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My Way
마이웨이
2011 137 min South Korea R 16+
★6.2
Drama, Action, History, War
Director: Kang Je-kyu
Trailers
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Description
During the invasion of Normandy the photograph of a slim Korean man in German uniform was found. It transpired that the man had served as a soldier in the Japanese, Russian and German armies. His incredible story inspired director Kang Je-Gyu to create this epic war drama.
Budget:
$25.5M
US Gross:
$70,177
Worldwide:
$16.65M
Starring
Jang Dong-gun
Actor
Joe Odagiri
Actor
Bingbing Fan
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 2013
— Best International Feature Film
Key opinion
My Way is an ambitious, high-budget war epic that delivers visceral, large-scale battle sequences and impressive production values. However, it is deeply polarized by its historical inaccuracies, reliance on derivative tropes from Western cinema, and a narrative that some find emotionally resonant while others dismiss as melodramatic and absurd.
| Production | The film features masterfully staged, large-scale battle sequences that rival Western blockbusters in technical scale and pyrotechnics. | |
| Cinematography | The cinematography is visually stunning, maintaining a consistent and professional aesthetic across diverse geographical locations. | |
| Theme | The central narrative trajectory, which forces rivals into a bond of survival, is praised by some as an emotional exploration of humanity, while others view the characters as one-dimensional caricatures. | |
| Adaptation | The historical depiction is highly contentious, with critics frequently citing anachronistic settings, absurd tactical errors, and a blatant disregard for geopolitical realism. | |
| Originality | The film frequently relies on heavy-handed visual and structural homages to Western war classics, leading to accusations of being a derivative collage rather than an original work. | |
| Pacing | The pacing is a point of contention, as the expansive runtime and repetitive battle-monologue-rescue cycle exhaust some viewers, even as others find the scope engaging. |