Admirable film.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

I watched this because it was made by the old boy from Old Boy. I had also recently seen Memories of Murder and thought I was on a winning streak of enjoyable Korean movies.Strike three - I'm out.I can see what they were trying to do, and the story is familiar of people from opposite sides making bonds that break.My main problem is that I found that I couldn't care less about any of the characters. The acting ranged from fair to appalling. The female non-Korean Korean inspector was probably the worst.The story was nothing magical and there are no surprises for anyone over the age of 21 as all of the elements have been done before.I suppose I was also disappointed after hearing so many good reviews - my expectations were set so high they had further to fall.My advice is that if you enjoyed the other movies I mentioned, and Olboy more so than memories, then save yourself and move on to another choice.

In recent years South Korea has produced some of the best cinema in the world in recent years and Park Chan-Wook is one of the best directors to come out of the nation. This was film that proved he was a skilled film-maker and broke a number of box-office records in South Korea. Because of this film that Park Chan-Wook was able to do his Vengeance trilogy.In the Joint Security Area on the border of North and South Korea the rival states have a border dispute. A South Korean soldier had killed two North Korean soldiers and injured another. The South Korean army claimed that their man was kidnapped and he was acting in self-defence, whilst the North said it was an unprovoked attack. A team of Swiss and Swedish soldiers, led by Major Sophie Jean, a Swiss born woman from Korean ancestry. When she comes to Korea she discovered that this was not a clear cut case. It was discovered in a flashback that Sgt. Lee Soo-hyeok had befriended two North Korean soldiers who had saved his live after he stepped on a mine. He starts to write to the young private before crossing the border and getting very close to the soldiers. This is a big shock because of the difference between the North and South and both sides are taught that they are the supiour. It also becomes more dangerous with both sides suffering from increased hostilities.Joint Security Area is a fantansic film. It is brilliant written and directed, which Park showing some of his trade make shots. The acting is excellent and the subject matter is very well handled. This is a story of friendship in impossible circumstances. The soldiers realise that they have a lot in common and that the North and South are not that different from each other. It is bittersweet, but at times humorous. There are debates about Korean politics, such as unification, and North Korea's nuclear ambitions, and the soldiers involved are patriotic to their countries. Their are aspects to the both sides military, and neither get off lightly in this film.I highly recommend this film.

Chan-wook Park's most politically-charged film tackles the very volatile tension that exists between the North and South Koreans. This could have easily been propagandistic in nature, with this South Korean film portraying the Northerners as mere caricatures of Communistic ideals, but instead the film happily sidesteps this and portrays both the North Koreans and South Koreans as kinsmen.In the beginning of the picture, both sides have a skewed view of one another, seeing each through the lens of their political temperament - the border between the two thus is interpreted as a wall that filters and jades each one's perspective. However, once that that wall is finally crossed, the two sides realize that no wall really exists, and they begin to see each other as human beings - The soldiers first call one another "enemies", but soon they are calling one another "brothers".The characters are richly drawn and dynamic to reflect this - each are humans, with their own unique demeanor, and that their national identity is nothing more than a facade. While the soldiers are alone, away from their government infrastructures, both sides cling to one another in fellowship as they find themselves all the same. Only when the absent governmental element is reintroduced are the soldiers forced to revert back behind their facades, and tragedy results.A powerfully moving and keenly intelligent analysis of the confusing political situation between the two opposing governmental systems. Despite being slightly marred by a few lapses into melodrama and overstatement, that can not take away from its piercing effectiveness.The highest recommendation possible.

After a shootout at the common security area at the border of the two Koreas, when two soldiers were murdered, Maj. Sophie E. Jean (Yeong-ae Lee) is assigned by the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission to investigate the incident. The smart Major finds lack of consistency in the statements of the survivors, and in spite of being pressed by her superior, she interviews South Koreans Sgt. Lee Soo-hyeok (Byung-hun Lee) and private Nam Sung-shik (Tae-woo Kim), and the North Korean Sgt. Oh Kyeong-pil (Kang-ho Song), disclosing a tragic story of friendship. In the end, peace and Sgt. Oh are preserved hiding the truth in her report."Gongdong Gyeongbi Guyeok JSA" is a magnificent and touching antiwar movie. Directed by Chan-wook Park, the director of the cult "Oldboy", only now this film was released in Brazil, after the success of "Oldboy". This movie has a fantastic screenplay that keeps the interest in the impressive story until the very last scene. I was moved with the sad story of friendship between brothers in this polemic theme. The Common Security Area, created on 27 July 1953 with the armistice between the two Koreas after three years of war, and their reunification, seem to be a taboo for these peoples and I appreciate the courage of this group of excellent actors and actress in approaching such theme. In the Extras of the DVD, the cast and director give interviews about the story but never give their opinion about the reunification of these nations. The stunning cinematography and camera work are also very beautiful. My vote is nine.Yitle (Brazil): "Zona de Risco" ("Zone of Risk")