It turns out that Toho Studios - the guys who made all those GODZILLA movies back in the day - are still going strong in Japan, making this lengthy and sometimes epic-feeling WW2 movie that was undoubtedly based on a true story. What's surprising about this film is that it's a US-Japanese co-production that strives to show both sides of the conflict without ever demonising one or the other.
As a film it recalls the likes of LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA and although it's not quite as good as that Eastwood classic, it's well worth a watch for WW2 fans. I loved the way that the Japanese soldiers are humanised rather than just being painted as vengeful, almost supernatural demons as in American war films. Yutaka Takenouchi is a former TV actor who has gone on to success recently in SHIN GODZILLA and he does very well in an emotive part here.
The film delivers a warts-and-fall portrayal of military might and the battles are less gung-ho than resolutely realistic in terms of violence and effect. Certainly there are flaws throughout but these aren't enough to detract from the experience overall which strives to show the complexity of the situation and does so effectively. I was also pleased to see a couple of familiar Hollywood faces in the form of Daniel Baldwin and Treat Williams drafted into the tale.
As a film it recalls the likes of LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA and although it's not quite as good as that Eastwood classic, it's well worth a watch for WW2 fans. I loved the way that the Japanese soldiers are humanised rather than just being painted as vengeful, almost supernatural demons as in American war films. Yutaka Takenouchi is a former TV actor who has gone on to success recently in SHIN GODZILLA and he does very well in an emotive part here.
The film delivers a warts-and-fall portrayal of military might and the battles are less gung-ho than resolutely realistic in terms of violence and effect. Certainly there are flaws throughout but these aren't enough to detract from the experience overall which strives to show the complexity of the situation and does so effectively. I was also pleased to see a couple of familiar Hollywood faces in the form of Daniel Baldwin and Treat Williams drafted into the tale.