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

valis1949 In my experience, the best bio-pics are those in which I identify, or at the very least, sympathize with the subject of the film. CROSSING THE LINE is the very opposite of this. James Dresnok is a most reprehensible character. His decision to defect has little or nothing to do with the large moral defects in his character. He comes across as a thug and a bully. I suppose one could overlook some of this due to his unfortunate background, however many have had personal histories such as this, and not sunk to his tragic fate. The excessive smoking and drinking almost seem like a personal vendetta by his 'better' self against the 'evil' that is in him. He is really in the process of self-destruction, and rightly so. In spite of this, however, I think that CROSSING THE LINE is a fine film. After viewing the movie, I could not empathize with Dresnok, or even make a case as to why he took the path that he did. But, Daniel Gordon did a superior job illuminating this disreputable individual. We are allowed to see this man 'warts and all', and the film-maker goes out of his way to be evenhanded. It would have been so easy, and probably tempting, to just cast Dresnok as a two-bit villain.

bob the moo In 1962, the 20 year old PFC James Dresnok was serving in the demilitarised zone between North Korea and South Korea when he just headed across in the northern side of the border. Captured by the North Koreans, Dresnok became the first of several American GI's to "defect" to the communist North and went on to be enormous propaganda tools to the regime of the time. This film looks back on the life of Dresnok in North Korea and his importance within that regime.It is hard to deny that this film will have limited appeal as one does have to wonder how well known the Dresnok defection is outside of those from the US who were at a certain age in the early 1960's. I certainly knew nothing of him but was drawn to the film by the chance of learning more about the mostly inward and secretive North Korea. As such the film is quite interesting because it does give an insider's view while also having that insider being a westerner. However the film does not just use Dresnok as the way in to the country but he is the focus of the film and this is both a strength and a weakness.It is a strength in the way that he is a complex but likable character who is an interesting focus but it is a weakness in the way that my interest was not really with him in the first instance. This does leave us with an interesting film but one with a rather limited appeal, meaning that I did find it to be rather too long and occasionally hard work when it is focusing totally on people who I have no knowledge of or vested interest in.Overall then a solid documentary that is reasonably interesting despite the material having a limited appeal whenever it moves into specific territory (which is the majority).