The most emotional war film? Taeguki: Brotherhood of War

For my second “Bee Reel Blog”, I decided to use the movie Taeguki : The Brotherhood of War, by director Kang Je-gyu. By many standards, this is an ordinary war film, I mean it has all the features of a classic War film; intense battles, blood and gore, guns, and tons of explosions. But after watching and trying to analyze the movie, you will come to realize that the movie is so much more than explosions and countless deaths.

After breaking down the film, I was able to see how the director uses specific choices such as lighting key, audio, camera angle, and colors to emphasize tone and how the audience should a view a character. For example, the director varies between low and high lighting keys based on the tone of the scene. In this particular scene the South Korean soldiers enter a village that has been massacred by the North Koreans, the tone is obviously depressing thus the director shoots this scene with low lighting. On top of that the director Kang Je-Gyu, incorporates heavy rain and muddy grounds. His decision to use a low lighting key vs a high contrast lighting key and the incorporation of muddy grounds and rain only emphasizes and furthers the tone of depression further. Another way the director uses Mise En Scene to further establish a tone is his use of non diagetic audio. In the scene toward the end when the main protagonist sacrifices himself to save his younger brother by holding off the enemy with his machine gun, Kang Je-Gyu decides to incorporate a non diagetic audio background soundtrack rendition of Ave Maria from Luciano Pavarotti. I mean there is no better song to incorporate during this scene, that would further establish the dramatic tone than the most iconic opera song for a battle in slow motion.

Personally I was very happy to this bee reel blog because this is actually my favorite movie of all time. This movie has a very special meaning to me because this was the first ever war movie I ever watched that actually gave factual information. I’ve probably watched this movie a thousand times yet every time I watch it i feel like its my first. I still find myself crying during the sad moments and the happy when the main characters accomplishes an impossible task. I find that the movie is interesting and very intense. Personally I love how Kang incorporates the saddest song for the saddest scenes. Like the end scene where the younger brother finds his older brother’s dead remains 30 somewhat year after the war, still makes me cry. In that film Kang incorporates the music from Baek Ji Young, who is notorious for making super emotional music. All in all I give this film a Good Good on the Bee Reel rating scale.