emotions that his character portrays.I hope to see more of his acting – action movies are fine, but perhaps as a lead role in romantic comedy?
The special effect is decent – all the battle scenes and bombs and tanks, just like other high-budget Hollywood war movie. The only thing I dislike is the last scene where Jang Beom and the badboy’s (I think his name is Kapjo) rooftop fighting scene. The fight scene just looks unrealistic and over the top. If not because of this rooftop scene, I would have rated Into the Fire as a 5 star movie. I also find it hard to believe that the commander of North Korean Army would take a pity at the student-soldiers and was willing to spare their lives (they were 17, not 13). Also, I wish that the narrations of the student-soldier survivors were a tad bit longer.
I’m not a movie critic, so I cannot comment on the cinematography or other fancy-schmancy artistic point of view that critics always comment in their reviews. What I know is that I was deeply moved by Into the Fire and wouldn’t mind watching it again.
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karenkasimir 