Tidal Wave (2009)** (out of 4) This South Korean disaster picture deals with a wide range of people who at first are trying to deal with their personal lives but this all changes when a tsunami hits and they must fight for their lives. Apparently this film had the biggest budget for anything to come from South Korean and in fact I thought the special effects of the disaster looked pretty good but more on that in a bit. What really kills TIDAL WAVE is the first eighty-minutes, which is the time spent with the characters. It's clear that this film is just like so many American films in that we spend the majority of the running time getting to know the characters so that when the disaster does hit we care for them and want to see them survive. The problem here is that the majority of this is built around a bunch of comedy bits that simply aren't funny and in fact they really take you out of the movie. I'm really not sure what the purpose of these comedy scenes were but they should have been in a Laurel and Hardy movie and not something like this. Even the personal drama was pretty predictable as we are given the same stereotypes and same clichés that every disaster movie has followed since the 1970s. The film certainly does come alive once the tsunami hits and I thought the special effects were extremely good on the whole. Yes, there are some shots that are obviously fake but I enjoyed the imagination that went into them and we do get some pretty intense scenes. Still, after these scenes we fall back into the cliché routine with way too many scenes where someone is giving their live for someone else's and it just gets a bit repetitive after a while. TIDAL WAVE, on the whole, is a disappointment but fans of the genre will still want to check out the actual disaster bit.

If you expect a catastrophe movie with a lot of Hollywood action and many special effects in the key of "2012", stay away from this Korean flick. If you are looking for a slice of life and would like to take a look on different story lines and diversified characters and how they live before, during and shortly after the disaster, you must check this movie out. It focuses on philosophical, emotional and simply human topics such as forgiveness, responsibility, pride, egoism, friendship, love and sacrifice.The characters are introduced slowly and the movie might not be what one expects first but rather a portrait of Korean society with some dramatic touches as well as some humorous passages. This slow paced rhythm though helps to get connected to the characters and will keep you on the edges of your seat when the tidal wave finally hits the surprisingly modern and beautiful city of Busan in South Korea. The acting is great and convincing and the filming modern and accurate.Only the special effects are less convincing but not as bad as many critics would cite. I also regret that the movie didn't show that much of what happened to the different characters after the disaster. In fact, one could have easily made an entire television series with all the engaging side stories. It would have been better than any currently running American soap. The disaster itself is only a detail within the movie because this film is about something bigger than action, adventure or devastation. It shows us a slice of life in South Korea and makes us understand some parts of this interesting society and culture.

Usually the disaster movies take a few minutes to explain what's happening and the rest of the movie is how they face the disaster.After seeing Haenduae I think that is the way a disaster movie should be. First, let me know the characters. Love them, hate them, laugh with them. Then, only then, show me what is happening so I can tremble when they run, cry if they die and laugh with joy if they survive.It was the first time I saw a korean film and I enjoyed every single piece of it. Brilliant.I don't understand the reviews saying that is bad... for me this is how all disaster movies should be.

I remember watching this in theaters because it was a really hyped movie and the theater was jam packed. Unfortunately the movie really didn't live up to it's hype, the characters were just obnoxious and the story just wasn't all that great. I think the biggest hype was because it's a disaster movie that isn't made by Hollywood, but besides that this movie was actually very dull from beginning to end. The movie lacked the budget so the CGI was pretty terrible, especially the scene when the mountain crumbles. And the disaster parts are used very sparingly as possible to the point it all becomes predictable and stupid. I really wanted to like this movie, but it's very difficult because the characters aren't really likable and you don't really get attached to them or anything, plus some of them make the most stupid decisions. I thought Sol Kyung-Gu was a good actor and for the most part he is, but I found him annoying in this movie as well. It seemed like this movie lacked the budget and resources to make a good or at least decent disaster movie. On a positive note few of the humor in this was alright.4.7/10