Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Tae-Guk-Gi: The Brotherhood of War Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov October 20, 2008

A gruesome account of the Korean War seen through the eyes of two brothers whose loyalty and patriotism will place them in the face of death, “Tae Guk Gi” a.k.a “The Brotherhood of War” (2004) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of KD Media. Terrific camera work and a great cast elevate pic amongst one of the best war films to be produced in Asia during the last fifteen years. English-friendly. Region-Free.

The war scenes in Tae Guk Gi are graphic

Brothers Jin-tae (Jang Dong-gun) and Jin-seok (Won Bin) are drafted into the South Korean Army shortly after it becomes obvious that the North is on the move. Determined to send his younger brother back home, Jin-tae asks his superiors what needs to be done – he is told that winning a medal will most certainly guarantee Jin-seok’s return home.

Jin-tae embarks on a string of deadly missions that earn him the respect of his commanders. But they also earn him Jin-seok’s disapproval. During a terrible incident involving an old friend who has been forced to join the North, the brothers clash and eventually part ways.

Before we move into discussing the technical merits of Kang Je-gyu’s Tae Guk Gi, I wish to clarify something that has been bothering me for quite some time now; in fact, ever since I imported this film on DVD a couple of years ago. I’ve read plenty of reviews online claiming, in one way or another, that Tae Gik Gi is nothing but an Asian-copycat of Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan, and I could not help but wonder what precisely justifies these types of writings? Is it some sort of a cultural superiority that a few critics feel the need to propagandize when appropriate, or is it a sort of veiled "patriotism" that inevitably pops up to dismiss anything that may actually turn out to be better than what Hollywood wants us to believe is the only real deal? Whatever the motivator might be, allow me to make it clear - Tae Guk Gi isn’t a weaker replica of Saving Private Ryan.

Even though gruesome war images occupy the majority of the story in this more than two-hour long film, Tae Gu Gi is arguably one of the strongest anti-war pictures to be produced in Asia in a very long time. It is filled with sorrow and pain that is almost impossible to offset. From the moment the two brothers are drafted into the South Korean army to their tragic ideological clash, Tae Guk Gi is a powerful testament to the futility of war.

Heavily accentuating the dramatic fights between South and North Korean soldiers, the creators of Tae Guk Gi often come dangerously close to indulging in Hollywood-style warfare. Yet the intimate tone their story preserves is one of the key reasons why Tae Guk Gi works well. Furthermore, the ongoing sense of chaos is nicely countered with the personal drama between the two bothers, and as a result, the film achieves an admirable sense of cohesiveness that links key historic events impressively well.

The heroic vibe Tae Guk Gi boasts, which apparently rubbed a lot of critics the wrong way, isn’t as degrading to the film as some have come to claim. Yes, there are a few overly sentimental scenes (the memory flashbacks immediately come to mind) where the rhythm of the story is slightly disrupted, but the heroic overtones are far less pompous than one might have feared they would be. In fact, I believe that this is precisely the reason why Tae Guk Gi convincingly outdoes Saving Private Ryan.

I find it ironic that certain critics have felt comfortable insinuating that only "epic" films could capture war in the most convincing, most realistic, and most truthful fashion. I’d rather see a less than epic war picture with a distinctively personal tone, than a glitzy extravaganza where heroism is twisted to channel truly clichéd and infused with ill-political symbolism sentiments. If you think that such a description is also more in tune with your personal preferences when it comes to war films, give Tae Gik Gi a chance; I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Tae-Guk-Gi: The Brotherhood of War Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an its original aspect ratio of 2.39:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC, and granted a 1080i transfer Tae Guk Gi arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of South Korean distributors KD Media.

The image quality on this fairly recent South Korean production is good. Unlike what other reviewers have claimed, detail is probably as strong as one could expect it to be – from the opening scenes to the gloomy war shots to the requiem at the end, clarity, detail and contrast are very pleasing (I think that there is a great deal of misinformation in some of the reviews circulating on the net in terms of how this Blu-ray disc looks - specifically when the film is seen in motion, and why it looks the way it does - that is primarily based on the fact that this is a 1080i transfer). Furthermore, the faded look from the opening scenes as well as the memories are meant to look worn out, and they are very much in tune with the director's vision. The color-scheme, a very important element of the film's overall composition, is also striking; it is lush and consistent, allowing one to follow the dramatic progression of the story with the intended breaks between past and present as envisioned by the director (through adjustments in the color scheme, clarity, detail, etc). The actual quality of the transfer used by KD Media also appears to be exceptionally strong - I did not detect any specks, debris, or dirt. Additionally, I did not spot any striking examples of DNR-filtering either. The film's delicate grain-scheme is very much intact and free of external manipulations. (Note: Even though the back cover for Tae Guk Gi indicates a Region-A only status, this is in fact a Region-Free release).

Tae-Guk-Gi: The Brotherhood of War Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: Korean DTS-HD 5.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1. The DTS-HD 5.1 mix is strong but not exceptionally active. A serious gap between the two soundtracks is, as expected, especially easy to note during the massive battle scenes where all sorts of different explosions occur. The dialog is easy to follow and without any serious issues as far as balance is concerned. The grand music soundtrack also comes off the speakers in an adequate fashion, allowing the audience to absorb the heroic overtones Tae Guk Gi boasts quite well. All in all, while this isn't a spectacular audio presentation that would flex the muscles of your home set-up, it is by no means average; it is strong and complimenting the film in a deserving fashion. Optional Korean, HOH, Japanese, and English subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

Tae-Guk-Gi: The Brotherhood of War Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Aside from the original theatrical trailer for Tae Guk GI, this Blu-ray disc also offers a commentary with the director of the film (as well as a few cast members). Unfortunately, it is not subtitled in English.

Tae-Guk-Gi: The Brotherhood of War Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A film with a powerful message, Tae Guk Gi reconfirms the old maxima that in war there are no winners. Its message is moving and deeply humane. Highly Recommended.