Arrow Video JSA - Joint Security Area

I've seen too many war films and of course, even Cold War films tend to be skewed towards 'the allies' the USA and commies = baddies.I've come to this director fresh, having only seen trailers so far, so opening with this film I knew he was famous and an auteur and I didn't expect this film to be any more like KTV than Hollywood films are like American telly.I found it terribly romantic. Not in a hackneyed bromance sort of a way but in an epic Romantic sort of way, elevating the 'friends' and friendship to heroic proportions.Did it have any crossover with KTV culturally, yes, I'd say so, for that same reason. Yes, Korean telly is often super small r romantic, but it's treated with that same epic heart.

This is a strong movie about politics goes wrong, friendship that is strong and how war is bad.

this is mis leading information does not have audio commentary by director

This film is a must watch for any fan of the Korean new wave and or Park Chan-Wook's other works. The film is set in the demitaralized zone between South and North Korea. The Arrow looks visually great and has great special features, though the audio for me did sound weird in early indoor scenes.

This is a review of the Region B2 Blu-ray Special Edition from Arrow Video, released in January 2021. The picture, in HD 1080p, is diamond sharp, clear and richly coloured. The original Korean, English and French soundtrack is in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, and there are superb English subtitles for the non-English dialogue. There is a rich selection of extras, and also a meaty booklet. This is a very high quality product.Many fans of East Asian cinema will know of the weird and visceral ‘Oldboy’(2003), even if they have never quite dared to watch it! They may also be familiar with ‘The Handmaiden’(2016), an erotic thriller set during the Japanese occupation. Both were directed and partly written by Park Chan-wook, possibly the most celebrated of all Korean directors. Park had been interested in film from his University days, and began directing, rather unsuccessfully, in the early 1990s. But in 2000, he directed this film, and it became, at the time of its release, the highest grossing, and most viewed home-made film, in Korean history. It won a number of national awards, and was also successful elsewhere in South East Asia. The rest, as they say, is history.The screenplay of ‘JSA’, again partly written by Park, is based on a book called ‘DMZ’ by South Korean novelist Park Sang-yeon. The DMZ (Demilitarised Zone) is the border buffer zone between North and South Korea. Even though nearly 70 years have passed since the end of the ‘hot’ phase of the Korean War, it hasn’t gone away. This is clear from regular news reports, even today. The Korean Peninsular remains on a war footing, the border is one of the most closely guarded in the world.‘JSA’ is set in the DMZ. Specifically, it focusses on the Joint Security Area (JSA), a small enclave to the west of the DMZ near the former village of Panmunjom, where diplomatic meetings can take place. Just outside, is the so-called ‘Bridge of No Return’, a narrow bridge between the countries, guarded at both ends by armed soldiers. There is a genuine history of incidents, many fatal, in the DMZ, even within the JSA. There is a UN military presence in the JSA, to police the ceasefire.The story revolves around a fatal shooting incident, the killing of 2 North Korean soldiers within the North Korean border post building on their end of the Bridge of No Return. A South Korean soldier is arrested for the killing, the fragile peace is in jeopardy. Two soldiers from neutral nations, a Swedish Captain and a Swiss Major, are tasked with investigating. But interestingly, Major Sophie Jean, though born in Geneva, is half Korean, which gives her both additional insight, but also a certain emotional vulnerability.Beautifully filmed, acted by a largely young cast with real feeling, this is a fascinating, very different, genuinely tragic ‘Who Dunnit’ ~ and also a ‘Why Dunnit’. You will not be disappointed.

Actually enjoyed this more than all his other films, Oldboy included. Very gripping, and a human story that stays with you after seeing it. 5/5.