Had potential

This movie had potential of being what the synopsis told us about and the potential of being quite the good movie that depicts real relationships and tell the inner struggle and changing perspective of a homophobic man. But it sadly didn’t come through. The actors did a pretty good job with the working material but I couldn’t get past that this movie had potential that it didn’t deliver. In a conservative country like Korea that are moving forward with the modern world and it’s growing perspective of the LGBTQ community and its workings to a part of decent human rights all over the world, this movie had the potential of depicting the struggle and also the fear that comes with homophobia, and that with the will of understanding you can come a long way.

Although I understand the ML’s reasons of homophobia, since he had the bad experience after the other with gay men, but it just left a bad taste in a mouth since it really did the oppositive of what it could have done. Would it be too hard to show that gay love is just regular normal love like any other love? At least one positive experience of a gay man would have left the movie in a completely different light, and would have made it hugely more realistic. Two examples of the gay men in this movie depicted having romantic feelings for the ML and although lust can do a lot with your mind, I find it poor in taste that they choose to make both of these men blackmail, sexually harass and at one part of the movie hint towards actual rape of the ML. These two also showed very little understanding or realization of what they had actually done to the ML too, which really irked me.

What gave me little hope that this movie will not be just another in a growing list of movies where gay men (and women sometimes) are used as the villains, or individuals that can’t control their sexual urges and instead rapes or sexually harasses the ones that they are attracted too, no matter the sexual orientation on the man they are attracted to, was the end credits. The ML, although, resentful towards the men that had traumatized him (which is perfectly understandable) still thought that he would still try to understand gay men. I applaud the ML for not getting bitter due to all the bad experiences and actual hints of rape, sexual harassment and usage of seniority that he was victims of, and still trying to understand them. I however, do not applaud this movie. It’s watchable, but not as entertainment, and not as a good representation of a BL movie or LGBTQ, but as an education on the progression of hopefully more movies that actually depicts this concern right.

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Surprisingly entertaining

I was surprised that I was so entertained, as I thought the first Steel Rain wasn't so much to boost about. The main reason, if I'm honest, for me actually watching this movie was because Yoo Yoon-Seok stared in it.

After being confused and slightly bored for some part in the beginning of the movie, especially considering it's the same lead actor from the first movie but not the same character, I found myself in the end dragged down to be entertained at this slightly chaotic and sometimes pure hilarious political war movie. Although the American president was a clear humoristic part of the movie that I felt was a bit too much at times, I highly enjoyed the camaraderie between the NK and SK leaders. I also highly enjoyed Yoo Yoon-Seoks portrayal of the NK leader and he and the American presidents quarrels really made one of the most entertaining parts of the movie, according to me.

In the end I can really recommend this movie for those who like political and slightly different king of war movies. You will be entertained!

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Wonky plot but enjoyable acting from some

Although the plot was everything but stable I still found myself to enjoy this movie despite the sometimes rather off-putting soundtrack. The reason? It's simple. Namely, the actors playing the twins. Although the plotholes in the script were as many as holes through cheese, the dynamic between those two the few scenes we could see them together made me stuck to the screen watching. Although the actors playing the grownup twins were superb in my opinion, the actors playing the teenage twins should nonetheless have some huge credits too. Especially the one playing Taesung. The raw emotion that kid emits, damn.

I don't highly recommend this movie, but I recommend it nonetheless (If only for Sung Hoon's spectacular visual in it). I wouldn't even say no to some time in the future watch it again and see if I notice even more subtle details from the two ML's acting.

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