Jiseul

In form, O Muel's film is invigorating, even striking, but it feels ill-matched to his attitude, if not necessarily his subject matter.

Visually, the film is breathtaking -- replete with meticulous, broodingly lit compositions of weatherbeaten landscapes that form an elemental backdrop to human portraits of iconic impact.

"Jiseul" is a truly great film, an audiovisual masterpiece that succeeds fully in its anti-war purposes through a rather original approach.

Its often compositional beauty and sensitivity fail to elevate it into a major work, and perhaps its general approach to character might leave it a minor one even in terms of audience reception.