Injured soldiers and local civilians band together to fight the enemy — yankees and South Koreans, natch — in the stock North Korean war pic, An Unattached Unit. The time is the Korean war; the message, as current as ever. Everything, and I mean everything, must be sacrificed to protect the motherland. For the cheery Scout (Chang Gol Hyon), that means a longshot chance to marry the commander's pretty sister. For the skittish Bookkeeper (Kim Chol Hyon), a newly repaired, portable phonograph and a stash of buried money. And for the Instructor (Choe Tae-hyon), his eyesight. Even the surgeon knows that she may have to blow herself up to secure a temporary victory on behalf of this makeshift troop of unwavering patriots.
No one flinches at the idea of putting their life on the line. They may not like it when they get shot in the leg or end up with shrapnel in their face but not a single soul is second guessing the fight over flight ethos that guides their actions. This is a film in direct opposition to the feel-good individualism that leads to the "one man saves all" trope of Hollywood. The unit's commander (Choe Pong-sik) is dedicated, fairly clear-headed, and a team-builder. What he isn't is clever, invincible, or a motivational speaker. He's a man of few words in a way that's almost bland. Not that Kang Jung-mo's agit-prop flick is skirting with realism. It's just that the propaganda is completely out of sync with American me-first ideals. Survival is a group concept North of the border.
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