Review of Operation Chromite (2016) by Matthew D — 19 Oct 2018

A rather touching and action packed espionage war film.

While Operation Chromite will not impress you on a technical level or with its terrible CGI, the gritty sets and emotional performances will dazzle you until the thrilling action kicks in throughout the second half. John H. Lee's direction is straight forward and focused on the to the point narrative. While seemingly sentimental and overly patriotic, I found Operation Chromite to work as a character study of one Captain and his brave men against impossible odds.

I appreciate the movie's dedication to having Korean actors actually speak Korean on screen. The use of subtitles builds tension and the performances all felt more realistic because of this choice. You really think that you're watching Korean War era events thanks to Communist propaganda dialogue, period accurate clothing, sweeping score, and the Korean language.

I must mention the acting. While legendary actor Liam Neeson only gives a passable performance as General Douglas MacArthur, the Korean actors deliver really moving and captivating lead roles. In particular, I found Lee Jung-jae to be absolutely terrific as the Captain in charge of this historic mission that turned the tides of the Korean War. His dramatic delivery and mesmerizing presence makes him an excellent choice as the lead. Meanwhile, Lee Beom-soo is quite monstrous as the villain. His exuberant lines of Communist propaganda alongside his violent outbursts with a subtle menace is something else.

Overall, this was an entertaining war film about a little known Korean operation to take back their country and free South Korea. It's not all historically accurate, but it will keep you on the edge of your seat to the bitter end.