So I saw it last night, not bad, but I don’t think I’d call it best picture. A lot of it’s pretty cliche IMO, and I know the broad surface facts are accurate, but I’m wondering how Japanese feel about it. Consistent with the history you’re taught, the traditions and behaviours of the military? That sort of thing.
I’m not Japanese, but I did see it on Sunday and enjoyed it so I thought I’d jump in and hopefully keep this thread on the front page.
I thought it was interesting seeing American soldiers as the faceless invaders although I was a little disappointed that they ended up having that “aha!” moment where all of the Japanese soldiers suddenly realize that the Americans are people, too, and “maybe they aren’t so different from us after all.” It just seemed a little shoe-horned into the movie so that audiences would identify more with the Japanese. I was more interested in seeing them explore the “everything for the empire” mentality, which they did as well. But overall a good movie and I’m glad I saw it. I do think it was better than “Flags of our Fathers”, which I also thought was good.
Interesting, I would have given the nod to Flags of our Fathers, I guess I just identified with the vets at home thing (not that I am one). Letters reminded me of some treatments of the south in American civil war stories; the way Robert E. Lee is portrayed as an educated gentleman warrior.