Rating: 
Summary: "JSA" stands for "Just Simply Awesome!" (Believe the Hype!)
Review: *
Spotlighted as one of the most expensive & highest grossing domestic Korean films to date (ranking third in overall audience attendance in Korea for a domestic film, just behind "Friend" and "Shiri" [or "Swiri"], and just ahead of the quirky romantic comedy "My Sassy Girl"),
"JOINT SECURITY AREA" --
(Korean title: "Gongdong Kwungbi Kuyok - JSA")
-- is one of those stories which starts off confusingly, but by the end ties everything together neatly and beautifully with some of the most sincere and genuine raw emotion ever experienced in a feature film. "JSA" begins with a couple of contradictory flashbacks of an assassination-type event which takes place in a guardshack North of the DMZ (demilitarized zone) in the Joint Security Area, each based on the 'official version' of the story as propogated by North and South. As the film progresses, we are pulled along by a third and equally contradictory flashback, this one apparently revealing the truth not only of that fateful night's event which nearly ignited a small war between the two Koreas, but also giving us insight as to what led up to that point, and does so very tenderly and emotionally. The story revolves around an 'illegal' friendship forged between two pairs of soldiers stationed on opposite sides of the DMZ in the Joint Security Area, which began as a result of a nighttime border patrol team in the South getting disoriented and venturing too far north, accidently venturing into Kim Jung-Il's Communist state where one of the soldiers gets separated from the rest of the group and becomes stranded under frightening and dire circumstances in what is one of the most tense and dramatic moments of the film. A secret correspondence is later initiated by the prodigal Southern soldier with the two Northern soldiers he encountered on that harrowing night. Before long, he receives an invitation to 'cross over the bridge which divides the two Koreas'-- literally and figuratively --and almost without hesitation accepts the offer to drop in for an "unauthorized (to say the least) visit." No 'sensative secrets' are ever revealed or exchanged during these illegal meetings (as one of the Southern soldiers declares, "We don't know anything, anyway"); What 'secrets' ARE exchanged, though, are those which come from the heart: stories of friends, family, homelife, personal goals, and hopes for a reunified nation of "brothers" fractured by ideological differences. It was also a nice touch that never at any time-- except in a moment of genuine curiousity or as a gesture of offered protection --does anyone of either side try to entice any of the others to defect to the other side. But as with all beautifully and honestly executed thought-provoking cinematic masterpieces, something goes terribly wrong during one of the illegal visits, which results in "murder" (quote/unquote), cover-up, and threatened outbreak of war. It is left to a neutral investgative board to uncover the truth of what took place on that dark rainy night, and the case is assigned to a Korean native raised in Switzerland who carries with her a secret of her own which could raise questions about her 'objectivity' and very likely jeopardize her investigation even as the truth gradually unfolds . Why this film never saw nationwide theatrical release in the U.S., apart from a few sporadic "film festival" venues, is completely beyond my comprehension. Perhaps seeing how well made this movie was, and how it held its own in its homeland by practically putting "Titanic's" Korean box office recepts to shame, maybe Hollywood got scared that its ego would get bruised even further if American audiences (already apathetic and dissatisfied with the declining quality of Hollywood films and their self-eroding committment to excellence) had wide access to this "foreign" film and responded favorably, as they surely would have. Unlike many foreign films, which sometimes require a considerable amount of knowledge of the native culture to be genuinely appreciated and/or enjoyable, "Joint Security Area" is truly an "international" film, one to which anyone anywhere can easily relate. If allowed, this one movie could probably do a much more effective job of moving Korean reunification talks forward than all of the bureaucratic 'diplomacy' of the past decade. * * *
Rating:
Summary: By Author of the Novel "Sleeping Dragon"
Review: After hearing many positive comments about this movie, I bought it. This is a "world class" movie in that it is high quiality acting, production, etc. The plot - a bit far fetched; but "if you were Korean," you'd hope it was true to some extent. There has been no peace in Korea since 1945. The Korean War divided the country much as the civil war could have done to the USA. There is always hope that there will be reunification and this movie does a great job building that hope. Having personally spent a total of more than fifteen years in Korea, I have been to the JSA many times. My book "Sleeping Dragon" ends in the JSA. Believe me, they build a true to life mock-up of the JSA for this movie. If you haven't been there, watch the movie.
Rating:
Summary: By Author of the Novel "Sleeping Dragon"
Review: After hearing many positive comments about this movie, I bought it. This is a "world class" movie in that it is high quiality acting, production, etc. The plot - a bit far fetched; but "if you were Korean," you'd hope it was true to some extent. There has been no peace in Korea since 1945. The Korean War divided the country much as the civil war could have done to the USA. There is always hope that there will be reunification and this movie does a great job building that hope. Having personally spent a total of more than fifteen years in Korea, I have been to the JSA many times. My book "Sleeping Dragon" ends in the JSA. Believe me, they build a true to life mock-up of the JSA for this movie. If you haven't been there, watch the movie.
Rating:
Summary: By Author of the Novel "Sleeping Dragon"
Review: After hearing many positive comments about this movie, I bought it. This is a "world class" movie in that it is high quiality acting, production, etc. The plot - a bit far fetched; but "if you were Korean," you'd hope it was true to some extent. There has been no peace in Korea since 1945. The Korean War divided the country much as the civil war could have done to the USA. There is always hope that there will be reunification and this movie does a great job building that hope. Having personally spent a total of more than fifteen years in Korea, I have been to the JSA many times. My book "Sleeping Dragon" ends in the JSA. Believe me, they build a true to life mock-up of the JSA for this movie. If you haven't been there, watch the movie.
Rating:
Summary: Life Imitating Art or Vice Versa
Review: At times the film's narrative is tedious and the acting skills of the female lead is annoying--indeed, almost embarrassing at times. (I have seen her in different films and she is best suited for melodramas.) Yet I gave the film a five-star rating because it deals with plethora of issues--cultural, historical, geopolitical, and interpersonal--originating from the division of the Korean peninsula along the demilitarized zone. Previous reviews provide a good understanding of the film plot, so I will not bore others with a descrition. My purpose, rather, is to illuminate potential viewers of this film of some interesting real-life fact. A fact that, in my personal view, is precisely the reason that this film is so relevant to our understanding of the two Koreas. Within months of the film's release in Korea, a South Korea Army lieutanent was found dead in his platoon's bunker located along the DMZ. Although the South Korean military investigators ruled his death a suicide, the persistence of the dead officer's father, who happened to be a retired South Korean Army general, for the truth resulted in a reinvestigation and the arrest of the lieutanent's own squad leader, a non-commissioned officer (a SGT for those unfamiliar with army lingo). The investigation revealed that the NCO, who had been in contact with a North Korean soldider, killed his platoon leader when his illegal activities was found out by the same platoon leader. Fearing certain prosecution by the South Korean military authorities, the NCO staged the murder as a suicide. The NCO revelaed that he had received an expensive Swiss-made writswatch from his North Korean contact. He had fallen under the control of a North Korean Psychological Warfare officer whose mission was to recruit South Korean soldiers stationed along the DMZ. Given this real life drama which took place the same year the movie came out, I can't help but think that the film has a real, legitimate tales to tell about what it means to face a fellow Korean with guns, never knowing if reunification of their nation could ever be achieved. In this sense, the film leaves viewer with the same bitter sense of futility faced by individual soldiers who must act out a foregone conclusion of a military confrontation, whether hot or cold, just as the German film Stanlingrad. A real gem. Must see.
Rating: 
Summary: jsa
Review: awsome movie, better than shiri in my oppinion. from what i've seen, korea is consistantly making the best movies these days. I was lucky enough to have a friend over there send me the 2-disk korean release, which is awsome quality, and packed with extras, and comes in a totally sweet box and sleeve. it's much better than the hong kong rellease for sale here, but this one is still pretty good. and just as a response to one of the previous reviews: I thought the lead actress did well, and her accent was pretty good. The only thing i found wrong with her is how she supposedly has a white mother, and yet she looks 100% korean... but other than that, a totally great movie. buy it. *5 stars for the movie, but only 4 for this dvd release*
Rating: 
Summary: great movie
Review: five strars for the movie and one star for this dvd release. korean release is far more superior with many more extras.
Rating:
Summary: Don't miss this film!
Review: I am a Korean and watched 'Joint Security Area' when in freshman year of university. I spent my childhood under anti-communism(exactly saying, Anti-North Korea) education and believed that North Koreans have devil¡¯s horns and tails. Now, I¡¯m grown up enough to realize the fear was just crammed by the policy which wanted children to have the blind hatred for North Korea. However, after the removing the fear, because the fear was the only feeling for North Koreans that I had, the image of them had been left obscure in my mind for a long time. However this film gave me the chance to think about sincerely what meaning North Korea has for me. Though I do not still have the clear viewpoint of North Korea, at least the start is significant.
This film keenly describes the dilemma that both North and South Koreans have at the base of hearts. The dilemma-whenever they see each other, they cannot but find ¡®brothers¡¯ in ¡®the group of hostile ideology¡¯. Especially the scene of the farewell party in the film implies that the dilemmatic emotion is another link between North and South Koreans share. (Kim Kwang-suk, whom O Kyung-pil(acted by Song Gang-ho) toasted, is the singer of the background music, ¡°À̵îº'ÀÇ ÆíÁö A Private¡¯s Letter¡± at the scene. I don¡¯t know even the lyric is translated in the DVD version, yet,) The song¡¯s lyric is that a young man, who, in the compulsory military service, has to level a gun at the ¡®foe¡¯ against his will, farewells to his irrevocable youthful days. The reason that the song was the favorite of both O Kyung-pil and Lee Su-heok(acted by Lee Beong-heon) is because the young man in the lyric is their own portraits.
It is true that North Korea has threatened the world peace. Nevertheless, in the shell of ¡®Rougue State¡¯, ¡®the Axis of Evil¡¯, or whatever, South Korean cannot but find their Lost Brother.'Joint Security Area' delivers the dilemmatic sentiment, and it shows that this film is not just for amusement.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT movie
Review: I must say that this is one of the best movies I have seen, yet. This is also one of the two best Korean movies I'ven seen (the other best is "No. 3", which because of its Korean-exclusive humor and cultural undertone, will probably never see the light of day outside of Korea). I won't describe the plot of the movie since other reviewers have already done a good job of that. What this movie accomplishes (besides its obvious accomplishment of dealing with North-Korea vs. South-Korea issue intelligently and articstically) is to show an ordinary person, being put in extraordinary circumstances, rising up to an occasion (or tragically failing to do so). What I mean by that can be better related if an audience knows that every Korean man is required by law to serve in a military. Thus, the main characters of this movie are not superheroes, commandos or rambos. They are just like us, like our sons, like our brothers. The movie does an amazing job of putting these ordinary people in a very special situation (DMZ), and letting a naturally sophisticated and heart-wrenching story unfold. Some guys become heroes, and some fail; the beauty is being able to see ourselves in either a hero or a failure. A must-see.
By the way, Song Kang-ho (the actor who plays the North Korean officer) is quite astounding.
Rating: 
Summary: A great movie, a questionnable transfer.
Review: It's been said earlier, but I can only confirm. On a technical note, this DVD is less than great. For instance, although it's double-layered, what is really encoded is the whole 4:3 screen, not just the 16:9 section. That means, say, half of the DVD holds data for black bars. And to top it off, it's interlaced source, not progressive. I haven't seen the Korean DVD but it's hard not to beat this one. Plus if indeed it does hold more extras, I'd say one should seriously consider looking for that version and skip this one. So, Movie: 5 stars + DVD: 2 stars = Overall: 3 stars.
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