The Long Way Home (2015)

Tackling the horrors of war and the absurdity of the Korean War in particular with grotesque humor

"The Long Way Home" – original: "Western Front" - is a KMovie about the Korean War. But a funny one... if a movie about war might be called funny at all... In fact, it succeeded brilliantly in tackling the horrors of war in general and the absurdity of the Korean War in particular with grotesque humor.

As a last resort, even a North Korean student is drafted to drive a tank into battle. A South Korean farmer, in turn, has to leave his heavily pregnant wife behind in order to take part in an all-important, top-secret mission and deliver strategically important secret information to the Allies. Neither are heroes. Neither of them would actually care about the war. But both have dutifully learned the ideological phrases of their 'side' and both, quite by chance, are the only ones in their respective units to survive in an airstrike three days before the truce is signed. The North Korean incidentally stumbles upon the top secret paper and hides it. The South Korean incidentally overwhelms the North Korean... obviously, neither of them being born to be soldiers.

"The Long Way Home" is a kind of road movie back and forth through the empty landscape of the western front line. The student from the north wants to return home with his tank. The farmer from the south, in turn, wants to hand over the secret paper so that he can finally return to his wife and newborn baby. Eventually, sometimes one pulls in this direction and then the other one in that. Only a cow is involved, too. And a bizarre village community in no man's land. Along the way, the two squabblers also stumble upon Chinese troops reinforcing the north, and there is also another airstrike from the south. Then, again and again the cow in the vastness of the natural landscape, in which military equipment and soldiers don´t seem to fit in at all. The war is increasingly losing its meaning and significance. The tank has long been junk anyway, but ironically it becomes their shared cozy home. Enmity becomes friendship. War is crap. This one anyway! Regarding its fatal futility and arbitrariness, the KMovie in conclusion actually goes one better, too.

In "The Long Way Home" infernal war scenarios and powerful chamber drama collide with slapstick and situational comedy. A daring mixture, but quite successful not least thanks to strong mimes - with young talent Yeo Jin-goo and veteran Sol Kyun-gu in a fantastic playing mood.

A different kind of anti-(Korea) war movie.
Not a milestone in cinematics, but quite entertaining in its bizarreness.

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A funny movie, about a serious matter, greatly filmed!
I have not watched many South v.s. North - Korean movies, but I greatly enjoyed this one. It has a well written story with a good pace in it. Unexepectedly it has loads of humour in this movie, but it does end on a serious note! This movie is so great because it combines two opposites, smiling and crying! This is a well produced drama.
The actors were marvelous, I loved both of the main-leads. I could from both expect were they were coming from, this movie is also great because of the age gap between the two!
Music is making the movie, and fills in the dorky parts well.
I would rewatch this movie!

Watch this if you like movies about the Korean war period an humour/comedy
Skip this if you expect romance, or if you want a 100% non comedy movie.

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