Charming gem of a film has been unfairly lost to the world a mere year after its release, which is a real shame. This is a powerful statement about people and life.

The plot of this film has a crashed American flier, two South Korean soldiers and three North Korean soldiers all ending up in a small remote village that seems untouched by the civil war that raging in the rest of the country. At first there is tension between the two waring sides, but the slowly the two sides begin to see eye to eye. Unfortunately beast of war takes no sides and it isn't long before the violence threatens the peaceful village.

Yes its clichéd, and yes you'll probably know where its going, but this is still a charming little film that touches both the heart and the head. There is magic in this tale, both on screen and off as the simple story wins over the audience like the village wins over the sworn enemies. The film makers seem to feel that there is a magical quality to living and they have infused their film with some truly magical moments, how else do you describe a hostage situation that falls apart because the hostages wander off to do other things? This is a movie for the head and the heart. You will be touched by some wonderful characters and the world they live in. As some people say there is magic all around you and in a film like this you'll believe it. It begins with the crashing pilot noticing a moth and it ends with the final image that is both heartfelt and bittersweet. For the head there is another meditation on the stupidity of war and the pointlessness of it all. And while it may seem to be yet another warning that war will destroy all that we love, its a warning we can not hear often enough.

If the film has any real flaw its that its probably too long at two and a quarter hours. I don't know what you'd cut, but it just seemed a bit long to me.

Still, I can't recommend this film enough. Its a charming off the beaten track sort of film that deserves a bigger audience. Those looking for a change from the stereotypical Asian horror or action films should look here. The same should be said to anyone simply looking for a good film to see.

8 out of 10

Way more than just another war story, WELCOME TO DONGMAKGOL is an exploration of the human condition and a hard-hitting anti-war film to boot. In many ways it's a kind of fable that reminded me of the famous Christmas truce during WW1 where British and German troops stopped hostilities for a day to stage a football match. Other South Korean war films I've watched are usually patriotic adventures with heroes kicking the hell out of their North Korean oppressors but this is something else entirely.

It's a hard film to criticise, because everything works well. The cast all give very good performances, particularly Shin Ha-kyn (SYMPATHY FOR MR VENGEANCE) and Jae-yeong Jeong as the bitterly opposed soldiers. The storyline gradually draws you in, remains unpredictable throughout, and closes with a big finish that works really well in contrast with what's come before. I don't want to say too much more, because it's one of those films that works best when you go in knowing barely anything about it; that way it will surprise and reward you in equal measure.

"Welcome to Dongmakgol" (aka "Welkkeom tu Dongmakgol") was a surprisingly nice movie and it had a really good story to tell. A story that I enjoyed a lot, right up to the final scene in the movie. I can't claim to find any solace or fulfillment in the ending that director Park Kwang-Hyun went with, though, but that is of course a matter of personal preference.

The storyline told in "Welcome to Dongmakgol" is really interesting and quite captivating. And the story is so passionate and well-driven by some really strong performances all throughout the movie. There is just something very majestic and profoundly beautiful about this movie, just a shame that it went fast downhill with the ending.

The acting in the movie was outstanding and everyone in the movie were doing great jobs with their given roles and characters.

This beautiful movie is a definite must watch if you enjoy South Korean cinema. So you might ask why I am only rating this majestic movie a mere six out of ten stars. Well, because of the ending of the movie. It was just abysmal and it ruined so much that was previously built up throughout the course of the movie.