Based on a series of events that you have likely never heard of before, My Way is the newest true inspirational World War II story from Korea's game-changing director Kang Je-kyu.
Centered around a bitter rivalry between two young marathon runners, the story flows freely to include the pair as their lives incorporate the struggles of war, treason, and imprisonment. Intermixed in the personal struggles, each man must come to terms with his own demons as they find themselves fighting for their lives, ultimately relying on one another to make it back home.
While the film does run a bit long (143 minutes to be exact), it reads as a series of episodic shorts, each of which encompasses its own plot points and climax. As a result, the film flows at an even pace, keeping the audience engaged as we sift through the hellish nightmare that has quickly become each man's life.
Leads Jang Dong-gun and Joe Odagiri do a solid job at creating characters that we both love and hate. And while you form your own opinion based on their actions towards one another, you can't help but understand each of their points as they take alternate stances against the war they find themselves fighting in.
I will say that the final moments make for a bittersweet conclusion. And while I am unable to verify just how honest Kang Je-kyu is to the original material, I can say that, for a film, My Way is a unique character study that deserves your time and attention.
