I finally got around to watching 71: Into the Fire. I think it took me this long,
because I am not much of a war movie kind of girl. I think the only war movie I actually like is Platoon which is set in the Vietnam war, but the others sort of bore me a little. But I decided to watch this, since a lot of people asked me to watch it and it has my ulitimate bias, Choi Seunghyun (T.O.P) in it. So I had to give it a try, since I have heard he is a great actor. (I havent seen IRIS)
Man am I glad I watched this movie. It wasnt the typical war movie, where there is a whole lot of strategy and stuff going on. I find that war movies bore me because there really isnt much emotion put into them, just a lot of fighting, with a tad bit of character emotion in it, and that really bores me, because we don’t get to know the characters’ back stories and all that important stuff that makes us realize these characters are human, and not just fighting machines. In this movie though, we had a lot of emotion. This is more of a sentimental movie, with a lot of focus on the characters, with the war built around that, and I think that’s why I loved this movie so much. We got to see a lot of the student soldiers, and their personalities, and got to know them, so we of course are more attached to them, and if they die, well that breaks our heart.
There is a lot of violence and blood in this movie, but of course it is a war film after all, so if that turns you away from it , I completely understand. And there is not a romance line, which obviously a lot of movies have and everyone wants, but to me love lines are not needed, so once again that may turn you from this movie. But I hope it doesnt, because all of those things are so insignificant , because this movie has heart. This movie is a “coming of age” movie, I have no other way to describe it, where boys become men, in a very sad kind of way. They may start out as students/immature little boys, but by the time this movie is over, you will see them as men who are willing to die for their country, and that is pretty great to me. You get to see many characters dealing with things, and scenes of extras having going through a hard time, which makes it even better, because even though they are not the “important” characters in this film, they still play a person going through this, and we get to see the scared/sad side of them too, and see how they become heroes, or not and I liked that about the movie.
The acting in this movie was on point. The actors, all of them, brought a lot of emotion and personality to their characters, even those who are not the main focus. Each person stands out on their own, and that made it great. Choi Seunghyun (T.O.P) did a great job with his character. He brought the emotional/scared side of his character out perfectly, while trying to be a good leader. I think that is pretty darn good if you ask me, since he isnt that experienced of an actor. I have to say Kwon Sang Woo did a good job as well. This is the first time I have ever seen him in anything, and he didnt disappoint me with his acting skills either. He played that character that you hate, but yet have to love. Though his character may be annoying, he had a lot of soul & heart, and Kwon Sang Woo showed that. Cha Seung Won also did a fantastic job at playing a North Korean commander. I have only seen him in one other thing, and I was impressed with is acting in that, and he yet again showed me how talented he is in this as well.
The cinematography was absolutely beautiful in this movie. I mean its a war movie, so I really didnt expect much in the artistic shooting side, but I was pleasantly surprised with the soft filter, the lighting, and the way that the slow motion and cut scenes were used, and that made it even more interesting to watch. The music complemented the movie, who doesnt love a nice orchestra piece? It made it even more heartfelt and some what intense as well.
Over all, I found this to be an outstanding film, and I can see why there are so many people who enjoy it. I must say though, you may not think you will cry, but you better have a couple boxes of tissues ready just in case. I know I cried a lot, towards the end, it struck my heart and ripped it out. So if you are looking for a nice movie, that may or may not be in your usual comfort zone, I think you should check this out. Don’t think of it as just a war film, because it is so much more than that. You will really appreciate it, and plus it’s based on a true story, which makes it even more interesting/heartbreaking. So give it a try, I don’t think you will be disappointed. There are many aspects of this movie that I think a lot of people, who like different genres of films, would really appreciate.
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ACTING/CAST:
Kim Seung Woo was no doubt can carry his part well and charismatic. This is the first time i get to see TOP acting so i dont really know his acting range, but what i can say was, his acting in this movie was tip top!
Kwon Sang Woo was really doing good job as well.
And as per usual, not being biased, but Cha Seung won really can act. From Villain to Comedian... his acting range is really wide. He oozes overflowing charisma.
Strongly recommended movie.
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The fact that this movie was based on a real story, I am speechless! This is what makes this movie so special and better.
The acting was superb, I felt with them, I cried with them, I smiled with them and every emotion they where going trough. And really, that is a hard thing to accomplish in a movie.
The music fitted every scene and was outstanding! It gave some scenes even more power than it already had.
You'll cry and smile and at the end you will have some weird feelings in your stomach. This movie was amazing and I could definitely rewatch this anytime! I would recommend it to anybody who searches a amazing storyline, a powerful movie and outstanding acting!
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And my advice for those who haven't seen it - if you like GOOD movies watch it.
P.S. And If you like T.O.P. - DEFINITELY WATCH IT :D He is awesome
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Story: For me it was the title that pulled me in. I had no idea about the actors that were in it. Just the title sounds good, 71 student soldiers fighting in a battle that they thought might not happen. They had even been told that the chances of them fighting were slim, that all they needed to do was to hold out for a few days until reinforcement arrived. Instead of that happening, they engaged the North Korean forces on several occasions, all with devastating results.
I wish they had given us a little bit of background for some of the characters. The only flashbacks into the past is when the students are leaving and all the mothers are sending their children off. However, the fact that the director and producers were able to make me cry so hard and so much without any back story is amazing. They get you hooked on the characters by who they are and their relationships with each other. It is breathtaking the way they all stand together, fight with and side by side. There is so much growth in every single character that it breaks your heart when the real fighting begins.
The entire time I watched this my hands were covering my mouth and I was holding my breath. I forgot to breathe several times and became dizzy. It is that intense.
Music: Honestly, I didn’t pay much attention to the music. I was too busy crying and watching the action going on.
Cast/Acting: It’s no wonder that Choi Seung-hyun, T.O.P, won two awards for this movie. I haven’t seen acting this good since I watched 1 Litre of Tears. Their performances are so breathtaking and so heartfelt that it breaks your heart. Even the more minor characters. You can’t help but want to reach out and hold each and every one of them. Even the ones you hated at first.
Rewatch Value: 10
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THE STORY
71 Into The Fire is a story based on real life story of 71 student soldiers who fought for 11 hours defending the Pohang Dong girl's middle school while waiting for reinforcements. I'm not really a big fan of war movies. I cry at the simplest things and this movie is about students who were young and untrained and were expected to fight for their country. I admire their courage. I wouldn't know the first thing to do if I was in their place.
ACTING/CAST
Like I said, I'm a big fan of Choi Seung Hyun. I watched this movie mainly because of him. He was really good at his role as Oh Jeong Beom. He was saddled with the responsibility of leading the 71 students left behind. Kwon Sang Woo as Gu Kap Jo was pretty good too. He plays the role of the one who hates following rules. Cha Seung Won as the North Korean Commander Park Murang was good too. I thought all the actors were pretty great. They were able to capture my heart at least.
MUSIC:
There wasn't really any music. There were instrumental pieces. What few the movie had, fit the scene it was in.
REWATCH VALUE:
Am I gonna watch it again? Hell yes. This is one of my favorite movies by T.O.P. His acting was spot on. I just need to make sure I got tissues. ^_^.
OVERALL:
10 out of 10. If you want to watch a good war movie, then this is the movie for you.
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The movie revolves around 71 student soldiers who were placed to hold a strategic position during the Korean War. They never thought they would be faced with actual fighting, but they would be. They would be under-armed and under-trained when this occurs.
Since the story is already outstanding, they just had to cast the right actors and they did. Choi Seung Hyun, or better known as T.O.P, did a fantastic job. His character would develop throughout the movie and you would always be rooting for him when he faced multiple obstacles. The rest of the cast was great too. Each soldier had their own stories and their own difficulties that were absolutely heartwrenching.
I've actually watched this movie multiple times and it never loses its appeal to me. The fact that this is based on a true story makes the film even better and adds a depth to it that is hard to explain. If you're a fan of war movies, action, and true camaraderie, then this film is for you.
PS: I'm serious, you'll cry.
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Now all that is left for me to do is buy it, because it is worth every penny.
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Yes, the characters had element and, I mean you can't deny, these are veteran actors. Who would think they wouldn't do well???
It's just that...
...it felt kind of shallow.
The story was deep but I think the acting was not AS deep.
In some ways it felt like it lacked something more.
Yes you'll enjoy it, but I guess I didn't get what I was expecting.
Some characters felt like they didn't fit the shoes they were filling in.
It very much felt like watching "SAVING PRIVATE RYAN".
They affected me almost the same way...
...The scenes were amazing, the plot was great, the storyline was good, the actors did their part amazingly...
The good thing about SVP is that I thought that every character was custom fitted for the actors playing their part.
-- which is were In To The Fire kind of lacked in..maybe a character or two gave me that feeling.
Also I think, the plot of the story had holes in it as well...
You're kind of left asking, "how did we get there again?"
The good thing about In To The Fire is that SVP did not give me that crying feeling at the end of the movie...
That feeling where in the tip of your toe twinges and you feel butterflies in your stomach...
That's where the emotions came rushing down..
I hope they did that at the start and continued 'till the end..it would have covered for all the other "things"...
For me the movie is something you should definitely watch..
Imagine all those people who died, that I understood more that I can handle.
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This review may contain spoilers
One of the most well made Asian / Korean war films ever. I've seen Tai Guk Ki, Frontline, and My Way, but this one stands out. Not just a war epic, but it has a very good story. A story of 71 teenagers, who is assigned to hold out against the advancing North Korean army. They are inexperienced but armed. And it turns out to be one of the most heroic films ever. It's like that film "home alone" combine it with a war epic film. I said that cause they have no combat experiences at all, and they make strategies to set up traps against a battalion of North Korean armies. I was excited bout the climax, about how they end up battling these soldiers. And that villain commander, that dude is badass. And to think, this is a true story, a story of young heroes that will be remembered for a long time. A must watch war epic.
I found this movie on https://www.google.com/
4.5/5
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