Review of Silmido (2003) by Michael H — 02 Sep 2007

Imagine The Dirty Dozen on crack. If you've got that picture in your mind, you're about three-quarters of the way to Silmido. An interesting movie for those who want to see some aspects of South Korea in the 60s. The very Korean brand of patriotism in this movie doesn't translate well to the foreign viewer, and unfortunately, the film does little to explain the phenomenon -- though perhaps there is little room to do so. It's existence is simply assumed, as the majority of the viewers will be Korean, and already understand.

This is a difficult film to watch, but it definitely has its selling points. One, the portrayal of the sheer brutality of the training these men received, while gritty, seems important somehow. The most universal point the movie makes is the difference between a soldier's and a politician's ethics. Neither seems absolutely right or wrong here, but they are definitely in tension with each other.