A very different kind of historical war epic from South Korea. There's none of the flag-waving gung-ho heroism seen in the likes of ROARING CURRENTS to be found here; instead, THE FORTRESS is a dark and downbeat story of human failing and complicity in the face of overwhelming forces. It's a story of defeat and despair, a political tale showing how cowardice, disagreement and confusion can lead to one country's kingdom being subsumed by another's. Lee Byung-hun leads a good cast whose performances take place over their athletic abilities, although there's still plenty of scale and impressive battle scenes.
Review of The Fortress
