gavin6942 A British documentary about US Army defector James Joseph Dresnok (born 1941) currently living in North Korea after having defected during the 60s.This is a very strange story. Americans defecting to Nazi Germany is strange, but somewhat understandable. Americans sympathizing with terrorists and moving to Afghanistan is hard to understand, but it makes sense on a certain level. This one is stranger still... defecting to a country that not only speaks a foreign tongue and has different views, but restricts freedom? Who purposely wants to live in a prison? And the man does not comes across as mistreated or brainwashed in any way. Clearly something very odd happened, and he may not be completely truthful (the tale of his first wife being a kidnap victim is a story in itself)... who is James Dresnok?

SnakesOnAnAfricanPlain A fascinating story about a man that did the unthinkable. He crossed over into North Korea and surrendered to their ideals and way of life. We are offered a look inside North Korea, one of the most isolated and intriguing places in the world. Dresnok is obviously a supporter of where he lives, and rarely says a bad word against it. The film does give us some interesting tidbits, such as Dresnok's troubled home life and youth, but the main focus is on a man and how he can live in a place most westerners would consider inhospitable. Their is a great emotional weight to the film, as Dresnok talks about his first failed marriage, and both of his marriages + children in North Korea. Underneath the surface is also the complex goings on between Dresnok and 3 other American GI's that defected. Dresnok may be the only one left, but the continuing battle of words between himself and Jenkins makes for one of cinemas great rivalries. It would be easy to call Dresnok brainwashed, if he didn't seem so down to earth and in control. Insightful, emotional, and never judging, this is how a documentary should be made.

merylmatt I rented this to get a glimpse of what life in North Korea was like - anything at all - as with much history, when you start off with one journey, you find another. I did not know 4 US Army soldiers defected to North Korea in 1962-63. That was a huge embarrassment to the US and a propaganda windfall for the DPK, who not surprisingly, exploited these four soldiers. They made speeches denouncing the US, were wined and dined by the North Koreans and even starred in North Korean movies (as the bad guys, of course).This documentary centers on the one of first to cross the border - James "Comrade Joe" Dresnok. The story is told from his perspective. Since 2 of the others died and 1 escaped to Japan, only Joe is left in North Korea. Does he have regrets? Does he wish to return to the west? Has he been brain washed? How did he enjoy his life in a gilded cage? He learned the language, culture and to say the words, but does he mean them? About the only thing you can be sure of is that Joe does not like fellow defector Charles Jenkins who managed to get to Japan in 2004.**Possible spoilers**One suspects that Joe is saying literally, the party line. He knows in order to eat in a land where natives are starving; he must continue to defend his decision and North Korea. Since the four defectors tried to escape North Korea in the late 1960's (by going to the Soviet Embassy - duh!) and spent the next 10 years being're-educated', Joe's statements of loyalty to the North Koreans rings hollow. This is a good documentary, not excellent - it can be slow at times, and one tires of hearing Joe defend himself and his actions. He comes off as disingenuous at best, not someone worthy of hate, but pity. 6.5 stars

peter07 I thoroughly enjoyed this documentary, but couldn't come away thinking the protagonist is your typical piece of trailer trash who happened to defect to North Korea. At least he admits he is one and doesn't try to make himself something he isn't.All four of the defectors did not graduate high school yet became heroes and celebs in a totalitarian country. Goes to show you how losers from the West can succeed in Asia (and this ain't a good thing).I do recommend this movie for the wealth of information it provides on North Korea, but well, I'm sorry but I think Dresnok is a loser PERIOD. I'm also sure I'm FAR from alone in my opinion.