On August 11th, 1950, 71 boy soldiers of the South Korean army singlehandedly held back the elite North Korean 766 Commando brigade for a full 11 hours.
Most of these youngsters were still wearing their school uniforms, and all had only fired a single bullet in training. Their astonishing act of bravery under fire enabled allied forces to hold a strategic bridgehead at the Nakdong River and gain a tactical advantage that would turn the tide of the entire war.
It takes a lot for a war movie to excite in this day and age, but under the masterful direction of John H. Lee, 71 – Into the Fire, brings to life this momentous, if harrowing, episode in modern military history. Combining the very real story of a small group of courageous school boys with the scale and energy of even the biggest Hollywood offerings, 71 – Into the Fire makes for an effective, engaging and emotional experience from the off.
One of the first things to grab you about this film is the visuals, which are consistently impressive and often breathtaking. The natural beauty of the landscapes is captured in crystal clarity, while the grim and grit of the arduous experience is treated with the same stark eye and level of detail. The battle sequences, on par with some of the greatest war films of the past few decades, also benefit from this sheer clarity, scaling the level of realism to almost unbearable levels.
While Lee deserves high praise, the central cast hes assembled are also worthy of applause. Delivering immersive performances, his central players deftly construct their characters as engaging flesh and blood individuals, pitted against unbelievable odds. When the battles begin, theyre bloody and brutal, but thanks to its impressive leads, Into the Fire never once abandons the human drama at its core.
Despite its firm foundations in reality, the adaptation from real-life to screen is handled particularly well. The script is streamlined with enough momentum to keep audiences on their seat edge, but there are still moments of contemplation peppered between the merciless battle sequences. And although it runs shy of just two hours, Into the Fire never once feel as though its sacrificed an epic quality for a manageable runtime.
Overall Verdict: Instantly engaging and consistently effective, 71 – Into the Fire stands shoulder to shoulder with the very best war stories youll have seen played out on both the small and silver screen. A healthy batch of genuinely interesting extras makes this release essential viewing.
Special Features:
Audio Commentary
Featurettes Men of Valour, Personal Reflections on the Korean War
Into the Fire Making of
Behind the scenes
Reviewer: David Steele