‘Control the hill. Control the line.’ The other day I stumbled upon this trailer for the South Korean film The Front Line – a drama centred on the final battle of the Korean War, to determine the border between North and South. Released in South Korea last year, the film finally got a US release this past weekend. After checking out this US trailer, I’m keen to see the film come to New Zealand cinemas this year too.

If you like your war movies intense, action-packed and foreign, then this looks one to watch out for.

The Front Line is South Korea’s official submission to the Best Foreign Language Film category for the 2012 Academy Awards.

Enjoy!

This feels like a bit of a throw back to classic war films like Platoon, with some Saving Private Ryan thrown in for good measure. I like how it focuses on a single battle and puts you right in the middle the action, as you get to know a handful of the men who are fighting to control the line. The battle scenes look spectacular, so this trailer gets the full salute from me.

Toward the end of the Korean War, an uneasy ceasefire is ordered, but out on the Eastern front line of the Aerok Hills fierce fighting continues. A race to capture this strategic point to determine a new border between the two Koreas is the ultimate prize.

Directed by Hun Jang, the film stars Ha-hyun Shin, Soo Go, Seung-su Ryu, Chang-Seok Ko and Je-hoon Lee.

There’s been no New Zealand release date announced. This looks like the sort of thing that might well turn up in a festival programme this year.