THE FRONT LINE (Jang Hun). 133 minutes. Subtitled. Opens Friday (January 20). For venues and times, see Movies. Rating: NN
The Front Line is a well made, energetic horrors-of-war entry that puts its message across and packs a middleweight emotional punch, though there’s little new in it. The combat style comes from Saving Private Ryan, and the characters from every movie about stress-disordered grunts since Platoon.
The combat-weary infantrymen of Alligator company don’t know it, but they’re about to take part in the final battle of the Korean War, yet another assault on an unimportant hill they’ve already taken and lost 30 times or more. Meanwhile, a newly arrived young lieutenant hunts for a North Korean spy.
The soldiers are the usual types: heavy-duty stoner, regular Army clown, unflappable sergeant, scared kid and a serious crazy. Between the three battles that anchor the movie, some surprises and a degree of concern for the characters arise from life on patrol and in the camp and an underground bunker used by both sides.
Set against Korea’s beautiful, hilly countryside, the prolonged suffering and chaos of the battles lead to a heart-wrenching final shot of the battlefield.
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