7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Based on a true story: as civil war rages in Mogadishu, rival North and South Korean diplomats are left trapped. With no aid from either government, their only shot at survival may require uniting with bitter adversaries to escape.
Starring: Kim Yoon-seok, Zo In-sung, Joon-ho Huh, Jeong Man-sik, Park Myung-shinForeign | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Korean: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Korean: Dolby Digital 2.0
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
In the annals of international conflicts that have contributed to the decimation of forests due to required amounts of newsprint and/or clogged "internet tubes" (a joking reference to the late Alaskan senator Ted Stevens) due to online coverage, the "situation" between North and South Korea has been one of the more recurrent. Escape from Mogadishu rather incredibly views that longstanding conflict from an unexpectedly unusual perspective, namely the civil war that erupted in Somalia in the 1990s (and which at least tangentially has provided grist for the cinematic mill via such films as Black Hawk Down). While it may be arguable that North Korea has been more in the forefront of the news over the past few years than South Korea has, and therefore the long simmering conflict between the nations may have seemed to fade into the background in some way, nevertheless one of the fascinating historical footnotes Escape from Mogadishu explores is how both nations were lobbying furiously and simultaneously to gain acceptance into the United Nations in the early nineties. Kind of incredibly, as a bilingual text crawl which opens this film discloses, that ended up involving a rather large number of African nations, since evidently that continent held the most voting members for possible membership. Escape from Mogadishu explores the efforts of delegations from both North Korea and South Korea to gain favor with Somalia's President Barre, plans that become moot once a revolution breaks out. In some kind of analog to "the enemy of my enemy is my friend", the North Koreans and South Koreans who find themselves more or less abandoned in a war torn Mogadishu end up having to work together to make it out alive.
Escape from Mogadishu is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Well Go USA with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. I've long been on record as stating that I personally prefer digital capture by Red cameras over Arri Alexas, but this Red shot feature may be a slight exception to my rule, though despite some of my curmudgeonly qualms the overall presentation here is nicely detailed and well saturated. In the "qualm department", I've also been on record as stating I often find Alexa captures to suffer from what I call "Alexa murk", and some of the heavily graded yellow sequences in this in particular film look surprisingly similar in that regard, with an at least marginal diminution of fine detail and an overall haziness that can keep clarity at bay. These same deficits are probably also noticeable in some equally heavily graded scenes in blue, though some of the blue scenes have some kind of odd artifacts, with near pixellation and what almost look like stripes running down the frame. Some of the most heavily graded material can also look a bit on noisy. On the plus side, in normal lighting conditions this presentation pops extremely well, and detail levels are generally more than secure. Fine detail is often excellent in the many close-ups. Some of the CGI is not especially convincing.
Escape from Mogadishu features DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks ostensibly in either Korean or English, though even the "Korean" language track is littered with at least occasional English that can come up interstitially, and sometimes as even just part of some dialogue scenes. Both tracks offer very similar (and I'd frankly say identical) mixes in terms of overall amplitude and effects levels. The surround channels get a number of nice workouts as hostilities increase, and some of the literally explosive scenes offer good LFE and well placed ambient environmental effects. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.
- Motive (HD; 1:53)
- Mogadishu (HD; 1:43)
- Actors (HD; 2:04)
- Car Chase (HD; 00:51)
,br>- Interview / Military Consultant (HD; 2:59)
The history of North and South Korea is obviously hugely contentious, but for those interested I might recommend both JSA: Joint Security Area and (however weird this may seem) the animated film A Dog's Courage (this latter film also released on Blu- ray by Well Go USA) for two more insights into the relationship between the two countries. Escape from Mogadishu manages to take a pretty rote idea of perceived nemeses having to bond to effect a mutually desired outcome and give it surprisingly visceral energy due to the actual history (however dramatized it may be) involved. Technical merits are generally solid, and Escape from Mogadishu comes Recommended.
비상선언 / Bisang Seoneon
2021
Skjelvet
2018
Shí wàn huǒ jí / 十萬火急
1997
綫人 / Sin yan
2010
Haeundae
2009
2018
The New Game of Death / Xin si wang you xi / 新死亡遊戲
1975
2016
2012
They Call Her One Eye
1973
バトル・ロワイアルII 【鎮魂歌】
2003
Vivre pour survivre
1985
狼と豚と人間 / Ōkami to buta to ningen
1964
新・忍びの者 / Shin shinobi no mono
1963
続・忍びの者’ / Zoku shinobi no mono / Shinobi No Mono 2: Vengeance
1963
土忍記 風の天狗 | Limited Edition | Shinobi Demon: Duel in the Wind
1970
La madre muerta | Limited Edition
1993
Xue fu men / Huet foo mun / 血符門
1971
Yu luo cha / Yuk law chaat / 玉羅刹
1968
Duo hun ling / Duet wan ling / 奪魂鈴
1968