--Feb 2003--
My favorite WWII movie. Period. There are many contenders for the WWII title and this one takes it without much dispute. I keep it next to Lawrence of Arabia.
While I am a fan of war movies (along side a couple of other select genres) nothing makes me hate war more than this movie. It is perfect.
Somewhat reminiscent of Hell in the Pacific with its mano-a-mano style.
--Oct 2013 edit--
Looking back at this film years later it is, admittedly, hard to still call it may favorite WWII movie. Band of Brothers/The Pacific, Flags of Our Fathers/Letters from Iwo Jima, and maybe some others are all very good. So what is it about this film that grabs me (or used to grab me)?
The replay value is not all that great. This is not a film that you could probably sell your friends on at a movie party. I gave the film 10 stars perhaps mostly because I judge a film against its own budget and not against other films (and this is a low-budget film). Yet, the production quality is only pretty good, the acting is only pretty good ... everything seems to point to maybe 8 stars at best and not 10. Most of the great films I watch get an 8 or 9 with 10 going to only the truly landmark or innovative films. How is this one of those?
What it comes down to is this: I remember how moved I was when I first saw it. For that, it somehow earned two extra stars. Thus, while during replay (or some other critical viewing) it may be hard to see this value, isn't the emotional response while watching something the first time the true value of a dramatic film?
The stereotyped, ruthless, WWII Japanese warrior is well known in film. Perhaps fairly--perhaps unfairly. I have spent a bit of time researching Japanese culture and their sense of honor. I 'believe' I get the true message of a film such as Grave of the Fireflies (another great WWII movie--certainly the most depressing one) better than many Americans. The Last Bullet took me someplace wonderful in my understanding of Japanese honor: a place where it is impossible to judge which of the two main characters acted more bravely in a difficult situation. Surprising (a lot like how When the Last Sword is Drawn was another surprising film about Japanese honor). The difference between shame and honor is not always apparent--even in Japan it seems. Showing us the human struggle between shame and honor is what makes this film great.
My favorite WWII movie. Period. There are many contenders for the WWII title and this one takes it without much dispute. I keep it next to Lawrence of Arabia.
While I am a fan of war movies (along side a couple of other select genres) nothing makes me hate war more than this movie. It is perfect.
Somewhat reminiscent of Hell in the Pacific with its mano-a-mano style.
--Oct 2013 edit--
Looking back at this film years later it is, admittedly, hard to still call it may favorite WWII movie. Band of Brothers/The Pacific, Flags of Our Fathers/Letters from Iwo Jima, and maybe some others are all very good. So what is it about this film that grabs me (or used to grab me)?
The replay value is not all that great. This is not a film that you could probably sell your friends on at a movie party. I gave the film 10 stars perhaps mostly because I judge a film against its own budget and not against other films (and this is a low-budget film). Yet, the production quality is only pretty good, the acting is only pretty good ... everything seems to point to maybe 8 stars at best and not 10. Most of the great films I watch get an 8 or 9 with 10 going to only the truly landmark or innovative films. How is this one of those?
What it comes down to is this: I remember how moved I was when I first saw it. For that, it somehow earned two extra stars. Thus, while during replay (or some other critical viewing) it may be hard to see this value, isn't the emotional response while watching something the first time the true value of a dramatic film?
The stereotyped, ruthless, WWII Japanese warrior is well known in film. Perhaps fairly--perhaps unfairly. I have spent a bit of time researching Japanese culture and their sense of honor. I 'believe' I get the true message of a film such as Grave of the Fireflies (another great WWII movie--certainly the most depressing one) better than many Americans. The Last Bullet took me someplace wonderful in my understanding of Japanese honor: a place where it is impossible to judge which of the two main characters acted more bravely in a difficult situation. Surprising (a lot like how When the Last Sword is Drawn was another surprising film about Japanese honor). The difference between shame and honor is not always apparent--even in Japan it seems. Showing us the human struggle between shame and honor is what makes this film great.