Taiheiyou no kiseki: Fokkusu to yobareta otoko

This was a surprisingly realistic war film, although it did have factual inaccuracies, such as inexplicably exaggerating the casualties inflicted by the Japanese during the infamous Saipan Banzai Charge. And while I suppose it's possible that a handful of Americans existed who understood and respected the bushido culture of Imperial Japan, they were probably nonexistent in the war zone, and therefore I found Captain Lewis' character to be totally unrealistic.

I can't speak for the acting of the Japanese. As for the Americans, Treat Williams and Daniel Baldwin can act. I can't say the same about the rest of the cast; they are terrible.

This is a Japanese film. Given the enormous scope and nature of their aggression and war crimes in the 1930s and 40s (dubbed The Asian Holocaust), and given their longstanding refusal to acknowledge said crimes, or apologize to their tens of millions of victims, I find that any portrayal by the Japanese of their WW II soldiers as heroic - even if probably true - leaves a bad taste in my mouth. This was a film that should never have been made. Imagine if modern-day Germany released a film depicting the bravery and loyalty of their soldiers in 1942. It's just unseemly, no matter how accurate.

This movie portrays an episode at the Pacific theater of the World War II, without over dramatization.

The battle of Saipan is said to be the decisive battle of the Pacific theater. After Japan lost most of the island, a captain found himself the highest ranked officer among Japanese soldiers that survived. His behaviors, struggles and decisions form the plot of the movie. It is interesting that he was not a career military man, but a teacher of geography.

Besides the lead character, Captain Oba, a tattooed man Horiuchi and a nurse Aono accent the movie. Another unique character is an American captain Luis, but his acting is mean compared to other three.

You can see this movie as food for thought about leadership. Oba's leadership is not like the one President Mandela in Invictus showed - very strong, indomitable leadership led by high ideas. In far outnumbered circumstances, with little reliable information from outside, and without anyone to consult with, he makes his decision, which turned out right in many cases. But he can not persuade some of subordinates who stubbornly refuse to surrender and stick to hopeless fight. At first, Oba was to attack the US back, but he flexibly changed his mind that his mission is no longer to attack but to defend the civilian survivors. Now I will not write more to keep this article from a spoiler. Anyhow, corporate senior managers would feel strong empathy with Captain Oba.

Whilst I appreciate this is a Japanese production I was uncomfortable with the sanitised nature which try's to clean up and almost justify the Japanese position which is unjustifiable. Given the cowardly attack on Pearl Harbour, the brutal inhuman treatment of allied soldiers which didn't conform to the Geneva convention and the lunacy of kamikaze and hara-kiri I found it impossible to find any empathy for them. We are still awaiting an apology eighty years later!

This is a film which tries to find balance between both stories, Japanese and American. It shows the brutality of war, and that there is good and bad on both sides. The film strives to portray the story of a man, Captain Sakae Oba, caught between honour and reason and his battle to find a course which satisfies both.

The film is superbly shot, especially the wide-angle panoramas and action. As with most movies the guns fire with too much flame, the explosions are too small to be accurate, and people die too easily and without the screams and gore that accompanies true war. If it's action you seek, then another movie would probably suit you better.

If you are an intelligent unbiased person who wishes to know about one of the more surprising stories of the Pacific war, then this film is a must. It glosses over some of the more salient points of the real story of Oba and his actions, such as time frame, but is a good account of the framework.

On the whole it is a very good watch, and a fine film.

Excellent drama about honor, loyalty and humanity which is in conflict with the sense for duty... Very good acting,moderate action scenes performed very well and enogh drama twists to keep you going. USA is not saving the world again so it is really worth of your time.