It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

A noteworthy movie that keeps viewer's interest till the end, "Joint Security Area" is abstaining the glaring calumnies and propagandistic political innuendos against the DPR of Korea. And the movie sticks till the end on this "political sobriety" with the exception of some divergences. And just on account of the absence of a structured anticommunism, the movie gets quite convincing, while the development of the main characters and the script itself are remarkable.However, the film appears to suffer from historical imprecision and ideological disorientation, since: 1. The division of Korea with all the tragic consequences for the Korean people is somehow presented as result of the political struggle between capitalism and communism. But this is only the half "truth".The truth is that after the end of WWII, the allies (USA, Soviet Union and Britain) committed themselves that "the two zones of military responsibility (in Korea) should be unified as fast as possible in order to form a united and independent state. However, the intentions of the United States and the reactionary circles of Korea were different. Their objective was the socio-political control of the whole country, something that wasn't an easy task for them, since the Korean People's Movement was powerful, and so were the revolutionary forces themselves. Under these conditions, it was obvious that a unified Korean state could not satisfy the interests of the domestic reactionary circles and American imperialism. Thus, despite the international agreements and the will of the Korean people, in August 1948 they established a puppet regime in the southern part of the country with head Lee Seung-Man (Syngman Rhee) that was named "Republic of Korea". These developments compelled the progressive forces of the Korean people to respond with the founding of a proportionate type of formation in the north. One month later, in September 1948, Democratic People's Republic of Korea was founded."2. The viewer is emotionally loaded as the movie underlines the necessity of reunification, but it never puts the question: "what kind of reunification shall it be". And this constitutes a pitfall for the unsuspected viewer. What shall be the political direction of the resulting new state? Because any reunification process has to lead to a definite economic, social and political status. It cannot be neither apolitical, nor neutral, nor completely independent from any ideology. Today there is a lot of experience on the issue of "reunification", and an excellent example is the reunification of Germany and its consequences. What do the Germans who were living in the Socialist East Germany, the German Democratic Republic (DDR), what do they say today about the capitalistic reunification of the two Germanies that took place on 1990? What happened afterwards? What is happening the last years to the social and labour rights of the workers of the former DDR and West Germany? The answer is given in a relatively recent poll of the German political magazine "Der Spiegel". (Majority of Eastern Germans Feel Life Better under Communism).Consequently, it is undoubtedly sure that a reunification in a capitalistic social-economic direction will lead, on one hand to the constant deterioration of workers' life in North and South Korea, and on the other hand on the rise of the profitability and the possibilities of exploitation for the south Korean and foreign bourgeoisie. That's why it is not adequate to talk about reunification without determining the political direction of the reunification. Concluding, the struggle for reunification of the Korean Working people of South and North is inevitably coincided with their common anti-imperialist struggle and the struggle for a Socialist Korea.3. The movie is covering up the huge and dominating military presence of the USA in the DMZ, obscuring the "bonds of blood" between the South Korean bourgeoisie and American imperialism.

I may have been a little swift in titling this review. It most certainly is no Romance, nor is it any kind of a period drama. JSA is however, one of the finest tragedies I have had the pleasure of watching in recent years (and certain elements of the bards famous tale are certainly hidden under the cover of a fine political drama). A precursor to Chan-Wook Parks excellent 'Vengeance' trilogy, this is the calling card any director should wish they could leave. I must admit, when the first five minutes of the film had finished, I verged on going in to shut down mode. The little part of me that doubts maestros came creeping in and started fiddling with my remote controlling fingers. Mr. Park, as it turned out, had other plans. Before I knew it, I was hooked on the stellar performances as they guided me along the same railway tracks of the script which we knew would only end in tragedy. I watched as the camera eschewed poetic quill strokes which would shame most Mamet wannabes of today. This also served as a powerful message. Perhaps a little too idealistic and romanticised for the all too bleak world we have to live in, but this film managed to put aside political differences for a few precious celluloid frames to create one of the greatest friendships I might have seen if the Lenny Smalls and George Milton in Of Mice and Men had just made it through the depression and it shows you what Butch and Sundance might have said to one another if they had turned up at each others bachelor do's for their last goodbyes. But this is not the case, and we know it all too soon. In most cases, when I finish one of my Asia movies reviews, I find my self asking why the west can not make a film like this. In this case I will not say that. Instead I will state 'Keep away from this one America. Do not try to tamper with it with any attempt of a remake, adaptation or manipulation. This is one Da Vinci which should be left behind protected glass, only making an appearance to the west in the form of a Wish you were here post card. Watch and learn, but admire from a distance.' Had this been the first Park film I had seen, I would have gladly waited for a decade for his follow up. Had Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance been his last, I would have gladly waited for the same. Instead, we have since been treated with two tragic-feasts which are just waiting to be viewed, and viewed they should be. Watch them, admire them, review them, and then spread the gospel truth. Chan-Wook Park is one of the new breed, true to his goals and honest with his creations. This is no Frankenstein's Monster, rather the perfect result of an experiment gone right. And to think, JSA is available wherever you go. Food for thought?

Joint Security Area or J.S.A. is a great political movie about the friendship of soldiers patrolling the borders of North and South Korea. It is a heart-warming and touching film considering that it shows that people remain as brothers despite the fact that the country is separated due to difference in beliefs and for political reasons. Aside from that, it also has a message of peace and patriotism. The acting was great. Lee Byeong-Hun (Bittersweet Life),Kang-ho Song (Sympathy With Mr Vengeance) and Lee Young-Ae (Sympathy With Lady Vengeance) were exceptional. The direction of Park Chan Wook (OldBoy,Sympathy With Mr Vengeance, Sympathy With Lady Vengeance) deserves credit as well. The movie was interesting from beginning to end. This movie deserves a 10 out of 10 rating. Highly recommended.

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.