64
Metascore
19 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80Washington PostMichael O'SullivanWashington PostMichael O'SullivanA complex film about the minefield of loyalty and betrayal.
- 75Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean AxmakerSeattle Post-IntelligencerSean AxmakerAn anti-war spectacle that uses the story of brothers divided by the 1950 civil war as a metaphor for the wounds of the split.
- 70L.A. WeeklyDavid ChuteL.A. WeeklyDavid ChuteWhile it comes on like a flag-waver, it actually delivers something more nuanced. Its underlying skepticism about the Korean War seems to have jibed with the current national mood: The picture was, deservedly, a huge hit.
- 63New York PostV.A. MusettoNew York PostV.A. MusettoShamelessly contrived and manipulative, Tae Guk Gi packs a visceral wallop.
- 60Village VoiceEd ParkVillage VoiceEd ParkIn the rare moments when a rifle, grenade, howitzer, bayonet, dagger, fist, land mine, or flamethrower isn't being deployed, the film pushes its melodramatic plotline with soap operatic shamelessness.
- 60TV Guide MagazineTV Guide MagazineIt's easy to view the story of these brothers as a larger metaphor for the relationship between the two Koreas, which gives the film an added resonance that your typical Hollywood war movie wouldn't possess.
- 50VarietyDerek ElleyVarietyDerek ElleyKang remains a superb technician, but somewhere the movie forgot to pack any genuine emotion along with its ordnance and K rations.
- 50The A.V. ClubKeith PhippsThe A.V. ClubKeith PhippsAfter a sentimental opening sequence, he (Kang) scarcely lets the film pause to breathe, which dulls its effectiveness.
- 25Christian Science MonitorDavid SterrittChristian Science MonitorDavid SterrittAlmost entirely devoted to combat violence and sentimental interludes.