[MOVIE REVIEW] Swing Kids (SPOILER ALERT)

Here I am with another movie review.. I'm so sorry that I didn't post any movie review last year because 2018 was such a busy year for me. So, from now on, I decided to put a lot more care for this blog. Here's my first movie review after a year long hiatus LOL

So.. I actually got curious about this movie because I read the synopsis on the internet, I'm curious on how the director combine a war movie and dancing. Then I watched this movie and I'm beyond amazed! Well, here' the movie review and hopefully it's readable LOL

THE STORY LINE

*MAJOR SPOILER ALERT*

The story takes place in Geoje Prison Camp during Korean War in 1951. In the prison camp, there's North Korean people, South Korean and American. And they didn't get along at all. So as the story goes, the Brigadier General Roberts (Ross Kettle) asked Jackson (Jared Grimes) to produce a dance team with the prisoners so that the prison will get media attention and make the prison "livelier". So, Jackson decided to open an audition for his dance team, and he chose Kang Byung Sam (Oh Jung Se) at the first audition, then Xiao Fang (Kim Min Ho) was also chosen even though he's late and Yang Pal Rae (Park Hye Soo) joined as a translator at first but then she became a member of the dance team. But, Jackson want to cast Roh Ki Soo (Do Kyung Soo) on this dance team because he saw Ki Soo dances to Russian Folk Dance before.

And one day, the dance team got into a trouble with the American gang(?) lead by Jamie (A.J Simmons), so he decided to take a revenge on Jackson by framing him so that he goes to prison. The dance team however, decided to put on a good performance when the journalists from America came so that Jackson will got released, and yeah they released Jackson because the Brigadier General promised the journalists that they will perform even better on the Christmas Eve. 

After a while everything was so smooth, they practice in the "Freedom Hall" like usual, Ki Soo even got his tap dance shoes, and the relationship between the Korean and American soldier and prisoners were slowly going better. But, everything changes when Kwang Gook (Lee David) return. The North Korean prisoners decided to attack the South Korean prisoners and American soldier, and the Brigadier General predicts that the North Korean prisoners got order from someone. So, as the story goes, Ki Soo got an order from Sam-Sik (Song Hae Ryong) a shy and bullied prisoners that was actually the North Korean prisoners "leader" to got on stage and shot Brigadier General or he will die.

So, Ki Soo is back with the team and Jackson actually said that he doesn't have to risk his life, but he said he just want to dance. Fast forward to Christmas Eve, before the team go on stage Ki Soo said that they have to run to their families and friends after performing. I think he told them that because he wants them to be alive and go on tour like they were promised to by Jackson, because he has to carry on his mission and he knows that he will not make it out alive.

When it's finally their time performing, Jackson introduced the team as his real friends in this camp. He introduces Ki Soo as a Communist prisoners that actually can perform at the Carnegie Hall if there's no war, Pal Rae as the sole breadwinner that have to work 24/7 because her parents are dead because of the war, Byung Sam as a citizen that was actually mistaken as an anti-Communist so that he got arrested, and Xiao Fang as a prisoner that actually can become a choreographer if there's no war. (THIS SCENE IS SO HEARTWARMING I ALMOST TEARED UP IN THE THEATER) and he says that the title of the performance is "FUCK IDEOLOGY".

So, after they performed the other 4 was already backstage and Ki Soo was dancing alone. The other 4 wants to join him but he told them not to and told them to go because he will carry on his mission. But then his brother, Roh Ki Jin (Kim Dong Geon), was already backstage and actually did the mission for him. Ki Soo's brother was killed and Brigadier General Roberts told the soldiers to kill the dancers (except for Jackson maybe). Jackson was with Ki Soo because he was hysterical that his brother died, and when the soldiers were about to shoot (I think) Jackson knock the shotgun so it shot the lamp instead, but that accident leads to him showing the other 3 dancers that are watching backstage. So, Jackson tries to block the soldiers and Ki Soo ran to the other 3 to protect them, but they were too late. The other 3 was shot, and eventually Ki Soo was shot too.

The next scene shows Jackson going on a bus to go home and there were dead bodies covered on the ground and one of them has a tap dance shoes on. And the last scene shows Jackson visiting the camp again in the future and reminiscence about his time at the camp in the Freedom Hall.

THE CHARACTERS

Do Kyung Soo as Roh Ki Soo

Do Kyung Soo never fails to amaze me. He's so good at picking his acting project because almost all of his movies and dramas are amazing! And I never missed any of his acting projects because I believe that he will choose a great movie or drama. His acting also improved so much, he's now lead actor worthy. He did amazingly well in this movie. His North Korean dialect was great, his tap dancing is exceptional, and you don't have to question his acting; HE'S AMAZING!

Park Hye Soo as Yang Pal Rae

I actually known her from 'Age of Youth' and I didn't really like her in the drama. And she was bad in 'Introverted Boss', but I love her here! Her character is so likable, and I was surprised that she can speak English well and also her tap dancing was awesome, and I need to remind you that she's an actor not a dancer so it's amazing for an actor like her to nailed tap dance.

Jared Grimes as Jackson

I heard that he was an actual professional tap dancer, and I was surprised that his acting was amazing. I kinda feel bad for his character, he was left alone and all of his real friends in the camp was killed in front of him. 

Oh Jung Se as Kang Byung Sam

His character is so heartwarming :") I believe that he's great because he is a veteran actor, and when I read some review of the movie, almost everyone commented that he is a great actor.

Kim Min Ho as Xiao Fang

HE.IS.SO.CUTE! He is the real scene stealer of the movie! I heard that he's a rookie actor, so I cannot comment on his acting because I haven't any of his movie or drama.

MY REVIEW

This movie shook me! It's amazing, funny, heartwarming, and also sad. This movie is the real definition of a hell of roller coaster ride movie. I was beyond amazed! Even though I miss the first maybe 10 minutes of the movie, but I still can understand the whole plot. And the ending... THAT DAMN ENDING! I didn't expect everyone to die. I thought Ki Soo will carry on his mission but he will shoot Sam Sik, but damn I was wrong...

There's a lot going on on this movie, that's why the movie feels a bit too rushed even though the duration is already 2 hours and 13 minutes long. BUT the OSTs will got you glued to your seat, the music used in this movie is really exciting and actually makes me want to dance lol

Well, this movie taught us that are no such thing as language barrier because you can communicate through dance, and that it's important to do what you believe was right and to simply do what you love & what you want to do. This movie is amazing, I want to watch it for the second time if I could. You definitely have to watch this movie, believe me, it's THAT GOOD!

Btw, I just realized that I watch this movie n Kyungsoo's birthday lol. So, I guess that is all for 'Swing Kids' movie review. See you on the next movie review, bye!

Sincerely,

dira:)