MovieChat Forums > Welkkeom tu Dongmakgol (2005) Discussion > Totally bizarre feeling... *SPOILERS*

Totally bizarre feeling... SPOILERS

posted 17 years ago by rooprect
6 replies | jump to latest

Loved this movie from start to finish. But the ending gave me a really bizarre feeling, because it was the first time I've ever cheered when an American plane gets blown up. Did any of you get that feeling too? Like "Take that you friggin American bastard!!" and then suddenly realizing... "Whoa... I'm an American bastard myself." It was a totally trippy experience.

I hope this thread doesn't turn into a political debate, because that's not my intent. I was just wondering if any of you got a weird thrill out of rooting against the "home team" (which is how Americans are always portrayed in every other war movie. Even Das Boot remained sympathetic toward the Allies, despite the German point of view).

[–] mac_alain 17 years ago

...because it was the first time I've ever cheered when an American plane gets blown up.

A reaction that the director was possibly after, as it emphasises the absurdity of war.

[–] kerpan 17 years ago

Felt very ersatz and manipulative -- and Jo Hisaishi's score was disappointingly generic.

I would have to say that the (also a bit cheesy and manipulative) Japanese film "Lorelei" was considerably more satisfactory overall -- and one DID feel a bit compelled to root for the shooting down of one particular US airplane.

MEK

Every dream is a prophecy: every jest is an earnest in the womb of Time.

[–] aeolus847 16 years ago

I noticed it too, and it was weird... someone commented that it seemed "ersatz and manipulative" but it really does cause you to take a step outside your own box and consider some of the underlying absurdities of nationalism and war. It's sort of akin to the realization when I'm watching Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, that I'm totally rooting for those two, even though they're the outlaw bank robbers.

[–] dodrade 16 years ago

Pearl Harbour was so bad I ended up rooting for the Japanese.

[–] joseph1 16 years ago

GOOD ONE!!!

[–] Tastentier 9 years ago

I didn't view the attacking plane formation as Americans, even though I'm a very US-critical person and can easily emphasize with the other side in most US-involved conflicts. At least with the civilians on the other side. And that was exactly the point of this movie, imho. The two sides in every armed conflict are The War and The People. The attacking planes represented The War. The planes' insignia and the uniforms of their pilots were completely irrelevant.