Hollywood doesn’t seem all that interested in the Korean War, at least not to the same degree that they show towards WWII and Vietnam. Sure there were several films made back in the 50s and 60s, but since then there’s been MASH and… After MASH? South Korean cinema, on the contrary, is still exploring the subject in film on a regular basis. Their increased interest is understandable especially as they still sit on the brink of war with their northern neighbors. Tae Guk Gi and Welcome To Dongmakgol were both big budget hits in recent years, even if they approach the subject in wildly different ways, and now one more brilliant looking film can be added to the constantly growing list.
71 Into the Fire is based on the true story of 71 teenage students forced by fate to join the fray with little notice. They took up arms and stood guard over a middle school which sat on a strategic point of interest for both sides. Hundreds of elite North Korean soldiers advanced, and the students managed to hold them at bay for eleven hours. May not seem like a long time to someone sitting comfortably in from to their computer, but it was a lifetime for these teens and just long enough to allow time for South Korean reinforcements to arrive.
But enough talk. Check out this beautifully bombastic trailer now.
Pretty goddamn impressive isn’t it? I have no clue how historically accurate it is, but the action, effects, and cinematography look incredible. The movie looks to champion the heroics of these young men and women, and that’s never a bad thing. It doesn’t hurt that the explosive action looks intense too. It’s been a while since Hollywood has put out a kick-ass war film filled with such wonderfully choreographed chaos, probably since Saving Private Ryan actually, so fans of the genre may want to swallow any distaste for subtitles and check this one out now. I know I’m planning to do so as soon as possible. (Thanks to 24FramesPerSecond for the heads up.)
71 – Into the Fire is available on import DVD and Blu-ray from AmazonUK.
