This film is basically a straight retelling of the true story of a schoolgirl's journey along the nightmare road of radiation sickness, and her determination to not give into the sadness of it all. Sadako became a national icon in Japan in the mid-50s, and her story appears to have done much for the cause of peace and against war. The lead actress does a fine job of portraying the doomed girl, whose fate is never in doubt, but who keeps the story moving at a pace which, though leisurely, is always involving and sometime heart-rending. This is by no means a subtle film. The moral and the message are driven home with a sledgehammer, the ending in particular. But this is no bad thing, and it is a message which, delivered through a simple story from a very personal viewpoint, is sure to stay with you.
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